I think I was giddy with excitement a full week before I left. Located close to Germany, Strasbourg has an interesting twist of two cultures especially due to the fact that the area moved back and forth between the countries so many times.
As recently as the World Wars, Alsace was in Germany! Monday was the main event! And seriously perfect timing. The Frenchman and another couple that were in town visiting went by and saw them Friday night and Saturday before I got in and said it was insanity.
I went around pm on Monday right before the sun was about to go down and was pleasantly surprised by how uncrowded it was. Apparently it had been impossible to move more than lurching inches at a time on Saturday because of the herds of people.
My friend Jenni had said last year you would turn a corner and just happen upon a market. So I ambled down to the ridiculously magnificent Cathedral figuring that would be a good place to start. The stalls were fun, if a bit touristy ok yes a lot touristy , but less so than the Champs Elysees. I saw several stalls from stores around Strasbourg that I recognized or from smaller farms or cities nearby as seen by the addresses on the stand. Just like my friend had said, there were little market stands around every corner and gorgeous lights strung across the streets.
The market was similar to the hip pop up outdoor hang out areas that had been cropping up around Paris this summer where the goal was that the area was a temporary set up with food trucks brought in, wine of course , and places to hang out and chill. The Vin Chaud was killer and about a euro more than that at the more mainstream markets but SO worth it! The stalls were in the hipster category: vegetarian stand with kale and beet chips, farm stand with awesome looking veg canned purees and preservatives, a recycled kitchen appliance stall in an igloo?
