Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [89]
On an island in the Moselle in the center of Épinal, the spectacular Musée Départemental d’Art Ancien et Contemporain (Museum of Antiquities and Contemporary Art) is in a renovated 17th-century hospital, whose ancient classical traces are still visible under a dramatic barrel-vaulted skylight. The crowning jewel here is Job Lectured by His Wife, one of the greatest works of Georges de la Tour, the painter whose candlelighted scenes constitute Lorraine’s most memorable artistic legacy. Other old masters, including works by Rembrandt, Fragonard, and Boucher, are on view, once part of the famous collection of the Princes of Salm. The museum also contains one of France’s largest collections of contemporary art, as well as Gallo-Roman artifacts, rural tools, and local faïence. | 1 pl. Lagarde | 88000 | 03–29–82–20–33 | €4.60 | Wed.–Mon. 9–12:30 and 1:30–6, Sun. 1:30–6.
The small but bustling Vieille Ville is anchored by the lovely old Basilique St-Maurice, a low gray-stone basilica blending Romanesque and Gothic styles. Note its sturdy belfry and deep, ornate, 15th-century entry porch. | Pl. St-Goëry | 88000 | 03–29–82–58–36.
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The Historic Heart | Beyond the Ill | Where to Eat in Strasbourg | Where to Stay in Strasbourg | Nightlife and the Arts in Strasbourg | Shopping in Strasbourg
Though centered in the heart of Alsace 490 km (304 mi) east of Paris, and drawing appealingly on Alsatian Gemütlichkeit (coziness), the city of Strasbourg is a cosmopolitan French cultural center and the symbolic if unofficial capital of Europe. Against an irresistible backdrop of old half-timber houses, waterways, and the colossal single spire of its red-sandstone cathedral, which seems to insist imperiously that you pay homage to its majestic beauty, Strasbourg is an incongruously sophisticated mix of museums, charming neighborhoods like La Petite France, elite schools (including that notorious hothouse for blooming politicos, the École Nationale d’Administration, or National Administration School), international think tanks, and the European Parliament. The strasbourgeoisie have a lot to be proud of.
Getting Here and Around
With the advent, in June 2007, of the TGV Est Européen (www.tgv.com), Strasbourg is now only 2 hours, 20 minutes away with any one of the 16 direct TGV trains from Paris, with fares ranging from €65.90 to €86. In addition to the extra-regional links to Nancy, Metz, Saarbrucken, Lyon, and Geneva, Strasbourg’s train station (20 pl. de la Gare) is at the heart of the regional TER train system and has direct trains at least every 30 minutes to Colmar (€10.40) and Sélestat (€7.50), where you can change for omnibus services to Ribeauvillé (€2.10) and Rosheim/Molseim (for Dambach la Ville, €7.60, and Obernai, €5.30). Call the “on demand” service (08–00–10–09–48) in Sélestat to arrange transport to Orschwiller (short walk to Haut-Koenigsbourg) for €1. Buses head out to Obernai and Wangenbourg (connection at Wasselonne for Saverne) from the Gare Routière (03–88–43–23-43) in Place des Halles. Strasbourg’s main train station is across the river from the city center, three-quarters of a mile from the cathedral, in the far west corner of the city.
Strasbourg has an extensive tram and bus network; most of the efficient lines of Companie des Transports Strasbourgeois (www.cts-strasbourg.fr) leave from the train station at 20 place de la Gare, travel down Rue du Vieux Marché aux Vins, and part ways at Place de la République. Tickets are good for one hour and can also be used on Strasbourg’s sleek tram that travels from the train station to Place de l