G R E AT D E S T I N AT I O N S ❘ A L S AC E
A world of new adventure
IMAGE © FOTOLIA
IN ALSACE It’s a part of France that is quite unlike any other (not least because it hasn’t always been a part of France). Much of the culture is distinctly German, and the influence of the Swiss is here too. Jeffrey T Iverson believes that however well you think you know France, until you’ve come to know Alsace, you ain’t seen nothing yet ❯❯
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A world of new adventure
IMAGE © FOTOLIA
IN ALSACE It’s a part of France that is quite unlike any other (not least because it hasn’t always been a part of France). Much of the culture is distinctly German, and the influence of the Swiss is here too. Jeffrey T Iverson believes that however well you think you know France, until you’ve come to know Alsace, you ain’t seen nothing yet ❯❯
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Alsace is, perhaps surprisingly, home to some of the driest areas in all of France
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Above and right: Rodern and Haut-Koenigsbourg – the castle has quite a history; traditional Alsatian wine glasses
O
n a clear day in 1681, France’s Louis XIV was travelling to the eastern reaches of his kingdom when he finally came over the lip of the Vosges mountains, and for the first time, beheld the vast, fertile valley below. Spread before him was an ocean of verdant vineyards, fields of hops and grain, vast orchards, forest-covered hills topped by crumbling medieval castles, and proud, fortified villages. Struck by this bounteous vision, he exclaimed, “Ah, l’Alsace… quel beau jardin!” What a beautiful garden indeed. Alsace, France’s eastern-most region, occupying the Rhine river plain, seems to have been almost preternaturally blessed in situation and climate. The Vosges mountains shelter Alsace from moist west winds, so much that the only place drier in France is Perpignan on the Spanish border. That makes the region extraordinary for many forms of agriculture, particularly winegrowing, the generous sunlight all but guaranteeing grape ripeness every season. In fact, for centuries, Alsace represented a kind of balmy Riviera for northern and eastern Europe, whose unquenchable thirst for Alsatian wine, sent up river by the barrel, earned many a fortune.
With its fruitful lands and strategic location at the heart of Europe, Alsace was coveted and fought over for ages. Even Julius Caesar, during his military campaigns in 58 BC, named the region optimus totius Galliae – the best of all Gaul. In 1648, at the conclusion of the Thirty Years War, France annexed Alsace. But with each war that followed Germany disputed its control, such that Alsatians would change nationality four times between 1870 and 1945. The result of this tumultuous history was the development of a culture unique in the world. Alsace is profoundly French – it’s the birthplace of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, of Statue of Liberty designer Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and even of France’s national anthem, La Marseillaise, written in Strasbourg in 1792 – yet in many aspects of its language, gastronomy and character, it also reflects the cultures of neighbouring Germany and Switzerland. Truly, Alsace is the crossroads of Europe. Today, it is in part this potent fusion of cultures that makes Alsace so alluring. For well-travelled Francophiles, visiting Alsace for the first time rekindles that sense of discovery and excitement – it’s France as you’ve never seen, or tasted, it. A France of baroque
IMAGES © CRTA ZVARDON, HAMPÉ
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“FOR WELL-TRAVELLED FRANCOPHILES, VISITING ALSACE FOR THE FIRST TIME REKINDLES THAT SENSE OF DISCOVERY AND EXCITEMENT” and classical buildings which testify to a rare combination of French and German architectural influences. A France of enchanting traditions like the atmospheric Christkindelsmärik, one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, held around the Strasbourg cathedral since 1570. It’s a France where everyday exchanges are still peppered with Alsatian words, even though French became the official language in the 1940s; where the villages have names like Pfaffenhoffen and Riquewhir; where you don’t order Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, but Edelzwicker and Gewürztraminer; where you might take your tea with a piece of kougelhopf, or start a meal with a slice of presskopf. But the appeal of Alsace goes beyond its culture. Just 190km long and 50km wide, and comprising only two departments, Bas-Rhin in the north and Haut-Rhin ❯❯ Dec/Jan 2017 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 111
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In Alsace, it is not just the names of the towns that have a slightly Germanic appearance
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IMAGE © FOTOLIA
“IT’S A FRANCE WHERE EVERYDAY EXCHANGES ARE STILL PEPPERED WITH ALSATIAN WORDS, EVEN THOUGH FRENCH BECAME THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IN THE 1940S”
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“ALSACE BOASTS A STUNNING VARIETY OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES, ATTRACTIONS, AND BEAUTIFULLY-PRESERVED HERITAGE SITES, ALL READY TO BE DISCOVERED” in the south, Alsace is France’s smallest region, and also one of its wealthiest. Which means it has remained a region on a human scale, easy to explore, yet boasting a stunning variety of natural landscapes, a plethora of attractions, and beautifully-preserved heritage sites, all ready to be discovered. And there’s no better way to begin than with a voyage into the region’s ancient capital. Until Louis XIV invaded in 1681, Strasbourg was for centuries an incredibly prosperous ‘Free Imperial City’, a hotbed of innovation and intellectual activity. Today, this rich past and spirit of independence is ever on display in the historic city centre, located on Strasbourg’s Grand Île, an island criss-crossed by elegant canals with half-timbered edifices built to the water’s edge. Standing at the heart of it all is what Victor Hugo called the “gigantic and delicate marvel” of the Strasbourg cathedral. At 142 metres (466 feet), it was the world’s tallest building for more than two centuries, and remains the tallest structure built in the Middle Ages. Full of mystery and wonder, the cathedral houses a giant astronomical clock, displaying the real position of the sun and moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and every day at half-past noon, a procession of 18-inch mechanical Jesus and Apostle figures. And twice a year, at the equinox in March and September, a
Alsace’s peacefulness belies a tumultuous history as the borderland between France and Germany
ALSACE A GASTRONOMIC MELTING POT
IMAGES © CONSEIL VINS ALSACE/HECHT NORBERT/ELPEV
Home to strong Munster cheese, foie gras, and spätzle egg noodles, Alsace’s rich gastronomy represents centuries of fertile fusion between German ingredients, global influences and French flair. Choucroute or sauerkraut, the quintessential Alsatian dish of grated, pickled cabbage, prepared with white wine, salted meats and sausages or fish, can disappoint elsewhere, but in a true Alsatian winstub inn proves delicious. Baeckeoffe, which translates as ‘baker’s oven’ in Alsatian, is a richly aromatic dish of sliced potatoes, onions, pork, lamb and beef which has been marinated in white wine and juniper berries, then slowcooked in a ceramic casserole dish. Flammekueche or tarte
flambé, an ultra-thin pastry covered with cream, onions and lardons and cooked in a wood-fired oven, is Alsace’s most convivial dish, best shared, eaten like a crispy pizza, along with a nice, cold Alsatian beer. Kokosmakronen (as they’re called in Alsace) or coconut macaroons, are traditionally found at Christmas markets, but these soft coconut cookies are a delight throughout the year, in every version: walnut, chocolate, even passion fruit… Kougelhopf, a traditional moulded cake made of brioche dough, is an enduring symbol of Alsace. Sweet with raisins and almonds, it’s best enjoyed over breakfast or tea time, though savoury versions are also made, with bacon and walnuts. ❯❯
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green ray of light passes through a stained-glass window to illuminate a sculpted figure of Christ. Walking through the island’s Petit-France neighbourhood transports one into another era, when fishermen, millers and tanners lived in these grand 17th-century half-timbered houses, including some with striking overhanging upper storeys – features that continued to be built in Strasbourg years after they’d been banned in the rest of France. One may visit the historic cellar of the Strasbourg’s Hospice, built in 1395, which still preserves a barrel of wine from 1472, whose 300 litres constitute the world’s oldest wine in a barrel. The last person to sip this extraordinary cuvée was General Leclerc upon liberating the city in 1944. Better to enjoy a recent vintage in an old restaurant, though, and none is older than the Kammerzell House, built in 1427 on the corner of the Cathedral Square. Every beam is covered in elaborate carvings depicting ancient scenes and characters like Caesar and Charlemagne. Their many choucroute recipes are among the most famous, and delicious, in the capital, with a wine list to match.
ALSATIAN WINE Letting Alsatian wine be your guide is in fact a fine way to discover the region. The Route des Vins d’Alsace is a beautiful 170-kilometre wine route traversing the entirety of Alsace. From Marlenheim to Thann, it crosses one postcard-perfect landscape after another, past vineyard and mountain, ancient walled villages and Romanesque abbeys, ruined medieval castles and charming winstub wine bars. Along the road between Strasbourg and Colmar, to view the crumbling stone towers that seem to occupy every strategic hilltop, one can’t help but gain a sense of the centuries of war which shaped the region. A visit to the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, with its unmatched view over the Alsatian plain reaching as far as the Black Forest, is a chance to immerse oneself in
“FROM FROM MARLENHEIM TO THANN, THE ROUTE DES VINS D’ALSACE IS A 170-KILOMETRE WINE ROUTE TRAVERSING THE ENTIRETY OF ALSACE” this fascinating history. First built in the 12th century, it was used, destroyed and rebuilt by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years War, when it was sacked by Protestant forces and abandoned. It wasn’t until 1899 that the Prussian emperor Wilhelm II restored the castle. When one stops along the way at estates to enjoy a wine tasting and to speak with growers, it becomes clear that these historic conflicts have had ripples into the present. “Wine tastes different from different regions not just due to climate, geology and the grape varieties, but also cultural aspects,” says Olivier Humbrecht, France’s first Master of Wine and owner of the celebrated Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim. “The fact that our history was so chaotic for so many years has also impacted the wines of Alsace.” Though recognised by experts as holding some of the world’s greatest terroirs, wars delayed Alsace from realising its full winemaking potential. Only in 1983 did it introduce the Alsace grand cru appellation for wines, the kind of methodical vineyard categorisation that took place long before in Burgundy or Bordeaux. In the 1970s, Humbrecht’s own father, Léonard, identified grand cru vineyards such as Rangen in Thann which had fallen into a state of severe neglect, though they’d been widely acclaimed in previous centuries. Judging by the quality of wine across the board in Alsace, the region’s terroirs certainly aren’t ❯❯
IMAGES © CRTA ZVARDON, JEFFREY T IVERSON
Above and below: The village of Kaysersberg; cycling and hiking along the Sentier Viticole des Grands Crus
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neglected any longer, nor are any of its heritage sites. Alsace has multiple towns listed among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France label, such as Riquewihr, where sculpted windows, paved courtyards and fountains have been preserved in all their Renaissance majesty. Or Hunawihr, with its fortified church shared in simultaneum by Protestants and Catholics since 1687. Or Eguisheim, where thousands of flowers bedeck the balconies of every 16th-century halftimbered house – 20 Alsatian communes have received highest honours for their floral plantings in the French ranking of ‘towns and villages in bloom’. “I honestly think that all the dramas we’ve survived through the past made us the way we are,” says Humbrecht. “We’re this little corner of Europe, we know that our heritage is fragile, and we want to preserve it, we’re proud of it, that’s why we pay so much attention to details like the flowers in our villages.”
RICH HISTORY To continue exploring this rich vinous history, visit Colmar, the Alsatian wine capital. The Rhine has been a key artery of European commerce since time immemorial, and as early as the Middle Ages, Colmar sent wine from its tiny Horbourg-Wihr port far into northern and eastern Europe. And seeing the city from a boat gives a whole different perspective on Colmar, so hire a boat ride through the port and past the water-side half-timber houses in the delightful Little Venice neighbourhood. Later, one may visit the Musée Unterlinden in its remarkable new home or the so-called Maison des Têtes, a 1609 mansion in the heart of the historic old town, covered in sculpted heads and formerly home to the Alsace Bourse du Vin, or Wine Exchange. Today, La Maison des Têtes has been transformed into a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant set around a beautiful medieval courtyard.
“SEEING THE CITY FROM A BOAT GIVES A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON COLMAR, SO HIRE A BOAT RIDE THROUGH THE PORT” From Colmar, one may continue along the route de vin toward Mulhouse to discover its wines and rich industrial past. There’s the medieval Christmas market in Ribeauvillé, or the Alsace Ecomuseum in Ungersheim, a living history museum set in an authentic working village of 70 country houses with bakers, blacksmiths and potters. But after so much gastronomy and culture, there’s no better way to cap off an Alsatian vacation then to head west through the valley of Munster, up into the Vosges. In warmer months, there is fabulous hiking, rock climbing and paragliding, and in the winter, skiing, snowshoeing and other winter sports. When weather permits, perhaps the highlight of the Vosges is a simple drive along the breathtaking Route des Crêtes. This peak route was created along of the western side of the Vosges on the Alsace and Lorraine border during World War I, to obfuscate French troop movements from the German forces. Surrounded by clouds, mountain lakes and valleys on either side, you can stop at a farm retreat like Auberge du Steinwasen for a hearty repas marcaire mountain meal, or just a slice of blueberry pie, coffee or kirsch. Finally, you can make your way up the 1,363-metre summit of Le Hohneck. There, looking out over the vast Alsatian plain, you may well agree with Louis XIV: Alsace truly is a beautiful garden. FT
IMAGE © CONSEIL VINS ALSACE/ JENNY JEAN-PHILIPPE
Petit Venise, Colmar, in December – perhaps Europe’s most enjoyable Christmas shopping experience
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ICONIC SITES There is so much to see and do in Alsace, but there are some things you must not miss
To find out more about other sites and things to do visit www.francetoday .com/travel
Alsace has long been a crossroads of Europe, and over time has seen all the triumph and tragedy of European history. A flourishing centre for trade situated along a strategic continental waterway, it developed fabulous wealth, a wealth which is still evident in the incredible historic architecture of its towns, villages and in its rich museum collections. A jewel at the heart of Europe since Roman times, and fought over since then through centuries of war, Alsace defiantly shines on. MUSEUMS
Palais Rohan, Strasbourg A masterpiece of 1730s Baroque architecture, this palace was home to the prince-bishops and cardinals of the noble House of Rohan. Today, it hosts three of Strasbourg’s most significant museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts. Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, S trasbourg This immense glass structure, one of France’s largest modern art museums, sharply contrasts with the Renaissance old quarter and medieval towers nearby. Works by Kandinsky, impressionists, Gustave Doré, and artists since 1950, provide a survey of art from 1870 to the present. Unterlinden Museum, Colmar This newly-expanded museum – the region’s most visited – celebrates 7,000 years of human creativity, presenting works from the prehistoric era to the 20th century, from Neolithic artefacts, to the 16th-century Isenheim Altarpiece masterwork, to paintings by Monet and Picasso.
Colmar is the third-largest commune in the region and considers itself (with some justification) to be the ‘Capital of Alsatian wine’.
you with a rare opportunity to see the city from the perspective of the 16th-century wine merchants who transported their barrels along these very waterways, and even past these very half-timbered houses built on the water.
IMAGES © JEFFREY T IVERSON, FOTOLIA, CRTA ZVARDON, MUSÉE UNTERLINDEN
Ecomusée d’Alsace, Ungersheim This 100-hectare village, surrounded by forest and fields and composed of 70 authentic rural houses saved from demolition and rebuilt on site, constitutes the largest open air museum in France, a working
The Unterlinden Museum in Colmar is the most popular museum in Alsace HISTORIC QUARTERS
La Petite France, Strasbourg The UNESCO World Heritage Site designation of Strasbourg’s Grande Île is in no small part a recognition of the transporting beauty of this historic urban centre of half-timbered buildings, criss-crossed by canals, and home in the Middle Ages to tanners, millers and fishermen.
The Ecological Museum at Ungersheim is a celebration of rural life
community of farmers, bakers, blacksmiths and potters. www.ecomusee-alsace.fr MONUMENTS / HERITAGE SITES
La Petite Venise, Colmar A leisurely boat trip through Colmar’s picturesque canal quarter will provide
Cathedral, Strasbourg The most visited cathedral in France after Notre Dame de Paris, and for
An essential museum on the horrors of the camp, and the courage of its survivors. www.struthof.fr TOWNS AND VILLAGES
So much of the region seems to have changed very little in centuries
good reason – it’s as awe-inspiring today as it was during the 227 years it reigned as the tallest building in the world. Be sure to visit the fantastical 1843 astronomical clock for its daily mechanical processions. Linge Memorial Museum One of the most violent battlefields of the First World War, where 17,000 soldiers were lost in 1915 when Germans fought to halt French troops advancing towards Colmar. www.linge1915.com European Centre of Deported Resistance Members, Struthof In 1941, near the Alsatian village of Struthof, the Nazis opened the only German-run concentration camp in France, KL-Natzweiler. Of 52,000 prisoners deported here 22,000 died.
Riquewihr The smell of kokosmakronen coconut macaroons perfumes the streets of this magnificent, exceptionally well-preserved fortified town. Its ancient walls and towers intact, one steps through the stone gate into a storybook universe of medieval and Renaissance houses. Eguisheim This lovely medieval village, founded in 720, boasts narrow cobblestone streets, a 13th-century sandstone church, a festive Christmas market, and brightly painted 16th-century halftimbered houses festooned with floral displays so exquisite the village won France’s national floral award. Ribeauvillé Surrounded by ancient town walls, filled with charming half-timbered houses, overlooked by three magnificent ruined castles, Ribeauvillé offers an atmospheric medieval setting for lively cultural events like their Kougelhopf festival, ancient music festival and medieval Christmas market. Dec/Jan 2017 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 119
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THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN ALSACE Presenting some more popular activities, attractions and places to visit in Alsace, at all times of the year
To find out more about other sites and things to do visit www.francetoday .com/travel
CHRISTMAS MARKETS
Come December, every Alsatian village opens its Christmas market, an enchanting tradition begun in 1570 with Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik, one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe, a veritable festival of lights, craftwork, food, drink and good cheer. www.noel.strasbourg.eu WINTER S PORTS
For winter sports lovers who prefer small, family-oriented resorts to the ant hill of the Alps, try the Alsatian Vosges are a godsend. With 170 ski lifts and 1,000km of marked trails, enjoy at your own pace Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, as well as dogsledding, snow kiting and more. Eguisheim is famous for its Christmas market, set among the half-timbered houses of this beautiful old town
There are more opportunities for winter sports in Alsace than you might imagine ADVENTUROUS SPORTS
Visiting the Hautes Vosges is a thrill in itself, but adventure sports lovers find there are many more extraordinary sensations to be had in Alsace. With its magnificent natural scenery, the Vosges are ideal for anyone enticed by paragliding or rock climbing. www.high-vosges-of-alsace.com CYCLING
With 2,500km of bicycle trails, all designed to avoid busy roads and to provide breathtaking vistas, Alsace has myriad routes from north to south and from the Vosges to the Rhine. www.cyclinginalsace.com
Cycling vineyard to village is the perfect way to discover France’s smallest region
sandstone ridge 460 metres above the valley of Zorn and the plain of Alsace, it was known as ‘the eye of Alsace’ for having once controlled the vital pass below. www.tourisme-saverne.fr SCENIC ROUTES
Route des Crêtes This stunning 89km scenic road, running across woodland and the ridge of the Vosges Mountains, was once the Franco-German border. Today, it’s a drive through the clouds. For those without a car, a shuttle service runs sightseers up in July and August. www.navettedescretes.com
The Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg rises 800m above the Alsace countryside
Château de Kintzheim With its hilltop position and dominating aspect, Kintzheim has a storied past, frequented by French kings all the way back to Charlemagne, who is known to have spent Christmas here in 775. The current 12th-century castle survives as the home of La Volerie des Aigles, a sanctuary for endangered birds of prey. Visitors may attend daily flights. www.voleriedesaigles.com Château du Haut-Barr This château fort dating back to 1100 is a window into the region’s tumultuous history. Built on a
There are wine routes all over France these days, but this is the oldest
Route des Vins d’Alsace The 170km wine route from Thann to Marlenheim is the oldest in France, inaugurated in 1953 with an automobile rally. Today, drivers take their time, weaving past picturesque villages and a rich diversity of viticultural and wild landscapes. www.la-route-des-vins-alsace.com
All dressed up in traditional costume for the Wine Festival WINE TOURISM
Wine Tastings With sparkling crémant, fragrant Muscat, refreshing Sylvaner, full-bodied Gewürztraminer, noble Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, Alsace has a plethora of wines to try. Visit Hugel et Fils’s large tasting room in Riquewihr, www.hugel.com, or take a tour with www.parenthese-vigneronne.com Wine Festivals From spring to autumn, wine festivals are held across Alsace, from the traditional village wine fair every spring in Ammerschwihr (April 29, 2017), to Colmar’s major summertime event, the Foire aux Vins d’Alsace (July 27 to August 6, 2017), with 250,000 visitors. www.foire-colmar.com EVENTS CALENDAR
Each season offers something to see and do in Alsace. For more information about the Christmas markets, worldclass art and heritage museums, wine tours, art and music festivals, and many more fun activities for 2017, see www.tourisme-alsace.com
IMAGES © CONSEIL VINS ALSACE/HECHT NORBERT/ZVARDON FRANTISEK, MEYER, CRTA ZVARDON
CHÂTEAUX
Le Château du HautKoenigsbourg An architectural wonder at 800m altitude, the view from this 12-century fairytale castle is stupendous. Abandoned in 1633 after being besieged and burned by Swedish troops, in 1899 Prussian emperor Wilhelm II restored the castle to its former glory. www.haut-koenigsbourg.fr
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WHERE TO STAY AND EAT IN ALSACE $BTUMFT BOE TUBUFMZ IPNFT NBLF VQ B QSPQPSUJPO PG UIF SFHJPO T IPUFM BOE SFTUBVSBOU WFOVFT
To find out more about other sites and things to do visit www.francetoday .com/travel
TOP RESTAURANT SELECTION
Maison Kammerzell, Strasbourg #VJMU JO UIF NPTU CFBVUJGVM house in Strasbourg is also an historic restaurant, and the finest place to enjoy truly delicious sauerkraut. www.maison-kammerzell.com Au Pont Corbeau, Strasbourg A quintessential winstub, and a bastion PG BVUIFOUJDJUZ XBSNUI BOE DIBSN JO 4USBTCPVSH PGGFSJOH TVQFSC USBEJUJPOBM Alsatian cuisine and wines. +33 3 88 35 60 68 SĂŠzanne, Colmar A tiny winstub bistro above a EFMJDBUFTTFO TFSWJOH QFSGFDU "MTBUJBO DIBSDVUFSJF GPJF HSBT FTDBSHPUT Munster cheese pie, rhubarb tart and 350 fine wines. www.sezanne.net
Auberge de l’Ill, Illhaeusern Auberge de l’Ill is simply an Alsatian gastronomic institution, its three Michelin stars retained since 1967 m MPOHFS UIBO BOZ CVU 1BVM #PDVTF www.auberge-de-l-ill.com
The Hostellerie de la Pommeraie, once the stately home of a colonel in Napoleon’s army, stands just a short bird’s flight from the hilltop Volerie des Aigles castle, where bird-of-prey shows and other avian entertainments are held
breathtaking, historic hilltop in the Vosges Mountains renowned as the .POU 4BJOUF 0EJMF QJMHSJNBHF TJUF www.mont-sainte-odile.com
La Table du Gourmet – Michelin-star dining in contemporary surroundings
EJTIFT PG NVTISPPNT GPJF HSBT BOE pigeon. www.frankenbourg.com TOP HOTEL SELECTION
The Auberge de l’Ill’s glamorous three-Michelin-starred restaurant
Restaurant Sondernach Ried, Sondernach 5IJT .VOTUFS 7BMMFZ GBSNIPVTF JOO T TFU NFOV ESBXT FOUJSFMZ GSPN MPDBM ingredients. www.sondernachried.fr La Table du Gourmet, Riquewhir A Michelin-star restaurant in a 16thcentury building with contemporary dĂŠcor and creative cuisine. www.jlbrendel.com Auberge Frankenbourg, La Vancelle Rated first in the department by Trip "EWJTPS BOE BDDMBJNFE GPS TVCMJNF
Cour du Corbeau, Strasbourg This 16th-century inn has been DBSFGVMMZ SFGVSCJTIFE JOUP B MVYVSJPVT GPVS TUBS IPUFM XJUI NPEFSO DPNGPSUT JUT IBMG UJNCFSFE NBOTJPO DIBSN JOUBDU www.cour-corbeau.com Le Chambard, Kaysersberg " MVYVSJPVT GPVS TUBS GBNJMZ SVO IPUFM BOE TQB JO UIF IFBSU PG "MTBDF XJOF country, with two Michelin-star dining at its celebrated 64° Le Restaurant. www.lechambard.fr La Haute Grange, FrÊland " MVYVSZ # # TFU JO B UI DFOUVSZ GBSNIPVTF PWFSMPPLJOH B WFSEBOU WBMMFZ TVSSPVOEFE CZ GPSFTU BOE wildflower meadows. www.chambrescharmealsace.com Mont Sainte-Odile A unique hotel and restaurant on a
Hostellerie la Pommeraie, SÊlestat This elegant Relais et Châteaux IPUFM TJUVBUFE PO UIF TJUF PG B GPSNFS $JTUFSDJBO BCCFZ PGGFST UXP SFTUBVSBOUT BOE WJOFZBSET BU ZPVS GFFU www.relaischateaux.com Château d’Osthoffen, Osthoffen 4UBZ JO B GPSUJà FE UI DFOUVSZ DBTUMF now renovated into a stately yet DPNGPSUBCMF GPVS TUBS CFE CSFBLGBTU www.chateau-dosthoffen.com
La Ferme de la Fontaine, Fouchy 'PS BO FTDBQF JOUP UIF HSFFO IFBSU PG "MTBDF USZ UIJT UBTUFGVMMZ SFOPWBUFE UI DFOUVSZ GBSN # # OFBS UIF #BMMPO EFT 7PTHFT OBUVSF QBSL www.la-ferme-de-la-fontaine.com
The Château d’Osthoffen hosts commercial events of all kinds
ALSACE ESSENTIALS BY TRAIN TGV stations in Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse. TER express regional trains link the region’s main towns north to south. BY CAR 1BSJT 4USBTCPVSH CZ " m LN r Marseille-Strasbourg by A7 - 820km r #SVTTFMT 4USBTCPVSH CZ & BOE A4 – 440km. BY PLANE Basel-Mulhouse airport in the Upper-Alsace and Strasbourg airport in the Lower-Alsace.
Alsace
*."(&4 ¼ "6#&3(& %& - *-- )¡5&- 10..&3"*& $)§5&"6 % 045)0''&/ -" 5"#-& %6 (063.&5
Restaurant L’Épicurien, Colmar "GUFS B 6, TUJOU XJUI (PSEPO 3BNTBZ DIFG /JDPMBT (SPFMM SFUVSOFE UP MBVODI IJT TNBTI IJU CJTUSP PGGFSJOH HFOFSPVT contemporary Alsatian cuisine. www.epicurien-colmar.com
122 â?˜ FRANCE TODAY Dec/Jan 2017
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