Life in a Château

By Aaliyah Walker 

Salut!

My name is Aaliyah Walker and I am a Student Ambassador for the Summer Intercultural Leadership Program. This summer, I am having the pleasure of living in a castle, the Château De Pourtalès in Strasbourg, France! When I first arrived at the Château my jaw was on the floor- literally. All of the photos I’ve seen online did not do it justice, it’s just even more beautiful in person.

The Château was built around 1750 by Joseph Guerault as a small manor house, but over time it’s been expanded to fulfill a number of purposes. It’s crazy to think that people from over 100 years ago like Napoleon III and Franz Liszt walked the same halls as I am today. Bizarre right?!

There are a few things that I love the most about living in the Château like the authentic French breakfast every morning, the beautiful view I have from my window, and the beauty of the surrounding area.

But I think one of the coolest things about living in the Château is all of the beautiful weddings that take place here. Almost every weekend there were people gathered to celebrate a couple of newlyweds. I just love the idea of a wedding at a castle… It gives very much Disney Princess vibes. I love it.

Apart from those things, waking up and returning from a long day of excursions to a castle is something I will never forget. A dream come true for sure!