Stuck in St Louis? - Vicky Morgan

Come with me, if you will, over the border to the beautiful French town of St Louis.  As the crow flies, it's not so far from Basel, but it might as well be a world away for most of my Swiss resident friends.  Many people come here for their weekly food shop, but if all you see is the big hypermarket, you might miss out on some of its charms.  If you're in town on a Saturday morning, the farmers' market in the centre is really excellent for picking up good local seasonal food.  Walk around, enjoy the fresh bread, just-picked lettuce or local honey, depending on what's growing.  It's more open air than in Basel, and prices a lot lower.

A short way from the market is Brasserie de la Poste,  the closest thing you can get to a parisian street cafe with red and white tablecloths to Basel.  What's great is that food here is good and cheap.  Not especially fancy - but what's wrong with coq au vin or steak frites for 10 euros?  In comparison with Basel the wine seems almost cheap, at 3 euros a glass. A big glass. Great space to people watch if you get a pavement seat.

15, Rue de Huningue, St Louis Tel: +33 (0)3 89 67 49 34

Slightly down the road, near the Mairie and on the way to the Casino supermarket is the ultra modern (and therefore easy to spot) Cafe Litteraire, which favours itself as a more upmarket option. I found the food much more elaborate than at the Poste. But the prices are not upmarket - I paid 13 euros for a 3 course meal - including a fig clafoutis which was really original.  The staff were extremely nice to my young child, the chef even took my baby into the kitchen to show her to the sous-chefs - and I could see there were 5 chefs in the kitchen.

19 Avenue Gén de Gaulle, 68300 St Louis, Téléphone: 03 89 67 49 46

The area near the station is not the nicest part of St Louis I always think, and yet here is the best chocolaterie.  Bauer patisserie, works with Valrhona chocs. Chocolate ganache with green tea, violet, grapefruit.

74 Rue de Mulhouse, 68300 Saint Louis, France, 03 89 67 29 94

The 604 bus will take you for 2 francs or €1.10 from Schifflände to all along St Louis.  Get off at carrefour central for the market, Brasserie de la Poste and Café Litteraire gare central for the Chocolaterie.