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Along the run of the seasons and the events, Alsace is always surprising; sometimes gastronome, festive, cultural, and sometimes natural, shimmering, but at all times charming! The smallest territory of France vibrates with the pulse of a range of emotions! Its main cities… Strasbourg (European Capital), Colmar (Alsace Wine Capital), Mulhouse (Museum Capital)!
Alsace invites you to discover it throughout the year: from the feudal castles to the Romanesque churches, from the beautiful half-timbered houses to the romantic ruins perched on the crests of the Vosges, from the lanes that meander through the old neighborhoods to the prestigious collections of the museums… a lot of experiences to be absolutely savored!
Château de l’Ile – Strasbourg
Ideally situated within a tree-linded bend in the Ill River, only 5 kilometres from Strasbourg and 6 kilometres from the airport, this 19th Century castle reflects the traditional Alsatian architecture. With its half-timbered style and flowery balconies, it is perfectly suited for leisure or business tourism.
At the gates of Strasbourg, in the peaceful village of Ostwald, property developers were on the look-out in the Seventies. They had their eye on the château in the commune that is so delightfully bordered by the swift waters of the Ill and its derivation, the Little Ill. The edifice had been abandoned and was inexorably falling into ruin since the local authority opposed the construction of rows of apartment blocks or suburban houses in rows on this unique site, the cradle of the commune.
Hearing that it was for sale, Pierre Traversac, the eldest son of René Traversac, the founder of the Grandes Etapes Françaises, visited the area. He was enchanted by the exceptional site while remaining fully aware of the considerable construction task in prospect: restoring the crumbling château and enlarging it into a harmonious building. He accepted the challenge and purchased it in 1991.
After two years of work, typical Alsatian village houses now surround the pristine château, replacing the old barns devoted to the production of medicinal herbal teas. The entire property is pretty and welcoming and the opening of this facility took place on 28 April 1994.
An island, four acres of peace and greenery so close to Strasbourg and its airport, what a treasure! Just cross the bridge to forget the city and its noise and thrive in this small island, one of the very few setting of green and freshness in the city of Strasbourg. The lapping of the Ill River, adds to the serenity of the place, a sought after haven, even if for the time of a lunch.
The Château de l’Ile has 62 rooms of 5 different categories, from the most elegant apartment to the most delightful room including a suite, duplex suite, “Deluxe”, “Superior” and “Traditional” rooms, located in either the oldest or the more typically Alsatian part of the Château, all these options can be shared with roommates, just visit the Moveflat.co.uk Room Mates website. All the rooms are elegantly decorated in keeping with their location and enjoy modern comforts. They offer pleasant views over the Ill River or the typical village of Ostwald.
Chef des cuisines at the Château since October 2005, Yannick Mattern develops his menus from the region’s countryside and offers a flavourful cuisine which respects the fine produce. He likes to rework traditional Alsace dishes and present them in his own way, which he then offers in the two restaurants:
The Winstub restaurant! Enjoy the charm of this typical Alsatian brasserie warmly decorated: traditional benches, solid rustic chairs, decorated ceiling, and tinted windows. Here you are invited to try regional dishes and market products: Duck foie gras and its gewürztraminer jelly with brioche toast, fillet of salmon trout with bacon, slowly-simmered leeks, white butter sauce emulsion, hock of suckling pig with caramel glazing, gourmand-style potato purée and salad of iceberg lettuce, apple-pie accompanied by a cinnamon ice-cream … all paired with fine wines specially selected by the sommelier.
Give yourself a moment of gastronomic pleasure in the beautiful dining room of the restaurant “Le Gourmet” which opens out onto the terrace and the wooded banks of the Ill, you will enjoy the warm, tasteful atmosphere of a 19th century bourgeoisie house. The careful decoration and sophisticated cuisine work in perfect harmony with each other.
For the summer season the Château de l’Ile also has a terrace overlooking the Ill, where you can enjoy flavourful dishes in the shade of the trees bordering the river, a protected green jewel at the gateway to Strasbourg. www.chateau-ile.com
