Vive la différence

Trivia fact of the day: La Petite France, a charming section of Strasbourg, has an interesting history. The name originated in the 16th century when veterans from the battles with Italy were quarantined here because they had venereal disease. Since locals blamed the French for the disease, "la Petite France" became a nickname for syphilis.

Lunch in La Petite France

On Wednesday morning, we decided to see a bit more of Troyes before heading out. Of course, we chose the cathedral. I often wonder what a trip to Europe would be without monarchs and religion. This one had an interesting façade. Parts of it had been cleaned and looked brand new, while others wore the marks of years of wear and tear. I wonder if the city ran out of money to complete the job. In the interior were beautiful stained-glass windows, inside a soaring apse, a typical feature of gothic churches.

Bob takes a picture of me taking a picture of the cathedral.

Spectacular stained-glass windows in the cathedral at Troyes

Next it was time for an excursion to an outlet mall just outside of Troyes - from the sublime to the ridiculous, I know. The MacArthur Glen Outlet is a shopping mecca for French folks looking for a bargain. Designer duds listed at 800 Euros can be purchased here for a mere 550 Euros. I wanted to avoid those shops, but still seek out French designs, so I checked in at the Help Desk first and asked for guidance about which stores to enter. I marked the affordable establishments on my visitor's map and off I went. I have no idea where Bob went during the time I shopped. I stayed focused on the plan and it worked very well since we both finished our trip around the mall at about the same time. The big difference was that I left carrying several bags of lovely things - all bargains, and Bob left with a bag of Lindt chocolates.

Planning my visit at MacGregor Glen Outlet Mall.

There are fewer tourist attractions in this part of France, so we travelled a fair distance before stopping at Toul in Lorraine. Again, the main attraction is a cathedral, another one well worth visiting. Bob loved the number of ancient gravestones in the floor of the church while I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place since someone had put on a recording of beautiful religious music. Just after I arrived, Panis Angelicus was playing and I was transported.

The cloister at Toul

Next, we made a stop at Nancy to see the famous Place Stanislas. It rained on the way there but the skies cleared just as we arrived in the city. This square is large and very ornate, with grand buildings all around, and gilded gates, light fixtures and lamp-posts.

Gilded lamppost and gate at Place Stanislas 

Place Stanislas. The statue is of the man it is named after: Stanislaw  Leszczynski, former king of Poland.

We arrived rather late to our destination, the beautiful city of Strasbourg on the German border. This very cosmopolitan city is the site of the E.U. Parliament. It feels both German and French. On the way home from dinner, we happened upon a light and sound show on the façade of the cathedral. It was difficult to capture this experience in a photo, but I tried anyway.

The image is blurry because it is constantly changing

Thursday was spent entirely in Strasbourg. This a a great place, with lots to see and do. We spent much of our day following a walking tour of the central part of the city. The first site we visited was the magnificent Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg. It is unlike anything we have seen previously. Inside, there are several features that are particularly notable: the suspended organ, the Astronomical Clock, the Pillar of Angels, and the stone pulpit. The stained-glass windows are lovely as well. The façade is like lace, it is so elaborate. The photos do not do it justice.

The wise and foolish virgins on the right portal.

L'Horloge Astronomique (The Astronomical Clock)

Our Lady of Strasbourg Cathedral

The Ill River often featured during our walk; we crossed it several times, or strolled alongside its banks. In "La Petite France", a charming quarter, the river has three branches and locks to bring boats through. Later in the day, we took one these boats in order to see the city from a different point of view. It was a relaxing way to end our day - and our French vacation which will draw to a close tomorrow.

One of the medieval towers on the covered bridge over the Ill, as viewed from the top of Barrage Vauban

Two medieval towers late in the day, from the boat

Another highlight of our day was a visit to Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune Church, with its many frescoes that were uncovered during restorations. We loved all the colours on the walls.

Frescoes in Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune

Further afield, on the boat trip, we saw several of the buildings erected for the European Union. Their modern glass and metal fabric stand in great contrast to the half timbered homes and dormer windows in the old city where we had spent much of the day. By the way, this is "la différence" in the title of the blog. France is very different in its eastern part, architecturally. There are few colourful shutters on buildings now; rather, the half-timbered style dominates.

EU court building

Strasbourg in the evening.

After the boat tour, we took in the city one last time, before returning to our hotel for the night. We will be sorry to leave tomorrow, but we will be back.