Burning cars.
Strasbourg is certainly a beautiful city but it holds the sad record in France to have been the first to see burning cars at New Year's Eve. The Alsatian villages seem to have escaped this criminality. The suburbs of cities like Mulhouse and Colmar also faced burning cars. New Year's Eve 31/12/2009 was "rather quiet" according to the French Police. All over France 1.137 cars burned; ten less than the year before. In Strasbourg there were 70.Over the year on the whole of France a total of 35.000 to 40.000 cars are set on fire! (ref. French press).For tourists it is not recommended to leave their cars outside at night. It is safer to park for the night in closed garages in Alsace and elsewhere in France especially in suburban ("banlieues") areas. Tourist town centres are safer but paying 10 - 15 € for a safe night parking is in my opinion a good insurance....
