Alsace - Hansel & Gretel fairyland
How does one describe the magnificent area of France called Alsace? My answer is “Hansel & Gretel” Fairyland. This part of France is so magical and whimsical, you really feel like you are participating in a fairytale! But Alsace is also full of fascinating history, gorgeous scenery and a MUST for connoisseurs of white wine! We are no connoisseurs of wine but we drank lots of it anyway!!
Our first stop was to the small medieval village of Obernai , 30kms away from Strasbourg and 50kms from Colmar… somewhere in the middle of the two cities. This was the location of our B&B “La Haute Cornich”, offering a view of the green, lush Vosges mountains in the horizon and the gorgeous old city of Obernai below. Since we rented a car, my personal preference was to stay in a quaint & picturesque village rather than a large town or city. Obernai is gorgeous and fit the bill perfectly!
Our first late afternoon - early evening in Alsace was spent wandering around Obernai, savoring the half-timbered, multi colored houses, cascading with flowers from the flower boxes. Each house is a different color and with different color shutters (just like in the fairytales). There are two majestic churches, called St Peter (Pierre) and St Paula. There are also many cafes and restaurants and our first dinner in Obernai was no disappointment.
The next day we woke up early and drove to the outskirts of Strasbourg. We parked our car in one of the "Park & Ride" areas next to a tram station in order to avoid the hassle of traffic and parking. It is cheap and very convenient. The Park & Ride car parks are open from Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Outside the opening hours the car park is free but payment is required to use the tram.
In Strasbourg, we got off the tram at the Grand Île (historic centre of town). We spent our entire day just wandering the beautiful streets and savoring the architecture. We eventually found our way to the ultimate fairytale section of the city called: the Little Venice or also known as the Petite France Quarter.
Just so beautiful! It looks just as gorgeous in real life as it does in the pictures on the internet!!! We walked around, took a million photos and then went on the 70 minute Batorama boat tour, which was great for resting our legs and seeing the sites. We also used the individual headphones for listening to commentaries about Strasbourg and the region (I think there are commentaries in 12 different languages). As I said, the history in this region is fascinating…. especially the centuries-long conflict between Germany and France over the ownership of this tiny area.
After a fantastic day in Strasbourg, we took the tram back to the “Park & Ride” and drove half an hour back to Obernai for a quiet dinner in our beloved village.
Our beautiful accommodation in Obernai was fantastic. Check it out! https://villahautecorniche.com/fr/