In May 2023 I visited Strasbourg, France while studying abroad with Middle Tennessee State University. Our day included a walking tour of the city, the Strasbourg Cathedral (or Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg), St. Thomas Church (Église Saint-Thomas), a walk through Petite France, live jazz on the streets, and baguettes.

Our day started with a walking tour around Grande Île, which means “large island” in French. We learned about the Strasbourg Cathedral, the l’Ill River which surrounds it, and some of the city’s history. Strasbourg was established by Romans in 12 B.C. and became a French city in 1681 when it was conquered by Louis XIV.

Listening intently as our guide points out Petite France.

View of the Strasbourg Cathedral from Rue Mercière

The Strasbourg Cathedral displays both Gothic and Romanesque architecture. “With its spire soaring 142 [meters] above the city, Our Lady of Strasbourg Cathedral was the highest building in the West until the nineteenth century,” according to European Waterways. The cathedral was begun in 1015 and took over three hundred years to complete.

The intricate façade of the Strasbourg Cathedral

The façade revealed meticulous details and characters from scenes in the Bible.

My mom and me in front of the Strasbourg Cathedral.

After our tour we walked through Petite France, saw the exhibitions in Barrage Vauban, and explored the bustling city. One of my favorite shops was a confectionery called The Pirate’s Candies, which contained dozens of barrels of every candy imaginable.

Walking along a crowded street in Petite France.

We lunched at a restaurant along the l’Ill called Au Petit Bois Vert. Cappuccinos became my beverage of choice during the study abroad trip, and today was no exception. I loved hearing the steady murmur of the river as we ate together under the trees.