Why go
Alsace, on the Rhine across from Germany, changed hands between France and Germany four times between 1870 and 1945, and the mix shows in everything: half-timbered houses with flower boxes, a local dialect that sounds German, beer halls next to French bistros, and white wines sold by grape name in tall, slender bottles. It is one of the most charming and walkable regions of France, with Strasbourg and Colmar as its two hubs and a string of storybook villages along the foothills of the Vosges mountains.
Lorraine, to the west, is less visited and very rewarding. Nancy has one of the most beautiful squares in Europe and a whole school of Art Nouveau. Metz has a Gothic cathedral with more stained glass than almost any other and a branch of the Centre Pompidou. And around Verdun and the Meuse are the battlefields of World War I, including the Meuse-Argonne, the largest battle in American history.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg's old center, the Grande Île, is an island ringed by the Ill river and a UNESCO World Heritage site, together with the Neustadt, the grand district the Germans built after 1871. You can walk it all in a day.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame
A pink sandstone Gothic cathedral whose single spire, 466 feet (142 m) tall, made it the tallest building in the world for over two centuries. Inside, the astronomical clock goes through its parade of automata daily at 12:30 p.m.; there is a small charge to watch the show and a line forms well before, so arrive early. Climb the 332 steps to the viewing platform, 217 feet (66 m) up, for views to the Black Forest; it charges a separate fee and keeps its own hours, so check the cathedral's site before you go.
Petite France
The old tanners' and millers' quarter, with half-timbered houses leaning over the canals. Walk across the Ponts Couverts, whose medieval towers once guarded the river, and climb onto the Barrage Vauban, a 17th-century dam with a free rooftop terrace that looks straight down the canals to the cathedral.
Boat tour
Batorama's glass-roofed boats loop around the Grande Île, through the locks of Petite France and out to the European quarter, with an audio commentary. A good first-day orientation; book ahead in summer and December.
European Parliament
The Parliament holds its monthly plenary sessions in Strasbourg, and visitors can watch debates from the gallery during session weeks, or tour the hemicycle when it is not in session. The Parlamentarium Simone Veil visitor center explains how the EU works. Bring your passport; book on the Parliament's visitor site. Nearby are the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights.
Museums
The Palais Rohan holds three museums (fine arts, decorative arts and archaeology). The Alsatian Museum shows traditional rural life, and the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame has the original cathedral sculptures. Most of Strasbourg's city museums close on Tuesdays, so plan around it.
Colmar and the Alsace Wine Route
The Route des Vins d'Alsace runs about 105 miles (170 km) from Marlenheim, west of Strasbourg, south to Thann, past dozens of wine villages. The prettiest cluster is around Colmar, between Ribeauvillé and Eguisheim, all within 20 minutes of each other.
Colmar
A postcard-perfect old town of canals (the Little Venice quarter), painted houses and covered market. The Unterlinden Museum holds the Isenheim Altarpiece, one of the most powerful paintings of the Middle Ages. Colmar is also the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi, sculptor of the Statue of Liberty; his house is a museum, and a 39-foot (12 m) replica of the statue stands at the northern entrance to town.
Riquewihr
The most famous wine village, almost perfectly preserved behind its walls, with a main street climbing to the Dolder gate tower. It is busy from late morning, so arrive early or stay for the evening.
Eguisheim
A village built in concentric circles around its castle and fountain, voted France's favorite village in a 2013 TV poll. Walk the outer ring street, rue du Rempart, for the classic photos.
Kaysersberg
A village at the mouth of a valley, with a ruined castle on the hill, a fortified bridge, and the house where Albert Schweitzer was born, now a small museum.
Ribeauvillé
A lively small town under three ruined castles, with a long main street and a strong wine cooperative. Hike up to the Saint-Ulrich castle ruins for views.
Haut-Kœnigsbourg
A red sandstone castle on a mountain spur at 2,480 feet (757 m), rebuilt by Kaiser Wilhelm II in the early 1900s as a showpiece of German medieval romance. Furnished halls, an armory and huge views over the plain. Adult entry is €12, or €16 (about $18) with the audio tour, with no booking needed. Open daily, roughly 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in autumn with shorter winter hours; last entry is an hour before closing. Parts of the ramparts close in high wind. A seasonal shuttle bus runs up from Sélestat station; check the castle's access page.
Insider tip
Stay in Colmar or a village rather than doing the Wine Route as a day trip from Strasbourg. In the evenings, after the tour buses leave, Riquewihr and Eguisheim are quiet and magical. In summer, the villages are calmer before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
Christmas markets
Alsace has the most famous Christmas markets in France. Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik, held since 1570, is one of the oldest in Europe and spreads across about a dozen squares in the old town, with a giant tree on the Place Kléber. Colmar's six markets, Kaysersberg's, Riquewihr's and Eguisheim's are smaller and very pretty, and Ribeauvillé holds a medieval Christmas market on weekends. Expect stalls selling ornaments, gingerbread (pain d'épices), bredele cookies and mulled wine (vin chaud).
In 2026, Strasbourg's market runs from Friday, November 27 to Thursday, December 24. Colmar's six markets open earlier, on November 23, and run to December 29. In the villages, Eguisheim and Turckheim run from November 27 to December 30 and Riquewihr from November 27 to December 20. Kaysersberg's market is open on the four weekends from November 27 to December 20 (Friday to Sunday), and Ribeauvillé's medieval market is held on December 5–6 and 12–13. Most stalls close by early evening. Hours change around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so check the official market sites if you plan to go then.
Watch out
December weekends are packed. Strasbourg hotels sell out months ahead, trains are full, and the old town has security checkpoints at the bridges with bag checks; parts of the center are closed to cars. Visit on weekdays, book rooms by summer, and consider staying in a smaller town like Sélestat or Obernai and taking the train in.
Lorraine: Nancy, Metz and Verdun
Nancy
The Place Stanislas, built in the 1750s for the exiled Polish king who became Duke of Lorraine, is an 18th-century square of golden gates, fountains and palaces, and a UNESCO site. Nancy was also a capital of Art Nouveau: the Musée de l'École de Nancy shows furniture and glass by Émile Gallé and Louis Majorelle, and the Villa Majorelle is a jewel of the style. The fine arts museum has a Daum glass collection.
Metz
A city of golden limestone on the Moselle. The cathedral of Saint-Étienne has about 70,000 square feet (6,500 m²) of stained glass, including windows by Chagall. The Centre Pompidou-Metz, under a dramatic woven-wood roof, shows big modern and contemporary art exhibitions. It is open daily except Tuesdays and May 1. Shows running in winter 2026–2027 include Maurizio Cattelan's Endless Sunday (to January 25, 2027), the painter Séraphine Louis (October 31, 2026 to April 12, 2027) and the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban (December 5, 2026 to August 30, 2027).
Verdun
In 1916, French and German armies fought here for ten months, and roughly 300,000 men died. Start at the Mémorial de Verdun at Fleury, a modern museum on the battle, open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except in January, when it and Fort Douaumont close; a combined ticket covers both. Then visit the Douaumont Ossuary, which holds the bones of about 130,000 unidentified soldiers of both sides, visible through small windows, with 16,000 French graves in front. Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux can be explored inside, and the Trench of Bayonets is nearby. The forest still hides craters, trenches and the sites of nine villages that were never rebuilt.
American WWI and WWII sites
In 1918 the American Expeditionary Forces under General Pershing fought their first big independent battle at Saint-Mihiel, south of Verdun, then launched the Meuse-Argonne offensive, which involved 1.2 million Americans and cost about 26,000 American lives. In 1944 and 1945, Patton's Third Army and the Seventh Army fought across Lorraine and Alsace. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) maintains these cemeteries, all free and open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except December 25 and January 1:
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery
The largest American military cemetery in Europe, with 14,246 graves and 954 names on the Tablets of the Missing, in long rows rising toward a chapel. Many of the dead fell in the final weeks before the Armistice of November 11, 1918. Nearby, the Montfaucon American Monument is a tall column on the hill that was a German observation post; climb it for a view of the battlefield.
St. Mihiel American Cemetery
About 4,150 Americans killed in the September 1918 Saint-Mihiel offensive. The Montsec American Monument, a round colonnade on an isolated hilltop, overlooks the old salient.
Lorraine American Cemetery
The largest American World War II cemetery in Europe, with 10,481 graves and 444 names of the missing, mostly from the Third Army's drive toward Germany in the fall and winter of 1944–1945.
Épinal American Cemetery
5,252 Americans who died in the Seventh Army's campaign through the Vosges and Alsace, on a plateau above the Moselle.
For grave lookups, escorts and the full list, see our American heritage trail. The 2nd Division and Marines also fought at Blanc Mont in neighboring Champagne.
Different from home
The ABMC cemeteries are US government sites on land granted by France. Staff are often Americans or bilingual locals, and they will help you find a grave and, with notice, escort relatives. Email the cemetery a few weeks before you go.
Suggested itineraries
Two days: Strasbourg and Colmar
- Day 1
Strasbourg
Take a morning TGV from Paris Est (1 hr 45 min on the fastest trains). See the cathedral and astronomical clock at 12:30 p.m., then Petite France, the Barrage Vauban and a boat tour. Dinner in a winstub, the Alsatian wine tavern.
- Day 2
Colmar and one village
Take the train to Colmar (about 30 minutes). See Little Venice and the Unterlinden Museum, then a bus or taxi to Eguisheim or Riquewihr in the afternoon. Return to Paris from Colmar (some direct TGVs take about 2 hr 20 min) or via Strasbourg.
Four days: Alsace with a car
- Day 1
Strasbourg
As above. Sleep in Strasbourg.
- Day 2
Northern Wine Route
Pick up a car and drive through Obernai and Mittelbergheim to Haut-Kœnigsbourg. Afternoon in Ribeauvillé, with a tasting at a family estate. Sleep in Riquewihr or Ribeauvillé.
- Day 3
Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Colmar
Riquewihr early, Kaysersberg for lunch, then Colmar for the afternoon and evening.
- Day 4
Eguisheim and onward
Eguisheim in the morning, then return the car in Colmar and take the train, or drive about 2 hours to Nancy to begin Lorraine.
Two days: Lorraine and the battlefields
- Day 1
Verdun
Take the TGV from Paris Est to Meuse TGV station (about 1 hr) and pick up a pre-booked rental car or taxi, or drive from Nancy or Metz (about 1 hr 15 min). Mémorial de Verdun, Douaumont Ossuary and Fort Douaumont. Sleep in Verdun.
- Day 2
Meuse-Argonne and Saint-Mihiel
Drive about 40 minutes to the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and the Montfaucon monument, then south to the St. Mihiel Cemetery and Montsec monument. Continue to Nancy or Metz for the evening.
Getting there and around
TGVs leave from Paris Gare de l'Est on the high-speed line east. Book on SNCF Connect; see our trains guide.
| Paris Est to | Fastest TGV (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strasbourg | 1 hr 45 min | About 20 a day; also direct TGVs from CDG airport |
| Colmar | 2 hr 20 min | Some direct TGVs; otherwise change in Strasbourg. A couple of TGV Lyria trains leave from Gare de Lyon |
| Metz | 1 hr 22 min | About 11 a day, direct to Metz-Ville |
| Nancy | 1 hr 31 min | About 16 a day, direct to Nancy-Ville |
| Meuse TGV (for Verdun) | 1 hr | Station in the countryside, about 30 min from Verdun; few services; book a car or taxi in advance |
Within Alsace, frequent regional TER trains link Strasbourg, Sélestat, Colmar and Mulhouse (Strasbourg to Colmar takes about 30 minutes). Some villages are on the line, such as Obernai, and buses run from Colmar to Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim, though not frequently. A car is the easiest way to hop between villages and is essential for the battlefields. See driving in France.
Flying in: Basel-Mulhouse
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is a rare airport shared by France and Switzerland, with a French and a Swiss side. It has flights from many European hubs and is the closest airport to Colmar. From the French side, a bus connects to Saint-Louis station in about 10 minutes, with trains to Mulhouse, Colmar and Strasbourg. Make sure you exit on the French side if you have rented a car there in France. Strasbourg's own airport has a shuttle train to the main station in about 10 minutes. Many Americans simply fly to Paris CDG and take the direct TGV to Strasbourg. See our flights guide.
Where to base yourself
Strasbourg for city life, trains and museums. Colmar for the Wine Route by car or bus. A wine village such as Riquewihr, Eguisheim or Ribeauvillé for evenings after the crowds. Nancy or Metz for Lorraine, and Verdun for the battlefields. See where to stay.
Hôtel Cathédrale
Some rooms look straight onto the cathedral facade across the square. Book early for December.
Maison Rouge
An Autograph Collection hotel on the Place Kléber in the heart of the Christmas market.
Hôtel Le Colombier
A Renaissance house in Little Venice, a few steps from the canals.
La Maison des Têtes
A 17th-century house famous for the 100-plus carved faces on its facade, with a fine restaurant.
Le Grand Hôtel de la Reine
An 18th-century palace on the Place Stanislas itself.
Wine estates and village B&Bs along the Wine Route often cost under €100 (about $112) for two, many with a tasting thrown in.
Food and drink
Alsatian food is hearty and generous, more like southern Germany than Paris, and winstubs serve it in wood-paneled rooms. See our food guide.
- Choucroute garnie: sauerkraut cooked in Riesling with sausages, smoked pork and potatoes.
- Flammekueche (tarte flambée): a thin, crisp flatbread topped with cream, onions and bacon, baked in a wood oven. It is a good cheap dinner; many places do all-you-can-eat on certain nights.
- Baeckeoffe: meats and potatoes marinated in white wine and slow-baked in a sealed clay pot.
- Kougelhopf: a tall, ring-shaped brioche with raisins and almonds, eaten at breakfast.
- Munster: a strong, soft cheese from the Vosges valleys, often served with cumin.
- Bretzels, bredele and pain d'épices: pretzels, Christmas cookies and gingerbread.
- Lorraine: quiche lorraine (the real one has no cheese), mirabelle plum tarts and brandy, macarons de Nancy, and the madeleines of Commercy.
Alsace wines
Alsace is mostly a white wine region, and unlike the rest of France, wines are labeled by grape. Riesling (dry, mineral), Gewurztraminer (aromatic, with lychee and rose), Pinot Gris (rich), Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Muscat, plus Crémant d'Alsace, a good-value sparkling wine, and a little Pinot Noir. The 51 Grand Cru vineyards make the best. Many family estates on the Wine Route have tasting rooms open without an appointment; look for dégustation signs. See our wine guide.
Different from home
"Dry" is not guaranteed. Some Alsace Rieslings and most Gewurztraminers have noticeable sweetness, and labels do not always say so. Ask the producer (c'est sec ?) or look for a sweetness scale on the back label.
Seasons and events
- Spring (April–May): storks return to nest on rooftops, flowers in the window boxes, mild weather.
- Summer (June–August): warm to hot, around 80°F (27°C), with wine festivals in villages most weekends.
- Harvest (September–October): golden vineyards, new wine (vin nouveau) with onion tart and walnuts in October.
- Christmas (late November to late December): the markets. Cold, often below freezing at night.
- Winter (January–March): cold and quiet; low prices and empty villages.
- Nancy: the Saint-Nicolas festival, with a big parade on the weekend nearest December 6, is the city's favorite event.
Tips for Americans
- Remember the German border: Strasbourg is a tram ride from Kehl, Germany, and Basel, Switzerland, is close to Colmar. Carry your passport.
- Many winstubs serve large portions; sharing a choucroute is fine.
- Book a tasting with a family estate for the best experience; tasting is often free if you buy.
- Bring cash for market stalls in December; card readers are not universal.
- Combine with Champagne on the way from Paris, or with Burgundy to the south.
Related pages
- American heritage trail
- Wine and food guides
- Festivals and events
- Trains and driving
- Champagne, Burgundy & Jura and Northern France
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