← Euro Marathon Metz·2 nights

Strasbourg: Two Nights on the Grande Île

Alsace's capital, an easy direct train from Metz, with a UNESCO-listed island old town of canals and half-timbered houses, a cathedral you can see from everywhere and a tram for when the legs give out.

Duration2 nights
TransitDirect train from Metz-Ville, from about 50 minutes on the fastest services, around 1 hour 25 minutes on average
DepartsMetz-Ville

After the Euro Marathon Metz: Strasbourg

The Route: Metz-Ville → Strasbourg (2 nights) → onward by rail or air Logistics: Around 13 direct trains a day. The fastest take about 50 minutes; the average is around 1 hour 25 minutes. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Metz-Ville ──(50 min to 1h25 direct train)──> Strasbourg
                                                   │
                     onward by TGV or from Strasbourg Airport ◄──┘

The Euro Marathon Metz finishes a few hundred metres from Metz-Ville station, and direct trains to Strasbourg run through the day, the fastest in about 50 minutes. Two nights is the right length: long enough to see the old town slowly, with a rest day in the middle. Mid-October in Alsace is cool and past the summer crowds, and the Christmas markets are still weeks away.

Day One: The Grande Île

Strasbourg's old town stands on the Grande Île, an island formed by two channels of the Ill, and the whole island is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Paths run along both banks for several kilometres, level and paved, which suits legs two days out from a marathon.

At the western end, Petite France is the half-timbered district of old tanneries and mills built over the water. Beyond it, the Barrage Vauban, a 17th-century fortified dam, has a free roof terrace looking back over the covered bridges towards the cathedral.

Day Two: The Cathedral and the Museums

The Cathédrale Notre-Dame, in red sandstone, dominates the skyline from almost every street, and the nave is free to enter; the astronomical clock inside has its own small charge. Maison Kammerzell, one of the most richly carved half-timbered houses in Alsace, stands on the cathedral square and is a restaurant serving choucroute and tarte flambée.

For a sit-down afternoon, the Musée Alsacien on Quai Saint-Nicolas shows regional life across several connected old houses. When the walking gets too much, the tram runs on the surface through the centre, and a short hop between Place Kléber and the cathedral quarter saves the legs.

Where to stay: The Regent Petite France, in a converted ice factory on the water, puts the flattest walking in the city on the doorstep. Hôtel Cour du Corbeau, a coaching inn dating from 1528 just off Place du Marché Gras, is a short, level walk from the cathedral.

Where to eat: Au Pont Saint Martin, a winstub on the water in Petite France, serves baeckeoffe and other Alsatian dishes at tables overlooking the canal.

Getting Home

Strasbourg has direct TGVs to Paris and other French cities, and its airport, at Entzheim, is reached by a regional train from Strasbourg station. Check timetables at sncf-connect.com before booking an early flight.