In spite of consecutive wars between Germany and France, which have severely affected Alsace, the region has been able to protect its rich heritage of churches and castles. The hilly region is covered with pine, beech and oak woods, orchards, pastures, fields and ponds filled with carp, dotted with a multitude of wealthy villages. Located between the Plain of Alsace, the Rhine River, the Vosges and the Jura mountains, the Sundgau region has its own distinctive geographic character. At each mountainside, the road travels along bucolic countrysides, opening up views of mountain passes, rounded mountains, lakes, rocks, pastures and forests of majestic pines. Symbolically, the Route des Crêtes marks the border between Lorraine and Alsace, between the Romance and Germanic language worlds. The road follows a ridgeline route of 80km, linking the towns of Thann to Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.
- The region has one of France’s lowest unemployment rates (8.4% in 2011).
- The agglomération of Strasbourg comprises 485,000 inhabitants when the German city of Kehl Am Rhein is included.
- The A4 toll road (towards Paris) begins 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Strasbourg and the A36 toll road towards Lyon, begins 10 km (6.2 mi) west from Mulhouse.
- Though little is known about the early history of the Jews of Alsace, there is a lot of information from the 12th century onwards.
- Both Alsatian and Standard German were for a time banned from public life (including street and city names, official administration, and educational system).
- The constitution of the Fifth Republic states that French alone is the official language of the Republic.
Strasbourg
Like the rest of France, only the spire of the parish church signals the presence of colourful and elegant villages between two hills. Throughout its course, it is sometimes in Lorraine and sometimes in Alsace. Many town names have become synonymous with rich traditions, friendliness, prosperity and great wines. Several cities and villages along the Alsace Wine Route have become famous and attract a very large crowd of visitors during the summer months and Christmas, where they have beautiful Christmas Markets.
- As in previous times, these castles still seem to dominate the Alsace Plain even today, watching over the Vosges valleys, communication channels and sometimes the abbeys.
- Alsace is dotted with beautiful castles and châteaux, including the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, which offers panoramic views of the region.
- The road follows a ridgeline route of 80km, linking the towns of Thann to Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.
- Founded in 1953, this is the oldest, and possibly the most evocative, wine route in France.
- Following the Protestant Reformation, promoted by the local reformer Martin Bucer, the principle of cuius regio, eius religio led to a certain amount of religious diversity in the highlands of northern Alsace.
The Vosges Mountains provide opportunities for hiking, skiing, and enjoying the natural beauty of the region. Alsace is dotted with beautiful castles and châteaux, including the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, which offers panoramic views of the region. Alsace is renowned for its vineyards, and the Wine Route takes you through picturesque villages and vineyard-covered hills. As the capital of Alsace and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Strasbourg is a must-visit destination. In some parts of the city, as well as in Strasbourg, road signs are written in French, with Alsatian German underneath. Alsatian is a minority language that is currently endangered, with fewer speakers among the younger generations.
Alsace has a strong tradition of pottery making, and nowhere is that clearer than in the villages of Betschdorf and Soufflenheim, about 49km (31 miles) north of Strasbourg. If you’re seeking a unique experience, consider spending a few hours at Chemin des Cimes, which offers an immersion in a remote spot of the Vosges forests, near Drachenbronn- Birlenbach. An hour’s drive northwest of Strasbourg takes you to the Parc Naturel Régional des Vosges du Nord.
Colmar is the principal centre of the wine-growing region, whose vineyards extend in a narrow strip along the lower slopes of the Vosges west of the city. A string of picturesque villages, well-known wine-producing towns and exceptional landscapes await you, for a delicious getaway. "Alsatia", the Latin form of Alsace's name, entered the English language as "a lawless place" or "a place under no jurisdiction" prior to the 17th century as a reflection of the British perception of the region at that time. The local German dialect was rendered a backward regional "Germanic" dialect not being attached to German. In more recent years, the Alsatian language is again being promoted by local, national and European authorities as an element of the region's identity.
The end of the Second World War signalled that it was time for the reconstruction and reconciliation of the peoples of Europe. Alsace had changed hands four times within 75 years between France and Germany. Cultural life was, in part, suppressed by linguistic pressure from French authorities confronted by regional culture. Many Alsatians campaigned to obtain some recognition of their local status concerning local administration and dialect. In 1354, an alliance of ten prosperous merchant towns of Alsace, the Décapole, was agreed upon, with imperial protection. In addition to these three dynasties, the region was divided into many territories meshed with each other, operating under the authority of little lords, laymen or clergymen.
However, visitors to Alsace can see indications of renewed political and cultural interest in the language – in Alsatian signs appearing on hoardings and in car windows, as well as in new official bilingual street signs in Strasbourg and Mulhouse. The constitution of the Fifth Republic states that French alone is the official language of the Republic. Increasingly, French is the only language used at home and at work, and a growing number of people have a good knowledge of standard German as a foreign language learned in school. This situation has spurred a movement to preserve the Alsatian language, which is perceived as endangered, a situation paralleled in other régions of France, such as Brittany or Occitania. Few young people speak Alsatian today, although there do still exist one or two glitzbets casino registration enclaves in the Sundgau region where some older inhabitants cannot speak French, and where Alsatian is still used as the mother tongue.
Travel through time at the Castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg
Strasbourg began to grow to become the most populous and commercially important town in the region. Frederick II designated the Bishop of Strasbourg to administer Alsace, but the authority of the bishop was challenged by Count Rudolf of Habsburg, who received his rights from Frederick II's son Conrad IV. At about this time, the surrounding areas experienced recurring fragmentation and reincorporations among a number of feudal secular and ecclesiastical lordships, a common process in the Holy Roman Empire. Alsace formed part of the Middle Francia, which was ruled by the eldest grandson Lothar I.
Alsace
The traditional language of the région is Alsatian, an Alemannic dialect of Upper German spoken on both sides of the Rhine and closely related to Swiss German. Since the 17th century, the region has passed between German and French control numerous times, resulting in a cultural blend. Alsace became one of the French regions boasting a thriving Jewish community and the only region with a noticeable Anabaptist population. Multiconfessional villages appeared, particularly in the region of Alsace bossue.
Alsace, a land of castles
With the purpose of "Francizing" the region, the Rot-un-Wiss has not been recognized by Paris. As it underlines the Germanic roots of the region, it was replaced in 1949 by a new "Union jack-like" flag representing the union of the two départements. The authentic historical flag is the Rot-un-Wiss; Red and White are commonly found on the coat of arms of Alsatian cities (Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Sélestat…) and of many Swiss cities, especially in Basel's region. Following the Protestant Reformation, promoted by the local reformer Martin Bucer, the principle of cuius regio, eius religio led to a certain amount of religious diversity in the highlands of northern Alsace. The divergence in policy from the French majority is because the region was part of Imperial Germany when the 1905 law separating the French church and state was instituted (for a more comprehensive history, see Alsace–Lorraine). Alsace is generally seen as the most religious of all the French regions.
However, because of its small size compared to the average French region, Alsace ranks 20th for the number of tourists who spend at least one night in the region (11.7 million in 2011). It is estimated that 28,000 jobs are generated by tourism in Alsace, which represents 3.5% of the regional workforce in summer. As in most French regions, the service sector is growing rapidly at the expense of the first two sectors.
Transportation in Alsace is generally convenient and efficient, making it relatively easy to explore the region, including the Alsace Wine Route. Alsace cuisine is a delightful fusion of French and German culinary traditions, reflecting the region’s rich history and cultural diversity. The region’s location in northeastern France, near the Vosges Mountains, also influences its climate.
