What to Wear in Strasbourg

What works in Strasbourg is set by two things: the weather you will actually be standing in, and how much of the day you spend around monuments, markets and museums, where covered shoulders and knees are expected. Strasbourg has four real seasons — summers that can be hot, winters cold enough for a proper coat — so the month you travel decides what you pack far more than the city does.

The traditional wear recorded for Strasbourg is La coiffe alsacienne. This is folk dress, not living dress: it is worn by folklore groups, at village festivals and by people working the Christmas market, and by nobody on an ordinary Tuesday. The bow reached its enormous size only in the 19th century, and the story that black meant Protestant and red Catholic is a simplification repeated so often it has become fact. A visitor wearing one reads as fancy dress — the respectful version is going to see it worn properly, at a village fête or during the market, rather than buying one.

Colours that photograph well here: Navy, Camel, Olive and Ecru. For everyday looks the Clothes you can get on a bike in and Dressed for four hours outdoors in December options are the easiest starting point.

On footwear — flat and secure. Cobbles on the island, smooth tarmac everywhere else.

Across the year: spring (Mar – May) — light layers — warm afternoons, cold mornings, comfortable walking shoes; summer (Jun – Aug) — light clothes, sunglasses and sun cream, breathable shoes or sandals; autumn (Sep – Nov) — mid-weight layers and something rainproof, closed shoes with grip; winter (Dec – Feb) — a proper winter coat, hat and gloves, insulated, waterproof shoes.