Just outside of Strasbourg sits a little place known as Ostwald. The "castle" of this commune is actually a sprawling estate know as Château de l'Île and is the setting of my only day living an aristocratic lifestyle.
Living as royalty, only for a day is something everyone has thought of at one time or another. This is the drive behind the tourism niche, alive and well in Europe, that gives you the opportunity to stay in a castle and walk in the footsteps of the super rich throughout history.
Well, I fell victim to this cliché and eagerly sought out a worthy estate to live my childhood dream, only to discover I'm too chicken for this life.
Pulling up to the Chateau, I was awestruck. A beautiful mansion, spread out across a lush landscape lined with mature trees and backing onto the Ill River. Larger than I had anticipated and more impressive than the pictures, my dreams were coming true.
Entering the lobby, I had been transported back to Victorian times and welcomed into my own sprawling home.
Checking in, a woman eagerly asked when we would like our dinner as she gave us a quick tour of the tastefully decorated restaurant. Along the rest of the tour, I swipe a couple of brochures so I could educate myself on where we ended up, learning we were not in France at all.
I am known for not having any sense of direction at all, but this was a whole other level. This humble abode, which I thought was in Strasbourg, is actually in Ostwald. Ostwald, which I thought was in France, is actually in Alsace and no longer a region of France.
There is more, but being far too confused to read on at this point, I cheerfully suggest we head to Strasbourg before dinner.
Strasbourg is a city that has both German and French influences and it is evident by the varying architectural styles of the buildings throughout, especially within it's town centre, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Strasbourg Cathedral is also located here, with it's impressive size and intricate gothic design, this is one site you need to indulge in.
To work up an appetite for our impending royal dinner, we decide to climb the stairs to the top of the cathedral. An experience that left me with shaking knees and a light head upon seeing how high we had gone. However, that is another story for a different day.
After wandering around slightly longer than anticipated to try and find our car, we rush back to make our dinner reservation, more than ready to indulge in the fine dining that surely awaits.
Choosing to sit on the outdoor patio, we enjoy the sound of gently flowing water, only occasionally interrupted by the sharp sound of a mini lightning bolt coming from the bug zappers that surround us. We are, after all, in the middle of densely packed trees and surely, standing water, perfect for insect breeding.
After perusing the fancy feasts I had to choose from, I go for the beef tartare. To be honest, I chose this before we even sat down, it's one of my favourite dishes.
Little did I know, my meal was to be made table side. First class service I should have expected from such a fancy establishment. With the flair that comes with knowing you are spending way too much on raw beef, my dish was prepared according to my preferences and placed in front of me.
The most tender beef, flavoured with a savoury, yet tart combination of ingredients, disappeared faster than I had hoped and to this day is still my favourite version of beef tartare. I would travel back just for this.
Completely satisfied, it was time for bed and this was where things took a turn. My imagination went wild after the lights turned out, I saw ghosts and heard noises that I hope weren't there, resulting in a very sleepless night.
To my left, my husband, who can sleep anywhere, is snoring away, while I, drenched in sweat, try not to move for fear of catching the attention of the spirits in the room.
I recommend leaving the history of an old building you will be sleeping in for the morning after. If you're like me and drive yourself crazy with irrational thoughts of a ghost attempting to give you potions.
So, here we are, with the evidence I am not equipped for a royal life, only because I can't deal with the long history of people who have lived and died in any building with a posh history.
I would be the sleep deprived crazy person that roams the halls of a castle, haggard enough to look like a ghost myself.
Despite the bleak conclusion for me, I do highly recommend staying in a place such as this, at least once during your trip to Europe. It is a cool way to immerse yourself in the history of what built a country and see how the rich lived in the past.
I'm sure it will also make you appreciate what you have at home. Being surrounded by such elegance forces your body to unconsciously stiffen with perfect posture and it is exhausting.
I think I'll stick to my loose sweaters and yoga pants, however, I will be back for another taste of "the good life" one day.
