What is the prettiest town in Alsace?
We visit what is arguably the prettiest town in the Alsace wine region - Éguisheim - and explore Colmar - one of the most-visited cities in Alsace
The medieval village of Éguisheim, Alsace - Source: Winekeller
On a recent visit to France’s stunning and unique Alsace wine region, we wasted no time in heading to what is often referred to as Alsace’s ‘prettiest town’ - and that is the spectacular medieval village of Éguisheim.
Located on the world-famous Alsace Wine Route - one of France’s most emblematic routes - it is a jewel and a must-visit location in a region of picturesque villages, well-known wine-producing towns and exceptional landscapes. It is also home to one of the best Alsace wine producers so we managed to fit in a tasting there too!
We based ourselves in the historic, medieval city of Colmar, just north of Éguisheim and the wine capital of the Alsace wine region. This area - the villages and vineyards around Colmar - is said to be the most famous and spectacular part of the Alsace Wine Route.
What are the four wonders of Alsace?
The Colmar section of the Alsace Wine Route is a key wine tourism destination, because of the four incredibly preserved and picture-postcard villages that surround it, namely: Eguisheim, Kayserberg, Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé.
This article focuses on the village of Éguisheim - see also our Alsace wine bike tour, where we visit the other three famous Alsace Wine Route villages and some of the best Alsace wine producers.
Beautiful Colmar in Alsace - Source: Winekeller
The amazing village of Éguisheim on the Alsace Wine Route
The village of Eguisheim has been ranked as ‘one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France’ since 2003, it’s one of the ‘four wonders of Alsace’ and it's constantly proclaimed to be the ‘prettiest town in Alsace’ - enough reasons to visit it for ourselves!
Of all of the wine towns and villages of Alsace, Éguisheim features at the top of the list to visit and we can now appreciate why - the ultimate fairytale destination and an inspiration for the Disney movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’!
Getting to Éguisheim
Éguisheim to Colmar is 7km, a short car journey or a bus ride away. See here for more practical information.
The Éguisheim tourist office is located on the main street in the village and the website is helpful for planning a visit.
How much time do you need in Éguisheim?
We spent half a day in this beautiful village, exploring its streets and alleyways, its lovely shops and experiencing some traditional Alsace wine and Alsace food of course! It’s only a small village so a few hours should be sufficient to explore, enjoy a meal, snack and maybe a wine tasting.
Medieval Éguisheim village, Alsace - Source: Winekeller
When to visit Alsace
We visited in late Spring which was perfect in terms of avoiding the large crowds and the heat of Summer - however a great time to visit is in the Winter, before Christmas. Both the Colmar Christmas market and the Éguisheim Christmas market are recommended if you’re looking for picture post-card scenes, tradition and authenticity..!
Things to do in Éguisheim
Eguisheim is only a small village, but it’s perfectly formed and preserved!
On entering the historic village you find yourself immersed in a bygone age with its picturesque narrow streets, charming corners, beautiful squares, pretty fountains and of course the stunningly colourful half-timbered houses for which Alsace is world-famous, adorned with flower-filled window boxes in the Summer.
Stroll through the ancient village streets
The village is built around a castle and set within double walls, built for defensive purposes in the Middle Ages and the medieval city unfolds in concentric circles around it. So the first recommendation is to follow the main street, which is essentially a circular pathway taking you eventually back to where you started! Stroll and just take in the atmosphere - take a look at the colourful houses which often have ancient inscriptions on their lintels and retain the plaques of old trades such as baker, carpenter or vintner. Every stretch of the path and every corner presents either a photo opportunity or an enticing shop which just has to be entered - be warned!
Stork nests
Look up whilst strolling through Éguisheim and you can’t miss the stork nests on the house roofs, walls and towers. Pairs of storks migrate every year to nest in this village and they are looked after by the villagers as a protected species and symbol of the region.
Spend time in the main square - the Place du Château
The Place du Château is the centre of the village and is dominated by the castle - Château Saint-Léon, which dates back to the 11th century and is surrounded by an octagonal-shaped wall. (The castle is only open to the public during guided tours offered by the Tourist Office and in conjunction with major town events).
From here you also can’t miss the church dedicated to Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul: it was built in Romanesque style, but was remodelled with Gothic additions in 1220. Admire its soaring four-bell tower and the magnificent portal adorned with a wooden sculpture representing the Virgin Mary.
In the centre of the square lies a beautiful fountain, the Saint-Léon Fountain, one of the largest in the region. There are other delightful fountains in the nearby Place du Marché Market Square, dating from 1557, and the Fontaine de la Porte Basse, built in 1841.
Enjoy some traditional Alsace food
There are lots of places to enjoy a meal or a snack or perhaps to buy some local cheeses or maybe bretzels? But the main dish here is undoubtedly, Flammkuchen - a very thin crust pizza, covered in a thin layer of crème fraiche and topped with traditionally onion and bacon but lots of other savoury toppings. We enjoyed this most traditional of Alsace cuisine, paired with a lovely glass of Alsace wine sitting in the Place du Château.
Walk through the vineyards
Éguisberg is known for its two famous Grand Cru vineyards, Grand Cru Eichberg and Grand Cru Pfersigberg.
You can follow a marked ‘Grands Crus’ vineyard trail through these vineyards which also offer lovely views over the surrounding hills and the medieval ruins of the three castles which surround the village: Weckmund, Wahlenbourg and Dagsbourg castles, dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
You can also follow a specific walking trail for the ‘three Castles of Upper Éguisheim’.
Visit a winery - enjoy a wine tasting
Of course, no visit to an Alsace wine village would be complete without visiting a winery or spending time in a wine shop and discovering the local Alsace wines!
There are several excellent wine producers in Éguisheim.
Wine tasting at Domaine Léon Beyer
We took the opportunity to visit one of the best Alsace wine producers - also one of the oldest wine producers in Alsace, Domaine Léon Beyer.
Domaine Léon Beyer, a family wine producer, dates back to 1850, however the Beyer family has been making wine in Eguisheim since the sixteenth century. Today the domaine is run by Marc Beyer, assisted by daughter Anne-Sophie and son Yann. His father Leon Beyer II and his father before that, were former Mayors of Eguisheim and well known for being gastronomes and the domaine has always championed dry, premium quality wines that complement food – ideal for restaurants.
The winery is situated just outside the walls of medieval Eguisheim and the family farms just over 20 hectares of vineyards . With significant parcels in both Grand Cru vineyards - Grand Cru Eichberg and Grand Cru Pfersigberg, Domaine Léon Beyer wines are savoured and appreciated all over the world - 75% of production is exported - one of the best represented Alsace wineries in the fine dining and export markets.
Visit one of the top cities in Alsace, Colmar
We based ourselves in the Alsace city of Colmar, in AirBnB accommodation, a short walk from the historic city centre - the perfect location for exploring the Alsace wine region and the Alsace wine route.
Colmar is easy to get to, just 45 minutes from both Strasbourg and Basel-Mulhouse airports and a 2 hours 20 minutes train ride from Paris.
The medieval Alsace city of Colmar - Source: Winekeller
What is so special about Colmar?
Colmar is a beautiful city and a great place to get a feeling for Alsace - known as the ‘most Alsatian city of Alsace’. This medieval treasure lies at the heart of the Alsace wine region and is the best preserved historic city centre in the region, with its traditional half-timbered houses, romantic canals, cobble-stone lanes and flower-laden window sills. It is also an incredible city of art, culture and heritage.
Colmar, virtually unscathed by war, is a mix of cultures and architecture, reflecting 500 years of history. Many monuments dating from the Middle Ages to Renaissance have been finely restored and are on the historical monuments list. Colmar doesn’t feel like a city, more like a country town. It doesn’t have a long list of attractions, it’s a city to stroll in, to wander, to savour and to soak up the atmosphere, with something to delight in around every bend!
Typical Alsace merchant’s houses in Colmar - Source: Winekeller
Things to do in Colmar
Stroll through the streets admiring the buildings
Wander through the picturesque streets and alleyways and along the canal, stopping to browse in the local boutiques and craft shops and admire the unique half-timboured houses and traditional merchant houses.
All of the buildings are impossibly pretty and unique - look out for the Pfister House, dating from the 16th century and one of Colmar’s most distinctive buildings with its richly painted murals, wrap-around wooden balcony and octagonal turret, Adolf House, the oldest in Colmar, the Koïfhus, Colmar’s former customs house built at the meeting point between two major streets and the majestic House of Heads (Maison des Têtes) built in the 17th century in German Renaissance style, decorated with 111 masks and a magnificent 3-storey window.
Visit the Fishmonger’s District
Colmar’s Quai de la Poissonnerie (Fishmonger’s district) is where most of the professional fishermen and boatmen of Colmar once lived and today features some of the most beautiful half-timbered houses, subject to major renovation works between 1978 and 1981.
Visit Colmar’s ‘Little Venice’
Close to the Fishmonger’s District, is an area known as ‘Little Venice’ - where Colmar’s merchants once lived and who transported their goods from here by boat along the River Lauch. The name probably came from the original line of the merchant houses on both sides of the river, which serves the southeast of the city.
Today you can enjoy a boat trip from here on small flat-bottomed boats.
Explore the museums
Colmar has a few museums to explore, including the Unterlinden Museum. There’s also the Toy Museum and the Bartholdi Museum, the house where local sculptor Auguste Bartholdi was born, who created the Statue of Liberty.
Enjoy some typical Alsace food and Alsace wine
Colmar, the capital of the Alsace wine industry, is known for its gastronomy and traditional Alsace cuisine.
As well as Michelin-starred restaurants, there are plenty of waterside cafés and cellar restaurants to choose from. See here for dining in Colmar. Also visit Colmar’s covered market to buy local produce - ideal if you are self-catering.
For more information about visiting Alsace’s Colmar visit the Colmar tourism website.
Conclusion
If you plan to visit Alsace then you must include Colmar and Éguisheim - we loved strolling around the quaint streets and alleyways and the buildings are everything you imagine Alsace to be and more!
