A lsace runs west to east from the pine-clad Vosges mountains through some of the most beautiful vineyards in France, to the mighty Rhine river and the border with Germany. Changing hands several times over the centuries between France and Germany has only strengthened the independent character of this fiercely traditional region, where a unique dialect is still the most popular spoken language.
The food is out of this world and distinct from other French regions. A foaming beer is just as popular as a glass of wine, and specialities include not just foie gras and escargots but juicy ham hock with steaming choucroute , pike-perch poached in riesling and spicy gingerbread. The interlocking waterways and brightly painted half-timbered houses of La Petite France , the historic leather-tanning district, is a picturesque must-see, but be prepared for crowds of visitors.
Between the two cities is Colmar , whose ancient centre is crisscrossed by romantic lanes and canals. The town is an architectural goldmine of gothic, renaissance and baroque mansions and churches. Foodies should not miss the ornate covered market. Au Brasseur 22 rue des Veaux, aubrasseur. Colmar may be quieter but there is a great atmosphere in the bustling Bistrot des Halles 13 rue des Ecoles , right in the middle of the food market, and for an after-dinner drink, pop into the cosy bar of Schwendi Bier und Winstub 23 Grand Rue.
Founded in , this is the oldest wine route in France , stretching over miles in the shadow of the Vosges, roughly from the west of Mulhouse to the north of Strasbourg with more than 1, vignerons welcoming visitors to their cellars for a free wine tasting. In September and October the tourism offices of villages along the wine route organise half-day excursions for tourists to join in the grape harvest. The Alsace wine villages have a fairytale quality with their brightly painted cottages, medieval ramparts and distinctive stork nests delicately balanced on church spires.
A great stop-off for anyone travelling with kids is the bewitching Gingerbread Museum paindepices-lips. His boutique is a wonderland of gingerbread and paver varieties. Guide to the Alsace wine route.
