Perfect 10

1 Notre Dame Cathedral

Built between 1015 and 1439, Strasbourg's dominant feature is its cathedral, whose lone, 142-metre pyramidal tower can be seen from Germany's Black Forest, 45km away. Between 1561 and 1568, the Gothic, roseate-sandstone bulding was the world's tallest . Today, it's France's second-most-visited church, drawing three million holidaymakers a year. From the top of its 330 spiral steps, visitors can see the Vosges. Inside, there's a stained-glass sphere on the West Facade and a 12- to 13th-century organ in the nave. The biggest curiosity is the 30-metre-high astronomical clock, whose rotating figurines date from the 16th century. (Place de la Cathedrale, tel: [33 3] 8821 4334).

2 Grande Ile by boat

Strasbourg derives its name from the German word strateburgum, meaning the city of the roads - a reference to its strategic location on the west bank of the Rhine. The best way to see the Alsatian capital is by river barge. Strasbourg Fluvial offers year-round, 70-minute excursions past the city's 13th-century fortifications, libraries, palatial residences and turreted stone bridges to the modern edifices of the European Parliament complex. (15 rue de Nantes, tel: [33 3] 8884 1313).

3 La Petite France

Situated on a lattice of canals at the southwestern edge of the Grande Ile, the Petite France medieval quarter was the tradesmen's neighbourhood during the Middle Ages. Centuries later, nearly all the eye-catching 16th-century cross-beamed buildings remain intact and the district is a World Heritage Site. The elfin neighbourhood, one of the most beautiful in France, is defined by water, with old wooden locks that still work, 13th-century brick guard towers, 16th-century ramparts and covered bridges. The most striking of all the structures is the Tanners' Hall that dates back to 1572. Like most buildings in the area, the hall, now a museum, has charmingly uneven rafters and overflowing geranium planters.