Get ready for some adorableness!
Alsace is a region of modern day France located across the Rhine River from Germany. The region was heavily Germanic culturally until relatively recently. The area didn’t belong to France until the 16th century, later returning to the German empire in 1871 until WWI. The architecture of Alsace is very similar to what is found in Germany right across the river. Half-timbered buildings all over the place.
Alsace has a bunch of adorable smaller cities and towns. I was able to get to one small city and two smaller towns in a single day using public transportation. I was just lucky everything was running on time. There is more bus service during the warmer months. However, you will be able to see so much more by renting a car.
*Note: this is going to be a long one because I don’t feel like splitting this up.
Sélestat
Sélestat is a small city south of the more famous Alsatian city of Strasbourg. Its not as adorable as some of the other towns in the area but I chose it because it’s very well connected to public transportation. It also has a very convenient and frequent bus connection to my next destination.
Wandering Jana Starting off cute.
Wandering Jana The main town square is adorable.
Wandering Jana Arsenal Ste Barbe (larger building in the center). Did I mention this is the least cute of the Alsatian places I visited?
Wandering Jana Buildings don’t have to be half-timbered to be awesome.
Wandering Jana Tour de l’horloge, part of the old city walls.
Wandering Jana Half-timbered and painted. Love it.
Wandering Jana Église Sainte-Foy de Sélestat (St. Faith’s Church), a gorgeous 12th century Romanesque church that was amazingly built in 10 years. Extremely impressive. It’s constructed of local pinkish sandstone.
Wandering Jana Love this window.
Wandering Jana Église Saint-Georges de Sélestat (St. George’s Church).
Wandering Jana Very, very Gothic.
Wandering Jana I love this Neo-Gothic chapel.
Wandering Jana Can’t be a Gothic church without some stained-glass windows.
Wandering Jana More excellent painted buildings.
Wandering Jana Neat old building.
Wandering Jana Very cute.
Wandering Jana Maison Ziegler, a very fancy and large house.
Wandering Jana Only slightly crooked.
Ribeauvillé
Ribeauville was main destination for the day. The city center is very compact and easy to explore. Is it a little Disneyfied? Yep, but there is nothing wrong with that.
Wandering Jana The cuteness is coming.
Wandering Jana Very cute.
Wandering Jana Ribeauvillé’s historic center is centered on the La Grand’Rue.
Wandering Jana The town gets cuter the farther you go up hill.
Wandering Jana Not far from farm fields.
Wandering Jana Love this.
Wandering Jana And now you can probably understand why I, hater of intercity buses, took a intercity bus here.
Wandering Jana A very interesting looking church.
Wandering Jana So much half-timber!
Wandering Jana Mairie de Ribeauvillé (city hall).
Wandering Jana Sooooo cute!
Wandering Jana Tour des Bouchers.
Wandering Jana Right next to the tower is this restaurant with interesting decorations. That pig head on the plate has broccoli stuffed into its ears and nostrils.
Wandering Jana The cuteness continues.
Wandering Jana Never ending adorableness.
Wandering Jana The adorableness is getting ridiculous.
Wandering Jana This town is totally worth dealing with inter-city buses.
Wandering Jana Now it is beyond ridiculous.
Wandering Jana When you think it could get anymore adorable, bam! You round a corner and find this.
Wandering Jana Skipping to the end of my visit. One of the old city towers, complete with a stork’s nest on top.
Riquewihr
Riquewihr was my last stop of the day. I am so glad I had enough time to run around for about an hour between buses. Luckily the historic center is extremely compact.
Wandering Jana Starting off with some strong cuteness.
Wandering Jana OMG, that well.
Wandering Jana Giant house/building.
Wandering Jana Riquewihr is definitely the most Disneyfied of the towns I visited.
Wandering Jana I love places like this. Yeah, it is a bit fake and gussied up for tourism. But, you know what, it is unique. I love things that make places unique.
Wandering Jana I especially love the color scheme of the town.
And the cobblestones.
Wandering Jana Very cute!
Wandering Jana Just so much cute!
Wandering Jana More of that local sandstone.
Wandering Jana The town still has quite a bit of its old walls.
Wandering Jana Old city gate which looks like it once had a drawbridge.
Wandering Jana I love this town.
Wandering Jana That’s quite a tower.
Wandering Jana That detail is amazing.
Wandering Jana It was a very long, exhausting day, but so worth it.
These are only three places in Alsace. There are even more small towns and castles in the region to explore. I barely covered what I saw. Everything was just so cute.
Check out my next update where I explore another Alsatian city, Colmar!
or
Start at the beginning of this European adventure!
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