Beautiful Villages, Towns, and Cities to Visit in Alsace (France)

A land of traditions and gastronomy located in the heart of Europe, Alsace is a destination full of attractions that lovers of discovery and authenticity will undoubtedly appreciate. Alsace is also famous for its charming half-timbered flower villages, its medieval castles, and its prestigious museums. While traveling through Alsace, you will of course not fail to visit certain high places of Alsatian tourism, such as Strasbourg with its Gothic cathedral and its picturesque Little France, Colmar with its romantic Little Venice and its famous Unterlinden museum, the perched castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg, the magnificent fortified city of Riquewihr, the Wine Route and its typical villages, Mulhouse and its great museums. Let’s explore the 13 most beautiful villages, towns, and cities to visit in Alsace France.

 

13 Beautiful Villages, Towns, and Cities to Visit in Alsace France

  1. Mittelbergheim
  2. Ribeauvillé
  3. Riquewihr
  4. Kaysersberg
  5. Eguisheim
  6. Neuf-Brisach
  7. Hunspach
  8. Colmar
  9. Rosheim
  10. Kintzheim
  11. Obernai
  12. Mulhouse
  13. Strasbourg

 

Mittelbergheim

Mittelbergheim - Alsace Towns
Mittelbergheim Photo by Valentin F.R. on flickr.com

Situated on the hillside at the foot of Crax Hill, Mittelbergheim is one of the most picturesque villages in Alsace. Wine center (we find traces since the year 496) renowned in particular for its grand cru Zotzenberg. Renowned gastronomic relay thanks to its restaurants. Founded by the Franks, Mittelbergheim was formerly called “Berge”. At the end of the 9th century, Emperor Charles the Fat gave it to his wife Richarde. The village subsequently belonged to the Bishopric of Strasbourg, to the families of Andlau and Bergheim and to the City of Strasbourg. Its Site and its remarkable architectural heritage have earned it the status of one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France.

 

Ribeauvillé & Riquewihr

Ribeauvillé & Riquewihr - Alsace Towns
Riquewihr Photo by Stefano Avolio on flickr.com

Villages, medieval fortifications, castles, parks, and museums… the discovery of the Pays de Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr feels like a trip back in time. It is also an ideal destination for lovers of active holidays. On foot or by bike, alone, as a couple or with family, plan your itinerary to discover the heritage, the villages, and the vineyard, the source of all pleasures. Ideally located in the center of Alsace, the Pays de Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr invite you to discover the charms and riches of its heritage. Explore its villages, its museums, its animal and leisure parks. Discover this territory in an unusual way on foot, by bike, or on horseback! Along the Wine Route, immerse yourself in the world of vines, its professions, and its products which make the reputation of the Pays de Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr and the delight of gourmets. The Tourist Office of the Pays de Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr welcomes you, informs you and helps you prepare your stay unforgettable!

 

Kaysersberg

Kaysersberg - Alsace Villages
Kaysersberg Photo by Aswathy N on Unsplash

The Kaysersberg valley, made up of 8 villages, extends from the Alsatian vineyards, passing through the Pays Welche, to the heights of the Route des Crêtes of the Vosges massif. Join it in 10 minutes from Colmar, it will be the ideal starting point to discover the Alsace Wine Route, its typical villages, its castles, and Alsatian gastronomy. And of course, visit Kaysersberg, voted French Favorite Village in 2017! Kaysersberg is considered one of the most charming cities in Alsace, with its paved streets and half-timbered houses.

 

Eguisheim

Eguisheim
Eguisheim Photo by Pierre_Bn on flickr.com

Eguisheim is one of the most beautiful and typical villages in Alsace with its half-timbered houses, its town tour along the ramparts and its Château des Comtes on the central square. The town is surrounded by hills covered with vines and is overlooked by the Trois-Châteaux which watch over it. Eguisheim is one of the many villages that make up the authenticity of the Alsace wine route. Between Colmar and Mulhouse, this village has had wine-growing activity since Roman times, which gives its vineyard a unique heritage.

 

Neuf-Brisach

Neuf-Brisach
Neuf-Brisach Photo by Jean-Pierre Lozi on flickr.com

Neuf-Brisach is a fortified town in the district of Colmar. It is ideally located at the crossroads, between Mulhouse, Colmar and the German city of Freiburg-en-Breisgau. Built-in the 17th century by Vauban on the orders of Louis XIV to symbolize his grandeur and strength. Entirely surrounded by ramparts, Neuf-Brisach had the role of providing security between Basel and Strasbourg. The fortifications bear witness to the most accomplished defense system in the 17th century and bear the mark of Vauban. The citadel has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2008. Indeed, the city dreams of the appearance of a perfect octagon. To see: the essential fortifications, the Royal Church of Saint-Louis, the Vauban Museum, and the Place d’Armes.

 

Hunspach

Hunspach - Alsace Villages
Hunspach Photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra on flickr.com

This village of loess hills of Overseas Forest is located in a valley side of Seltzbach. It is connected by county roads No. 76 and 263 at Soultz-sous-Forêts (5 km). Hunspach has a stop on the railway line Wissembourg (10 km) – Haguenau (20 km). The ban from the town delivered the unique Neolithic ceramic material known to date in addition to the Forest. Hunspach is mentioned for the first time in a document of 1298. The village is given in fief by the elector palatine of the Puller Hohenbourg. From 1504 to 1618, then it depended on the Lords of the Two Bridges, whose headquarters is in Cleebourg. Reform in fact a Protestant village. In 1619, he came under Swedish administration and in 1633 it was razed and burned by the imperial troops, Catholics.

 

Colmar

Colmar
Colmar Photo by chan lee on Unsplash

Colmar welcomes around 3.5 million visitors a year, including 1.5 million for the Christmas Markets. In this article, we are listing the 8 Best things to do in Colmar France. Colmar is part of the Haut-Rhin department in the Grand Est region. Its charm inspires lovers and its canals are ideal for the sweetest declarations, like a French-style Little Venice. Colmar is the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi, who created the Statue of Liberty, and is an incredible city of art, history, and heritage. With 500 years of heritage, Colmar has large half-timbered houses, remarkable religious buildings, and sumptuous mansions, architectural heritage.

 

Rosheim

Rosheim
Rosheim Photo by Julien Verneaut on Unsplash

A beautiful Alsatian town on the Wine Route and the Roman Road, Rosheim benefits from a particularly rich past as evidenced by its architectural heritage. Along the streets, you will discover numerous vestiges of the Romanesque period including one of the oldest civil buildings in Alsace, the Roman House, also known as the Pagan House (1154) which the town has the privilege of owning. The church of Saints Peter and Paul (12th century) is also one of the jewels of Romanesque art. The old gates, the six-bucket well, the town hall are all other marks of the city’s rich past. To complete your visit, you will be able to enjoy local products and gastronomic specialties during the many events…

 

Kintzheim

Kintzheim
Kintzheim Will Bakker from Luxembourg, Luxembourg, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

With family, as a couple, or with friends, the town of Kintzheim will seduce you with its colorful houses, its numerous activities and its authenticity. Kintzheim is crossed from north to south by the Alsace Wine Route, located between the vineyards, the mountain and its numerous hiking trails, and the Route des Châteaux. A must-visit at the Volerie des Aigles, installed since 1968 in the medieval setting of Kintzheim castle dating from the 13th century.

It is the oldest of three animal parks in Kintzheim and the first in France to present the complete freedom of flight of the largest birds of prey in the world. Then stop at the Montagne des Singes located in the middle of the forest near the road leading from Kintzheim to Haut-Koenigsbourg. La Montagne des Singes is an animal park where more than 200 Barbary macaques, also called “maggots”, live freely on 24 hectares of forest.

 

Obernai

Obernai - Alsace Villages
Obernai Photo by Pug Girl on flickr.com

Obernai, a true summary of Alsace, is an attractive city with a rich heritage. It offers visitors as much as its 11,500 inhabitants a quality lifestyle, in a dynamic economic and commercial framework. Come and discover the many facets of this tourist town, the most visited in Bas-Rhin after Strasbourg. It is punctuated all year round by festivals and sporting and cultural events and you will find a wide choice of accommodation and catering.

Part of the “Most Beautiful Detours in France”, it is located at the point of convergence of the three major regions of Alsace: the Wine Route, the Vosges – Obernai is the ideal starting point for hikes towards Mont Saint-Odile, and the large agricultural plain, which begins at the gates of the city and where, among other things, produces sauerkraut cabbage. Obernai is located 25 km southwest of Strasbourg, it has the advantage of being directly served by the main highways. Thanks to the TGV and the TER, the Paris-Obernai journey takes 3 hours, and that of Lyon-Obernai in 4.5 hours. On the other hand, the Strasbourg-Entzheim International Airport, which is 15 minutes from Obernai, connects all the major European capitals.

 

Mulhouse

Mulhouse - Cities in Alsace
Mulhouse Photo by Jorge Franganillo on flickr.com

Mulhouse has always cultivated its difference with Strasbourg or Colmar, and their typical Alsatian architecture, but the storks like it there just as much! The ancient fortified medieval town has a unique history, since the Republic of Mulhouse remained a free Swiss city until 1798. Brimming with life and economic and cultural activities since the Renaissance, then during the industrial and mining era, the city of Mulhouse has remained independent, warm and cosmopolitan.

Street artists and the associative and social fabric, inherited from the working world, have been able to bring color and life back to this former industrial city. While few tourists ventured there ten years ago, the Mulhouse town hall and its Tourist Office were able to highlight its historical particularities and its cultural abundance. Come visit Mulhouse during the Christmas market, during your summer holidays, for a weekend or a getaway.

 

Strasbourg

Strasbourg - Cities in Alsace

Strasbourg, the European capital and capital of Alsace, exudes youth and dynamism. Lovers of heritage, culture, and the art of living, you have every chance of falling in love with it! Marked by its deeply bicultural History, Strasbourg enjoys an exceptional architectural heritage! A subtle blend of tradition and modernity, historic monuments now rub shoulders with the most modern works. Europe leaves its mark on the heart of Strasbourg! Seat of numerous institutions, European Strasbourg can be discovered through numerous visits bringing to life the values of peace, democracy, and reconciliation between peoples.