Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Alsace is a frontier land both open to the world and attached to its own traditions. The capital of Alsace is Strasbourg. 40km to the South of Strasbourg is Colmar, a renowned tourist destination.
Renowned for its geranium-filled villages, its medieval capital of Strasbourg, its tasty "choucroute garni" dishes and its crispy dry white wines. Nestled between the mighty Rhine and the Vosges mountains, picturesque Alsace is fiercely French in its social and political attitudes, but ever so slightly German in its tastes and appetites.
This beautiful place has through its history changed hands between Germany and France on several occasions. The local culture is distinct, and the region offers historic cities and castles, and interesting countryside. A popular itinerary is the Alsatian Vineyard Route - fabulous for walking from town to town trying a whole bunch of local wines.
Alsace also has some of the most beautiful cathedrals and churches in Western Europe. The stunning Strasbourg Cathedral is a unique example of a mix of roman and gothic architecture and has the peculiarity of having one tower only and of being built with pink Vosges gres.
Due to their tumultuous past history, Alsatians are extremely proud to be French and take great offence in being mistaken for Germans when they go overseas or inland France. You will not see more French flags on the streets of any other inland French cities. Alsatians have a very deep attachment to France even if the French Government has not always reciprocated. During WWII, all Alsatians men were sent by the Germans to the Russian front. Some boys managed to escape before being sent there and went to Paris to enrol in the French army. This act of courage however came at a dire price as the family of those "malgré nous" would often be killed or sent to concentration camps.
The Bas-Rhin is the northern département of Alsace; Haut-Rhin refers to the département south of Selestat.
Other destinations:
Alsace has an extensive rail network due to its shared borders with Germany and Switzerland, with rail links to both of these countries passing through the region. The French SNCF and TGV networks pass through Alsace. Rail links to Freiburg and Basel are found at Mulhouse, and Strasbourg has direct connections to Germany,Paris and other cities in France.
French is the official language. German dialect is widely spoken by the older generation and in the more rural areas. The English language can be limited to the younger generation. In some areas, the population may use the native dialect of Alsacien, an Allemanic German dialect similar to that spoken across the German border in western Baden-Württemberg or in northwestern Switzerland, but you will always find someone who can speak French fluently. Knowledge of standard German has again become important for economic reasons, but certainly English is more likely to play this role.
The Haut-Rhin département is served by Euroairport, the airport that serves Mulhouse, Basel and Freiburg, with excellent links by road and train to these cities. Budget airline Easyjet[1] offers links to London and Liverpool. A smaller airport also exists at Entzheim, near Strasbourg. But the easiest way to get in is by road. The Bas-Rhin département is linked to Paris and the rest of France by the A4 highway and the N4 road, when the Haut-Rhin is linked to west by the N59 road (via the tunnel of Ste-Marie-aux-Mines) and to the south (Belfort) by the A36 highway. Other small roads link Lorraine to Alsace, but they're all really winding since they go through theVosges. The main access to Switzerland is the A35 highway (between Mulhouse, France and Basel, Switzerland). If you arrive from Germany, you can cross the Rhine easily at one of several bridges.
It is best to have a car so you can explore all the little villages, stop for wine tastings and see the ruins of castles.
What to see:
What to do?
Discover the fantastic Fritz Schlumpf collection[2]: Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Hispano Suiza. They're all there, in an area covering 17,000 m², 400 exceptional cars from amongst the most famous. There are giant screens, simulators, reconstructions truer than real life, games.
Gastronomy:
Alsatian cuisine is very distinctive; heavily German-influenced with a Gallic flavour. According to Alsatians, sauerkraut (French: choucroute) was invented here. In addition, a traveller can expect to find tarte flambée (an onion, bacon, and creme fraiche 'pizza' - Flammkuchen in German), Baeckehoffe and all sort of Charturie in abundance in Alsatian restaurants, nestling alongside escargots, "cuisses de grenouilles" and crème brûlée. Alsace is the smallest region in France, but it possesses the largest number of five-star chefs per inhabitant.
The Alsatian Vineyard Route is a veritable rite-of-passage for the discerning wine buff. Visit the Vins Alsacewebsite[4] for further information.
Alsace is also home to some of the best and most renowned beers in the world, like Kronenbourg, Kanterbrau or Fischer.
As recomendation:
Restaurant « La Maison Kammerzell »
The “Maison Kammerzell” is a veritable symbol of Strasbourg, which dates back to 1427. The speciality of fish sauerkraut, with its sauces made to secret recipes, came to fill the air at the House with 75 stained glass windows.
16 place de la cathédrale in Strasbourg
+33 (0)3 88 32 42 14
http://www.maison-kammerzell.com/
Culture:
Alsatian Museum
This visit should not be missed. Its shows the extraordinary richness of the Alsatian culture. This local art museum presents the traditional lifestyle: painted furniture, toys, and religious images. Through the reconstruction of different interiors, one follows a tour of the religion, discovering the affluence of the wine grower, the life of the valley, the blacksmith’s or carpenter’s workshops…
23-25, quai St-Nicolas in Strasbourg
+33 (0)3 88 52 50 01
http://www.musees-strasbourg.org/
Night Life:
Pub « Les Aviateurs »
Situated near « place du Marché Gayot » the center of the nightlife, « Les Aviateurs » is a famous American style pub: the beers are local and the vibe friendly.
12 rue Sœurs in Strasbourg +33 (0)3 88 36 52 69
http://www.les-aviateurs.com/
Shopping:
Poterie d’Alsace – Hélène Mahler
"Poterie d'Alsace" specialized in traditional crockery was set up in 1860, a feet away from the Cathedrale. Traditional potteries are especially used for the cooking in oven: oval terrines (Baeckehof), pots, gratin dishes or shaped cake tins (Kougelhopf, Chrismas stars …). Hélène Mahler welcomes you warmly and gives you the best tips in order to use perfectly your new kitchen utensils.
3 rue des Frères in Strasbourg
+33 (0)3 88 32 23 21
http://poteriealsace.free.fr/
Events: Not to be missed in Strasbourg
Discover 2 major events:
The Christmas Market and the Strasbourg's Mondial de la Biere, the Beer Event in Europe!
Alsace is a predominantly rural region with a low crime rate. Visitors to Strasbourg should heed the same advice for any major city; do not flash cash, be sympathetic but not gullible with beggars; don't wander down dark alleys alone.
STRASBOURG: http://www.otstrasbourg.fr/
In the Alsace's region:
COLMAR, A CULTURAL, TOURISTIC AND GASTRONOMIC TOWN...
The capital of Alsace Centre, near Germany and Switzerland, Colmar (roughly 67,000 inhabitants) is situated between Strasbourg and Basel, and the Vosges and the Rhine.
Despite the ups and downs of its turbulent history the town has managed to preserve its historical centre intact. The latter has been listed as a « protected area » and undergone constant restoration and enhancement.
The pedestrian area, one of the largest in Europe, enables visitors to appreciate and admire the town’s treasures, a heritage from the period between the Middle Ages and the 20th century. From the Maison des Têtes (House of heads - early 17th century), which owes its name to the 111 heads decorating its facade, to Maison Pfister (Pfister house), a fine bourgeois residence of medieval design dating from the Renaissance, each of its monuments is unique in its kind.
In addition, Colmar possesses a very rich religious art heritage: the Dominican’s Church and the Saint-Martin’s Church are examples of pure, sober Gothic art, stripped of all ornamentation.
You can stroll down the streets, admiring the numerous ensigns and the brightly coloured roofs… or saunter along the Quai de la Poissonnerie (Fisherman’s wharf), in a picturesque district now referred to as the “little Venice” and once the nerve centre of Colmar’s
fish market.
MULHOUSE : Another Alsace
Mulhouse has kept a significant and unique historical heritage from its past as an independent republic. As the European capital city for science and industry museums, Mulhouse invites you to discover its rich past through its prestigious museums, such as the National Automobile Museum - Schlumpf Collection, the French Railway Museum or the Museum of Printed Textiles, and through its historical centre with a wonderful ancient town hall of rhenish Renaissance style. And all year long, don't miss the many events that take place in this great town, such as the Automobile Festival, the Jazz Festival or the Christmas market.
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