Alsace

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A Few Days Visiting Alsace Lorraine

An October 2008 trip to Alsace by NiceGinna

Colorful buildings of ColmarMore Photos

We like to do short visits to new places when traveling between our summer home in Chicago and our winter home in Nice, France. This year we visited Alsace Lorraine, a beautiful area with great wines.

  • 14 reviews
  • 4 stories/tips
  • 85 photos

Tips on Traveling from the USA to EuropeBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

It's best to get ready for travel by not drinking a lot the day before and not drinking a lot on the plane. I usually have just one small bottle with the dinner. And drink plenty of water.

We find that we don't sleep well on the plane coming east, and we arrive somewhat tired. But to get over jetlag, it helps to stay up the first night as late as we can. Then we sleep as long as we want (this time, 11 hours!); when we wake, we're in pretty good shape.

Don't expect things to go smoothly upon arrival. Airports are stressful places. As accustomed to travel as we are, we often find that getting the car, getting out of the airport, finding our way can be challenging. There have been many times when the car we thought we'd rented was not available, especially if we've opted for an "automatique". Don't forget to ask for a map. Be patient with people and with yourselves!

It's often a good idea to find a hotel before you leave the States, so that you will at least have a place to stay the night you arrive. Finding it may be daunting; a cab to the hotel is a good idea. It may be a splurge but it may save your sanity. If you are driving to a city or town (easier) and then finding your hotel, try to arrive in daylight hours. Finding a hotel, whether pre-booked or not, in the dark in not a fun exercise.

Tips on Driving in FranceBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

You can drive with your American license in France; you do not need to get an international driving license, just to come for a vacation. If you plan to be longer in France, it is worth while to get a French driver's license. We were very lucky: like a few States, our home State, Illinois, has a reciprocal agreement with France and all we had to do was turn in our Illinois license and receive a French one. If you have to go through the process of getting a license, we understand that it takes a long time with lessons in French, both driving and written tests, and a high rate of failure.

The rules for driving in France can be quite a change for Americans. One rule that shocked us is that the car coming out of a side street on the right has the right-of-way! You can be cruising along on the main street, thinking you have the right-of-way, and all of a sudden someone comes out of a side street in front of you. He is right; you must yield.

Another interesting law is that it is illegal to run out of gas on the autoroute! Each person is responsible for ensuring that he/she has enough gas in the tank.

In case of other emergency there are phones along each autoroute to call for help. You must don the yellow flourescent "vest" which is required inside each car (not in the trunk) to leave your car; then put of the emergency signal that is in each trunk. Then call or signal for help.

Hôtel AméricainBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "A 2 Star Hotel in Beautiful Nancy"

Hotel Americain in Nancy
It was difficult to find the Hotel Americain as we drove into this city. The hotel was situated in a pedestrian area, so it was difficult to get close; we did finally get to the corner nearby and unloaded our luggage. We were welcomed at reception, but there was only one person there, so he was unable to help us with the luggage or with the car. There was no parking or garage, although it was advertised on the site. The room was small, with basic necessities. The saving grace was the restaurant next door, a Taverna which served good food and drink. The price for the hotel was only 52 euro for the two of us for the night.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 13, 2008

Hôtel Américain
72, rue Charlot Paris 75003

Place StanislausBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Place Stanislaus is a Most Beautiful Square"

And the winner is....
The city of Nancy is about 300 kilometres east of Charles de Gaulle Airport, a long drive after a long flight from Chicago. But we were rarin' to go - picked up our car and set out. We arrived in Nancy and found our hotel, ate dinner, and crashed.

We hadn't done a lot of research on Nancy but knew that we were meant to see Place Stanislaus, a World Heritage Site. I always like to check that list when we are traveling, as these are important sites all around the world. We were stunned at Place Stanislaus - a large square, surrounded by exquisite buildings, perhaps the most beautiful square I've seen in any country. Each corner is set off by intricate wrought iron gates, highlighted with gold, and two with ornate fountains. The palace where King Stanislaus of Poland (Duc de Lorraine) lived in the mid-1700's is now the beautiful Hotel de Ville (City Hall) which takes up one side of the square and contains the Tourist Office. Another side is graced by the Opera House and the very expensive Grand Hotel de Nancy. The other two sides have restaurants and shops. All the buildings are of the same style with statues atop. The square this day was filled with gardens created by the City Landscaping Crew to show off their skills; a 10K race was running through the square as we explored it. A beautiful place.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on March 11, 2009

Grand Cafe FoyBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "An Elegant Restaurant on Elegant Place Stanislaus"

Grand Cafe Foy
We decided to eat on Place Stanislaus, which we fell in love with. We found this very nice restaurant and decided to eat inside, although the sun was out and there were many eating outside with the heaters going full blast. But there was a chill and we weren't sure the sun would last. So we entered the restaurant and were seated. The decor is very French with lots of cream and gold; there's a beautiful leafy chandelier hanging from a frieze of cupids.

We ordered a 1/2 bottle of local wine (half bottles are normally available in France and are a good choice for two people, especially if you are planning to drive after lunch!). We both had the 3 course menu, a good deal at 25 euros each plus the wine. We each started with foie gras on toast points with peach marmalade. For the main course David had the noix de porc bourguignon with great looking potatoes; I had the sandre (fish) with shrimp and a baked potato. Both were great. For dessert I had baba au rhum and David had a huge piece of raspberry tart, about 1/3 of the pie! It was all wonderful.

In France, the waiter will not bring the check until asked; you will not be hurried out of the restaurant to make room for a next seating. You are free to enjoy your meal and conversation. We finally finished our delicious meal, asked for "l'addition", and were on our way.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 13, 2008

Grand Cafe Foy
1, Place Stanislas Nancy (Lorraine) 54000
+33 03 83 32 15 97

Hotel Beaucour BaumannBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "A Beautiful 3 Star Hotel in Strasbourg"

Entrance to the Beaucour
We found our hotel in Strasbourg with the help of a fellow in a bar who drew us a map. The location was perfect, just a block from the River Ill. Housed in several old buildings, the entrance was welcoming with lots of flowers; our welcome from reception was very friendly. The staff helped us with our luggage and showed us where to park the car for the duration. Our room, while not large, was very comfortable, with a double bed, a modern TV with CNN, plenty of closet space, a convenient desk, and a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub! David was thrilled!

We were here for two nights, so we unpacked, which I like to do if we are staying more than one night. Then we set out to explore the city.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 13, 2008

Hotel Beaucour Baumann
5 RUE DES BOUCHERS Strasbourg, France
33-388-767200

Strasbourg - an Enticing City to Explore: an OverviewBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Along the River Ill in Strasbourg
Strasbourg is very near the German border and this is shown clearly in its cuisine, heavy on the pork sausages and sauerkraut. Their white wines are famous. Culturally, Strasbourg has a lot to offer with lots of museums and a beautiful cathedral. Its Old Town on an island known as the Grande Ile and area known as La Petite France are surrounded by rivers and canals where, on a lovely day, it is wonderful to take a boatride.

Cathedral of Notre DameBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Strasbourg's Cathedrale Notre Dame Is Exceptional"

Cathedrale Notre Dame in Strasbourg
The Cathedrale was started in 1176 and completed in 1284, a Gothic masterpiece. For a time it was under the control of the Protestants and was returned to the Catholic Church in 1681. The pink sandstone exterior looks brown to me and is covered with statues; flying buttresses line the sides. The inside is very dark; they are in the process of cleaning the beautiful stained-glass windows, a laborious job as they take them down to perform a complete restoration. There is a 16th century astronomical clock that goes off each day at 12:30; tickets are available to see the carved figures make their whirls.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on March 11, 2009

Cathedral of Notre Dame
Place du Cardinal Lucon Reims, France

Palais Rohan (Le)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Palais Rohan Houses Several Museums"

Palais Rohan
There are at least three museums in this Palais which was built in the mid-18th century. Near the Cathedrale, it was built for the bishops. In the basement is the Musee Archeologique which covered pre-historic man up through the Celts, the Romans, and Medieval times. It was somewhat interesting but we had seen much of this before.

Then we toured the Museum of Fine Arts which houses older works than we had hoped, mostly religious. When it finally got to things we were more interested in - e.g. Corot - it ended. What a disappointment.

Then we went to the Musee des Arts Decoratif in the beautiful rooms of the palace. This was more interesting to me as it included a lot of ceramics, which I particularly like, and lovely old furnishings.

The price of admission was only 3 euros each (Senior rate) for the three museums, so not a bad deal. I'd say the most interesting thing was just seeing the beautiful rooms.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by NiceGinna on March 11, 2009

Palais Rohan (Le)
Place Pey-Berland Bordeaux, France 33000
+33 5 56 00 66 00

La Petite France in StrasbourgBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "La Petite France is Idyllic"

La Petite France
Surrounded by rivers and canals, La Petite France is an area of the southwest corner of the Grande Ile in Strasbourg. It's an area of old half-timbered houses, once home to local millers, now housing shops and restaurants and shady trees. On a beautiful day it is great to take a canal cruise or just walk along the water. Nearby are the Pont Couvert (Covered Bridge, although it's not really covered) and the Barrage Vauban, a dam built to protect the people of the town from attack.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on March 11, 2009

Route des VinsBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "The Route des Vins is one idyllic Village after Another"

Along the Route des Vins
We left Strasbourg en route to Colmar, driving down the Route des Vins, past one idyllic village after another. The first stop was Obernai. We parked and walked around the town, first to see the square with its statue of St. Odile at one end and the Ancienne Halle de Ble (wheat/flour) (1554) with its tiled roof at the other. Nearby we discovered a charming Renaissance (1579) well topped by a weather cock. We picked up a few provisions for a picnic on this sunny day and headed on.

We took a detour over the Vosges Mountains to Lorraine to visit St. Die (see review). Then we returned to the Route des Vins. The next town was Ribeauville, with a tower at each end of the village topped by a stork's nest, a common sight in the area. We walked up the main street, a pedestrian area for the most part, and enjoyed the pretty shops, picking up more picnic stuff on the way. Some local sausage, a local cheese, local wine, bread, fruit, and we were set!

Kaysersberg is called the "prettiest town on the Route des Vins", and it is lovely with its setting on thebanks of the River Weiss. Albert Schweitzer was born here. You must try the local Tokay wines.

Then finally on to Colmar where we would stay for 2 nights.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 15, 2008

Signs Along the Way in AlsaceBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Charcuterie sign - notice the geese
I love all the lovely signs that the Alsacien village shops have to indicate what wonderful things they have to sell. Here are just a few...

St. DieBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "St. Die is a Worthy Pilgrimage Destination for Americans"

Ancient tree by the Cathedral in St. Die
We headed over the Vosges Mountains, a pretty drive from the Route des Vins to Lorraine to the town of St. Die (pron: dee ay), to visit the biblioteque there. What was the draw? Printed in 1507 in St. Die is a book with a map with the very first reference to a newly discovered land called "America"! The biblioteque is near the cathedral and connected to the museum there. The librarian was very happy to take us to a special room where the book is on display - no cost involved, she wouldn't even accept a donation for the library! Seeing this book and map kind of sends chills up your spine! Worth the detour.

We also visited the cathedral in town and viewed the River Meurthe (same as the Congressman - his family is obviously from here). Not much really to see other than the book.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 15, 2008

Hostellerie le MarechalBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Romantic 4* Hotel at Center of Alsacien Wine Country"

Picnic supper in our beautiful room
Le Marechal is located in a convenient area of Colmar, the city that is the center of this wine country. Sadly, there was construction going on outside the hotel when we arrived, so it was just a bit difficult getting to the parking lot opposite. But it was more than worth the effort. The entrance to the hotel is flanked by comfortable chairs and tables where it is pleasant to have a pre-dinner aperitif. The welcome was friendly, and the staff were helpful with the luggage. The reception area is small but gives a sense of what the whole hotel is like - beautifully decorated in an old-fashioned way. Our room was on the third floor in the front, although the bathroom (with its own TV!) extended to the rear, where there was a view of the canal behind the building. The room had heavy beams, a large flat-screen TV (but not CNN), a table with floor -ength cloth and two comfortable chairs where we had a picnic supper, and a big bed with many pillows and reading lamps on each side, always important to us.

The bathroom was huge, with a deep tub but only a hand-held shower; there was a huge walk-in closet off the bathroom. Between the bedroom and bathroom, there was a tiny entryway with an automatic light, allowing you to get back to bed in the middle of the night, a nice feature.

We loved this place. The restaurant, reviewed under "Restaurant Gastronomique a l'Echevin", is outstanding, a place to dine even if you don't stay at the hotel. They served a lovely breakfast, but it is not included, and we thought, at 12 euro each, quite expensive.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 15, 2008

Hostellerie le Marechal
Quartier "Petite Venise" - Place des Six Montagnes - Noires Colmar 68000
+33 (3) 89 41 60 32

Restaurant Gastronomique de l'EchevinBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "An upscale restaurant for a terrific meal"

The main course: beef with mashed potatoes
When I made the reservation for the two nights at the Hotel Le Marechal, I also opted for a deal to include a full lunch (we eat our main meal at lunch) at their gourmet restaurant, L'Echevin. The entry is just off the reception area of the hotel, with a huge bouquet of flowers welcoming the guests. The dining room itself is narrow, along the back of the hotel building, and overlooking the canal that runs behind. Here we sat and watched the small boats go buy with tourists admiring our building.

We decided to start this special meal off with a "coup de champagne"; we were brought a pretty "amuse bouche" of shrimp and sauce in filo dough to get things started. Our entree (first course) was a rabbit pate with beautifully dressed greens in a pastry shell. The fish course was pike/perch, cooked perfectly with an almost caramelized outside served with artichauts. Next came a beef course served with mashed potatoes layered with mushrooms. Each course was on the small size, allowing us to finish everything in spite of there being so many courses. Everything was outstanding and the service was impecable. With these courses we shared a Grand Cru Riesling that was delicious.

For dessert there was vanilla ice cream wrapped in a wide ribbon of chocolate with raspberry ice on tart cherries on the side. We each had a glass of a perfumed dessert wine (Gewurtztraminer) that was outstanding. What a meal. I had to go and take a nap!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 15, 2008

Restaurant Gastronomique de l'Echevin
5, Place Six Montagnes Noires Colmar
03 89 41 60 32

ColmarBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "There Are Lots of Things to Do in Colmar"

Colorful buildings of Colmar
Colmar, itself, is an entrancing city, easy to walk around with its large pedestrian zone (pietonne) and inviting with its lovely old buildings and wonderful food and wine.

The most famous site of all is the Musee d'Unterlinden (Under the Linden Trees), even mentioned in "1000 Places to See Before You Die", a book I like to check when visiting a new place. The most important piece, the Issenheim Altarpiece, was created by Matthias Grunewald in the early 1500's. It is housed in the convent's chapel and is a many sided (some double sided) work of religious art. There are several other areas of the museum; we particularly enjoyed the area showing the furnishings of that period.

There is also a museum in the village dedicated to Auge Bartholdi, who was born here. He was the designer of the Statue of Liberty and there is a smaller version of it on the outskirts.

But mostly, just walking around the town, along the canals, in the churches, is the most wonderful part of the visit. Don't miss the outside of the Maison des Tetes (House of Heads), so called because of all the carvings on the building. It's a restaurant and also a hotel. Don't miss all the hanging signs on the shops, indicating the type of shop. And take a ride on the canal boats!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by NiceGinna on October 15, 2008

Colmar
Colmar

L'Hotel de l'AbbayeBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "A 4* hotel en route to Nice"

Breakfast room at Hotel de l'Abbaye
We had left Alsace behind and were on our way home to Nice. We'd decided to take a break in Annecy, a lovely French village on the 15 kilometre long Lac d'Annecy. I'd made a reservation at this hotel in Annecy Le Vieux, which was quite a disappointing distance from the charming lakeside village; it was difficult to find but charming when we finally arrived.

David was disappointed that our room was on the 1st floor (2nd floor to Americans) and there was no elevator; reception quickly gave us a larger room on the ground floor for the same price - a huge space with a large table and chairs and sofa, a separate area for sleeping, and a large bathroom, although not decorated as charmingly as the room upstairs.

Reception did recommend a restaurant within walking distance where we could get a meal, even at the unusual hour. We'd arrived at 3:30 PM without lunch.

Breakfast the next morning was wonderful but extremely expensive, coming to almost $50! All in all, not in the best location for sightseeing and much too expensive.
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by NiceGinna on March 11, 2009

L'Hotel de l'Abbaye
Annecy

Cafe BrunetBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Cafe Brunet and Annecy le Vieux"

Cafe Brunet
We'd arrived in Annecy without lunch at 3:30 PM - not an auspicious time to arrive in a French town and look for a meal. But our hotel recommended Cafe Brunet, a pub just up the hill in Annecy le Vieux and we gave it a try. When they learned that we hadn't eaten they made us up a wonderful plate of cheeses and bread and then found us an apple tart for dessert. Together with a few glasses of local white wine this was a meal that was devoured and savored.

We explored the charming area around the Cafe with its views down to the lake and the lakeside village of Annecy. Wish we had stayed there!
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by NiceGinna on March 11, 2009

About the Writer

NiceGinna
NiceGinna
Evanston, Illinois

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