The half-timbered, flower-festooned houses are like something right out of les Frères Grimm – except for the blue-and-gold European Union flags rippling from the balconies. The EU may be going through its challenges at the moment, but here in Strasbourg, capital of Teutonic-flavoured Alsace-Lorraine, Europe is always in fashion, as the European Parliament and the Council of Europe are among the 20 international institutions based here. But lest you think this has become just another urban nest of bureaucracy, rest assured, Strasbourg remains a city of personality, reflecting a long and distinguished history (which included, of course, long periods both under German imperial rule and as an independent German-speaking city). You’ll feel it immediately once you... keep reading