• Cathedrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg - The Strasbourg Cathedral is not just a monument; it is a Gothic masterpiece that narrates four centuries of history. The guide will provide insights to uncover its secrets.

The exploration begins at the 3D model at the base of the cathedral’s south façade, then moves to the western façade, a stone book rich with sculptures and symbols.

Visitors will learn about the structure’s evolution, from its Romanesque roots to its 142-meter-high spire (466 feet). Together, the history and stories of its builders will be unraveled.

Before continuing the tour, the guide will explain the step-by-step construction of this marvel, which was the tallest monument in Christendom until the 19th century.

• Quai des Pêcheurs - The Ill River has been the lifeblood of Strasbourg since its inception. As the tour proceeds along Quai des Pêcheurs (Fishermen’s Wharf), the essence of the city is felt. The boatmen, one of the city’s oldest guilds, turned Strasbourg into a major commercial hub during the Middle Ages. Wine and grain arrived from the south, while furs and other goods came from the north.

From there, a breathtaking view of Saint Paul’s Reformed Church, a neo-Gothic gem, can be seen standing proudly over the water.

The tour then leads to Palais Universitaire, a majestic monument overlooking the banks of the Ill.

• Palais Universitaire De Strasbourg - Palais Universitaire (University Palace) of Strasbourg is at the heart of the Neustadt. This neo-Renaissance masterpiece showcases German expertise, built after the 1870 annexation to project imperial power.

This majestic palace has a fascinating history. The guide will recount its transition from a symbol of the German era to one of European reconciliation, notably hosting the first session of the Council of Europe in 1949.

This building is a stone bridge between two eras, where history, science, and politics intertwined to shape Europe’s destiny.

• Avenue de la Forêt-Noire - Avenue de la Forêt-Noire—a name echoing the Vosges Mountains’ twin range—is one of the grand avenues of the Neustadt’s Imperial Quarter.

Today, far from its military past, it is a lively area, bordered by the university campus and the botanical garden. Here, on this vibrant green axis, history and knowledge converge.

• Parc de l’Orangerie - Parc de l’Orangerie (Orangerie Park), Strasbourg’s largest urban park, is a green jewel in the city’s heart. Here, history becomes poetry.

The guide will immerse visitors in the soul of this place, sharing the story of the Joséphine Pavilion. Built in 1804 to house a hundred orange trees confiscated from a nearby château during the French Revolution, it now bears the name of Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, wife of Napoléon Bonaparte. The Empress’s elegance still seems to linger in the air.

It is a place rich in history, where the echoes of the Revolution mingle with imperial history, and open spaces invite dreams.

• Palais de l’Europe - Palais de l’Europe (Palace of Europe)—a name resonating with an entire continent—stands as a symbol of reconciliation. The guide will take visitors on a journey through time to share its story and the significance of its imposing architecture.

At the headquarters of the Council of Europe, the first stones of European democracy were laid. This is a place where the past mingles with the present, where history, politics, and architecture converge.

• Cour Europeenne des Droits de l’Homme - The European Court of Human Rights, with its bold architecture and two cylinders of glass and steel, stands as a symbol of justice and hope.

Its design, built on transparency, is an allegory for European justice, aiming to be accessible and open to all. This building is a place where human rights are protected and where European citizens’ voices are heard.

Through its architecture, it reminds us of the importance of justice in building today’s Europe.

• European Parliament Strasbourg - The European Parliament, the beating heart and official headquarters of the European Union, stands as a tribute to the commitment of an exceptional woman.

Named after Louise Weiss, a journalist, woman of letters, and the Dean of the Members of Parliament, her pioneering spirit still echoes through its halls.

• Cité-jardin Ungemach - The Ungemach Garden City is a hidden residential area, an enchanted interlude in the European institutions district.

It is the wild story of an urban utopia, built in the 1920s. This architectural and social project aimed to encourage the birth rate by offering families beautiful houses with gardens at a rent proportional to the number of children.

Visitors will discover the silence of its paths. A unique architectural and social history.

• Quai Rouget-de-Lisle - The tour continues along Quai Rouget de Lisle (Rouget de Lisle Quays), a name that echoes the national anthem… but patience! The story behind this song will be recounted further on, at Place Broglie (Broglie Square).

Indeed, it was here, in Strasbourg, that a war song became a national symbol. The guide will share the behind-the-scenes story of this creation that changed France’s destiny.

• Eglise Saint-Paul - Arriving at the foot of Saint Paul’s Church, a neo-Gothic jewel spotted from afar. Its two 76-meter twin spires command the Ill River, standing as a witness to the 1870 annexation, built for German soldiers.

Its architecture hides a mystery: it has 16 doors! The guide will share its unique story.

• Avenue de la Liberté - Avenue de la Liberté, one of Strasbourg’s most beautiful avenues, is the heart of the Imperial Quarter. The guide will explain how, following the 1870 annexation, it was designed to be the axis of “Knowledge-Power.”

Although not the longest avenue in the district, it was the most important, embodying the German Empire’s ambition. Here, history and architecture unite to tell a chapter of the city’s story.

• Place de la Republique - Place de la République (Republic Square), the former heart of the “Kaiser Platz,” immerses visitors in a magnificent past. On either side, the National Theater and the National and University Library, with thousands of books from Emperor William I’s personal collection, bear witness to the German Empire’s cultural ambition.

But the square is also a place of memory. The guide will share the unique story of the War Memorial (Monument aux Morts), a typically Alsatian memorial that makes no mention of the homeland for which the soldiers fell. It’s an opportunity to share a fascinating chapter of history, unique to Alsace.

• Palais du Rhin - Palais du Rhin (Palace of the Rhine), in the heart of the former “Kaiser Platz,” stands as the symbol of imperial power. Designed as a residence for Emperor William I following the 1870 annexation, this majestic edifice was nevertheless inaugurated by his grandson, William II.

Despite its imposing size, this palace never won the heart of the young Emperor, who ironically found it “too massive” for his taste.

Today, far from its imperial past, Palais du Rhin has seen its destiny transformed: it is the headquarters of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine, the oldest international organization in the world.

• Place Broglie - Arriving in the Old Town, starting with Place Broglie (Broglie Square), a location where Strasbourg’s history unfolds in multiple acts. From the Janus fountain, the two-faced Roman god reminding us that history has both a past and a future, to the Opera, whose tumultuous story is a testament to the city’s wars and reconstructions—everything here breathes history.

But the square is also a place of memory. The guide will recount the story of Strasbourg’s liberation by Marshal Leclerc and the secret of the French flag—an amusing and fascinating anecdote.

Finally, two stories will be shared: that of the city’s very first Christmas market, held right here after 1570, and that of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, whose first note resonated in a building on the square.

• Place Kleber - Place Kléber (Kléber Square), the beating heart of Strasbourg, is a place where history and the present meet. The guide will show the statue of General Kléber, a hero of the Napoleonic army, whose body rests beneath the pedestal of his statue.

Beside it stands the majestic Aubette, a building that has seen its destiny transformed on several occasions.

• Place Gutenberg - In the heart of the city, Place Gutenberg comes alive, watched over by the statue of the man who gave wings to knowledge.

The guide will take visitors on a journey through time, recounting how this square was a crucial location in history. It was here, in Strasbourg, that Johannes Gutenberg perfected his invention and where the very first Bible in German was printed. Visitors will learn how, long before social media, the world’s first newspaper was also born in this city.

In the background, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the proud Renaissance building named Neue Bau, still seems to echo the intellectual ferment of the time. Its façades, typical of the Alsatian style, are silent witnesses to Strasbourg’s prosperity and ingenuity.

This is a square where the past, commerce, and innovation meet, and the guide will provide all the keys to unlock its secrets.

• Eglise Saint-Thomas - On the square that bears its name, Saint Thomas Church stands like a stone sentinel. Considered the city’s Protestant cathedral, it is a majestic witness to the Reformation.

The guide will take visitors on a journey through time to share its unique history. Visitors will learn how, starting in the 16th century, Saint Thomas Church became the centerpiece of Alsatian Protestantism, a movement that shaped Strasbourg’s identity.

Its architecture, both sober and elegant, is a true stone book that speaks of the beliefs and intellectual movements of the era. Visitors will understand why it is a symbol of the Reformation, and how its sandstone walls still echo a different faith.

• Pont Saint-Martin - From Pont Saint-Martin, the gaze falls upon Petite France, a postcard-perfect scene where half-timbered houses are reflected in the water. This name, which sounds so romantic, hides a story that contradicts its charm.

The guide will immerse visitors in the soul of this place to share its untold story. Visitors will discover that the name “Petite France” actually comes from an old hospital that, in the 16th century, housed soldiers suffering from the “French disease”… The hospital was located here and ended up giving its name to the district—a historical detail that transforms how one looks at this magical place.

• Pont Couverts - Since the Middle Ages, the stone towers of Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges) have stood like proud guards. Witnesses to an age of iron and stone, their 13th-century walls tell a story that is both military and carceral.

The guide will reveal the secrets of this ancient fortification. Visitors will discover how this defensive structure, which also served as a prison, has evolved over time.

And finally, a riddle will be posed: if they are called the Covered Bridges, why don’t they have a roof today? The answer is simpler than it seems!

• Barrage Vauban - Barrage Vauban (Vauban Dam), a chapter of history written by the hand of Louis XIV, stands as a masterpiece of defensive engineering. The guide will share how, after the annexation of Strasbourg, the Sun King ordered his architect to build this dam to protect the city in case of attack.

Yet, despite its ingenuity, the dam met with an ironic fate. The guide will recount how it was used during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, but how its effectiveness was nullified by Prussian bombs.

From its terrace, offering a unique panorama of the city (subject to opening hours), the gap between past and present will be bridged. Visitors will admire the architecture of Petite France and the Neustadt, and discuss Strasbourg’s destiny today, in the heart of the magnificent Alsace region.

• Le Square Louise Weiss - Square Louise Weiss—a name echoing an exceptional woman mentioned earlier.

Lined with magnificent half-timbered houses, this square takes on a whole new dimension as Christmas approaches, hosting a part of France’s oldest Christmas market, dating back to 1570, and one of the oldest in the world.

• La Petite France - Petite France is much more than a postcard-perfect scene where half-timbered houses are reflected in the water. Once a working-class district for tanners, millers, and fishermen, it has transformed its humble past into a universal charm that now attracts visitors from all over the world.

The guide will immerse visitors in the soul of this place, which has a vibrant artisan history, notably with a presentation of the tanners’ “poêle” (guildhall). This working district is also where the history of the guilds was written—these powerful groups of artisans and merchants who held the reins of the city.

The traditional houses, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, hide other secrets: the guide will explain why their unique architecture was a clever trick to avoid taxes. This location is a living page of history, a bridge between the past and the present.

• Quai Saint-Thomas - From Petite France, the tour heads onto Quai Saint-Thomas (Saint-Thomas Quays), a charming passage offering another perspective on the city. Passing by a lock and a pedestrian footbridge over the water, beneath the arch of Pont Saint-Martin (Saint-Martin Bridge), visitors can admire the magnificent façades reflected in the Ill River.

This walk leads, step by step, to Ancienne Douane (Old Customs House). Visitors will discover how this district, once bustling with boatmen, has become a place of calm and beauty—a haven of serenity in the city’s heart.

• L’ Ancienne Douane - Walking up from the quays on Rue de la Douane, another piece of the past is revealed: Ancienne Douane (Old Customs House). Formerly the city’s port hub and headquarters of the boatmen’s guild, it is the perfect opportunity to learn about the new Port of Strasbourg, today the second-largest inland port in France.
• Pont du Corbeau - Next, the tour faces Pont du Corbeau (Raven Bridge), a name that evokes a dark and fascinating past. It was here, on this bridge—once the “bridge of torments”—that public executions and humiliations took place during the Middle Ages.

Curious about how criminals were judged and executed here? The guide will recount these stories, as terrifying as they are surprising, etched into Strasbourg’s memory.

This is a chapter in the history of justice to discover here, standing in stark contrast to the magnificent architecture that captivates.

• Rue du Maroquin - The tour takes the magnificent Rue du Maroquin, one of the city’s most beautiful streets—a jewel box of traditional houses and authentic “winstubs”. It is the ideal place to end the tour on a high note and capture the final memories of this adventure.

The journey concludes by returning to the Cathedral, where it all began, leaving visitors with an unforgettable memory of Strasbourg.

• Dogs allowed, must be leashed and sociable
• Officially licensed tour guide

• Gratuities
• Snacks
• Entrance fees
• No interior visit of the cathedral.

Run Through History: A 10K Strasbourg Running Tour

Get ready for an exceptional experience by lacing up your running shoes and joining Yann, your officially licensed local guide! This 10K running tour offers a unique blend of sport and culture, allowing you to explore the European, Imperial, and Old Town districts.

Unlike traditional tours, this active and cultural journey includes stops filled with fascinating stories, local legends, and hidden treasures. It’s a chance to challenge yourself while discovering the secrets of the Alsatian capital. The pace is moderate, so a good level of physical fitness is necessary.

Feel free to bring your furry friend along!

Join a small, friendly group of up to 8 participants for a delightful and engaging adventure. Run, learn, and fall in love with Strasbourg!

Practical Information:

• A moderate fitness level is required.
• Not suitable for individuals with reduced mobility.
• No refunds will be provided in case of physical difficulty.
• Minimum age is 15. Minors must be accompanied.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.