Alsace is the
Germanic region of France. It is a region lying on the west bank of the
river Rhine, between the Rhine and the Vosges mountains. To the north
and east it shares a border with Germany; to the south with
German-speaking Switzerland, and to the west with Lorraine and
Franche Comté.
Historically speaking, Alsace was part
of the German-speaking area of central Europe, and to this day a large
proportion of the population, of all generations, speak or understand
Alsacian, a dialectal form of German closely resembling the German
spoken in Switzerland.
In the last two centuries,
Alsace has passed from Germany to France and back , and back again;
consequently, it is a region that was not part of France at the time of
the makings of the modern-day nation, and has held on to a number of
institutional differences, particularly concerning religious affairs.
For example, Good Friday is a public holiday in Alsace, but not in the
rest of France; and in Alsace, priests are paid by the state.
In architectural terms, Alsace is
definitely germanic. With its villages of brightly-painted steep-roofed
half-timbered houses, Alsace stands apart from any other region of
France. The region's capital, Strasbourg, has all the feel of a central
European city. In economic terms, Alsace is part of the
Rhine valley corridor, historically the most important trading route in
Europe; consequently its economic activity has always
depended as much on its germanic neighbours as on links with
other parts of France, and as a result the region has long been one of
the most propserous in France
Alsace is made up of just
two departments, the Lower Rhine, or
Bas Rhin (67),
capital
Strasbourg,
and the Upper Rhine, or
Haut
Rhin (68), capital
Colmar.
The biggest city in the Haut Rhin department is however
Mulhouse, a major
manufacturing centre. Both of these departments are comprised of a rich
fertile plain in the east - the flat lands of the Rhine valley - and
the Vosges mountains in the west.
Strasbourg
itself is one of the many fine cities of France; its historic
centre, with its magnificent gothic cathedral, is among the most
visited in France, and the Petit France quarter, on the banks of the
river Ill, is particularly worth a visit. Among the highlights of the
city's year is the annual Christmas Market, held around the cathedral,
an event that attracts visitors from all over France and neighbouring
countries. Generally speaking, Strasbourg attracts a large number of
international visitors, being the one of the two seats of the European
parliament.
Regional
specialities: Alsace is famous for its beer (for example,
Kronenbourg), its sauerkraut (choucroute in French), and its white
wines, which belong to the German wine tradition, Riesling, Sylvaner or
Gewurtztraminer being the most popular varieties.
Access: By TGV train from
Paris or from Lyon. By motorway from UK / Holland via Nancy
and/or Luxembourg, from Germany via Kehl. The region's main
international airport is Basel-Mulhouse Euroairport.
Main
tourist attractions in
Alsace
A typical traditional Alsace village.
Below: Alsace vineyard in winter
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- Strasbourg. Site,
historic centre, cathedral, Petit France, riverboat tours, the European
Parliament.
- Colmar: the best
preserved historic city centre in Alsace, with its half timbered
houses. The Isenheim altar, a remarkable mediaeval paining.
- Mulhouse: The French
national railway museum; the car museum.
- La Route des Vins:
the Alsace wine trail, discovering the vineyards and wine villages such
as Riquewihr.
- Alsace
Open-Air Museum - Ecomusée
d'Alsace, near Colmar. France's biggest open-air museum, on a par with
the best.
- Haut-Koenigsburg
castle. Legendary hilltop castle in the Vosges, near Strasbourg.
- Kintzheim - the
Eagle Park (Volerie des aigles), a centre for the conservation of
eagles and birds of prey.
- Chemin de Fer du Dollar:
Dollar valley historic railway, with steam engines - southern Vosges.
- Neuf Brisach: seventeenth-century
city, fortified by Vauban.
- Vosges mountains;
hiking, mountain-bike trails, nature trails, skiing in winter.
And just outside the region:
- Germany;
the Black forest
(Schwarzwald), and city of Freiburg
- Switzerland:
the historic city of Basel
(Bâle), with its world-class art gallery.
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