The Good Life France Magazine




The Good Life France Magazine brings you the best of France - inspirational and exclusive features, fabulous photos, mouth-watering recipes, tips, guides, ideas and much more...


Published by the award winning team at The Good Life France

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2 years ago

Issue No. 23

Welcome to the summer! In this issue discover Dijon in Burgundy, sensational Strasbourg (and a secret speakeasy), and lovely Cognac. We'll tell you where the locals go on holiday, the secret places. Visit Versailles and the Paris Opera, Le Touquet - the "Monaco" of northern France and wild Provence. Guides, recipes and more - your trip to France without leaving home...

Aedaen: In rue des

Aedaen: In rue des Aveugles you’ll find Aedaen which consists of several venues: an art gallery, brasserie which is fab for lunch and dinner and has a cake boudoir, the comptoir a dessert, with the most amazing pastry-chef made fancies, pizza restaurant and a secret bar. Aedaen place is gorgeous inside and out, with a kind of indoor jungle theme that is just lovely. The dishes are delish with all fresh products and a menu that changes every three days. They even have a Friday comedy club night, music nights, and cultural events. This would be my go to place if I lived in Strasbourg! Opposite, the art gallery has a fabulous collection. Locals love to go here to see the exhibitions and have brunch at the weekends. If you like pizzas, you’ll love their next door pizzeria… but it’s the secret bar that I fell head over heels for. It’s a French take on a speakeasy, and I have to tell you I am not allowed to reveal where it is but I am cleared to tell you to go to the pizzeria to find it. It’s the talk of the town, locals love it when they find it. Known as the “Secret Place” it’s open 7 days a week, it’s friendly and welcoming and very cool, think industrial chic combined with velvet couches and chandeliers plus an erotic cocktail list (yes erotic!)… go and find this place but don’t tell them I told you about it! www.aedaen-place.com/ Head to Place d’Austerlitz on the right bank for bars the locals frequent. Try rue Klein and quai des Pecheurs where there are bars on boats. This whole area has been recently rejuvenated and if you came here five years ago you won’t recognise it.

Inside track – a +700 year old wine cellar/shop Created in 1395 this wine cellar in Strasbourg hospital car park is even older than the hospices de Beaune. When the hospital was founded, only the rich could afford to pay for their care with money. So the hospital took payment in wine and vineyards, becoming the biggest owner of vineyards in the region. Patients enjoyed “wine therapy”, 2 litres of wine per day each. Wine was lighter then with a 4-6% alcohol content and it was cleaner than drinking water, so it was seen as medicine. Nowadays the hospital no longer owns heaps of vineyards but it is THE place to buy wine. The hospital did a deal with local wine producers to allow them to mature their finest wines in the renovated ancient barrels. In return the producers gift the cellar thousands of bottles of wine each year which are sold to benefit the hospital. Reach it via the hospital car park to discover the oldest bottle of white wine in the world, dating to 1472 - in fact they have a whole barrel of it but assured me it’s not drinkable! If you’re really lucky you’ll meet Thibaud, a genial Frenchman who speaks impeccable English with a strong Australian accent and who will answer your questions about wine and the cellar. Don’t forget to buy a bottle to enjoy tout de suite or take home - I had one of the best Pinot Gris’ ever from here, matured in one of those ancient barrels it was memorable at 10 euros a bottle. Free visit during opening hours, you can rent an audio guide (several languages) for a 30 minute tour, group tours may be booked in advance (in English), and wine tasting on Portes-Ouvertes (special opening days). www.vins-des-hospices-destrasbourg.fr/en/