Between Two Countries

This trip was born in a few impulsive minutes on a working day during my internship. I booked the tickets a few days later for a much later date, giving myself something to look forward to. A mini escape. Two days, two countries and minimal packing.

Day 1 — Countryside Rides, a Gothic Cathedral, and the Rhine

I got ready quite early in the morning. The bus was leaving from Paris Bercy, and arriving early turned out to be smart — I had time to grab food for the road, since I wasn't sure if the bus would stop midway for lunch. It didn't.

The ride itself was calm and surprisingly beautiful — rolling French countryside stretching out on both sides, peaceful enough to make you forget you're on a budget bus. We pulled into Strasbourg with about two hours to spare before my next connection.

First glimpse of Strasbourg from the bus stop

I started walking towards the city, guided by the tip of the cathedral that I could already see rising above the rooftops from the moment I stepped off the bus.

The Ill river cuts through the city, and walking beside it was one of those quietly perfect travel moments — unhurried, a little cinematic. When I reached the cathedral, it was enormous. Towering. The kind of structure that makes you stop and stare without quite meaning to.

The Ill river — calm, tree-lined, and worth every detour

Strasbourg Cathedral — one of the finest examples of Rayonnant Gothic architecture

The Strasbourg Cathedral is widely considered among the finest examples of Rayonnant Gothic architecture in the world. A large crowd had gathered outside, but inside it was quiet, cool, and peaceful — a welcome relief from the heatwave that had been building all morning.

Inside the cathedral — cool, quiet, and vast

Inside, I found the Strasbourg Astronomical Clock — a Renaissance masterpiece featuring a perpetual calendar, planetary displays, and a daily automated show. It's the kind of thing that makes you realise how much ambition has always existed in human hands.

The Strasbourg Astronomical Clock — a Renaissance masterpiece still ticking

I filled my bottle from a public water fountain and wandered a little more before making my way back to the bus stop. The second bus crossed the Rhine river into Germany, and after thirty minutes I was in Freiburg — a quieter city, nestled between the Black Forest hills.

Black Forest Hostel in Freiburg

It was a quieter city, nestled between the Black Forest hills. Although, it didn't look very different from a French city there was still subtle vibes that I felt were different.

I grabbed dinner from a McDonald's on the way to the hostel. I was tired from all the walking and the long journey so decided to staright walk towards the hostel. I finished dinner in the common kitchen of the hostel and went straight to sleep.

Day 2 — Black Forest, Waterways, Markets, and a Late Train

Day 2 started earlier than planned — partly because my body clock was confused, and partly because I didn't want to waste a single quiet morning hour.

I had decided the night before: I would hike in the Black Forest. I got ready quickly and took the tram to the foothills. The tram journey itself was beautiful — the city giving way to hills and trees at the edges.

The tram to the foothills — already scenic before the hike even began

At the trek base, I could barely see anyone else around. Early morning in a forest is its own kind of silence — different from a city at 6 AM. I pushed through the bushes and followed the path upward. After a while, I came across a sign for the tallest tree in Germany. All the trees around me were, in fact, enormous — so I had to take their word for it.

The Black Forest trail — quiet, green, and a little overwhelming in the best way

The tallest tree in Germany — surrounded by trees that all look equally tall

After about an hour of hiking, I descended and rested in a large open clearing before taking the tram back to the city centre.

Freiburg's old town is threaded with Bächle which are small open waterways running alongside the pavements, originally built for firefighting and livestock in the medieval era. On a warm day, locals use them exactly as you'd expect: feet in, eyes closed, not particularly in a hurry. Walking through those alleys was one of the highlights of the trip.

Freiburg's Bächle — medieval waterways still cooling the city down

The alleys led me to the Freiburg Minster, sitting in the Münsterplatz — the square in front of it alive with market stalls selling local produce, fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, and things I didn't have words for. The kind of market that feels like it has been here every Saturday for five hundred years, because it probably has.

Freiburg Minster — a Gothic cathedral that has stood for centuries

A local hot dog from the Münsterplatz market

I walked over to the Rathaus and sat for a while watching a live street performance — one of those unexpected travel pleasures that you can't plan for. Then came a doner kebab, which is, as many know, essentially a German institution at this point.

The Rathaus square — street performance, warm air, nowhere to be

Before heading to the station, I took the tram to the less touristy side of the city and found a lake surrounded by locals — sunbathing, swimming, laughing. No monuments. No guided tours. Just a city living its afternoon.

A lake, a warm afternoon, and locals who had the right idea

And then it was time to go. The train to Basel was, in classic Deutsche Bahn fashion, an hour late. The carriage was warm. Nobody seemed particularly surprised. I got a bit lucky and got a bus connection between stations in Basel which kind of gave me a little city tour and then the TGV back to Paris was smooth and on time.