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The Alsace is situated on the border of the Latin and Germanic worlds, and this has given her a rich history and culture. Today, this background is still present in the countryside and the minds of the people living in the region. With the Pagan Wall, Alsace has the biggest - yet still mysterious - European megalithic monument. The vineyards were introduced from Roman Times and are still flourishing today.
The Oaths of Strasbourg gave part of the Charlemagne Empire and Alsace to Louis I. Alsace, a coveted land and border region, was equipped with numerous fortified castles whose roman ruins crown the mountain tops. It was under the reign of Louis XIV when Alsace was reunited with France in 1681. Then came political shocks, when l’Empire passed to la République. After 4 changes in nationality between 1870 and 1945 (!), Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace, and a symbol of reconciliation, was chosen in 1949 to house the European Political Institutions.
There are over 200 art museums, history museums, popular tradition museums where there is an abundance of paintings, sculptures, decorative art objects or simple displays on everyday life. The main museums are in Colmar, Mulhouse and Strasbourg.
Visit the Parc Naturel Régional des Vosges du Nord or the Parc Naturel Régional des Ballons des Vosges.
Comité Régional du Tourisme d'Alsace
6, avenue de la Marseillaise
BP 219 67005 STRASBOURG
E-mail : crt@tourisme-alsace.com
Tél. 33 (0) 3 88 25 01 66 Fax 33 (0) 3 88 52 17 06
www.visit-alsace.com
www.tourism-alsace.com
Gastronomy: You will discover great traditional regional cooking - original, varied and refined. You will taste baeckeoffe, sauerkraut, meat pies marinated in white wine, or plum tart in a nice, friendly wine bar or country inn.
Other examples: Foie Gras : Invented in Strasbourg by the head of the Marshal camp of the Contades, 1870. Baeckeoffe : A stew made up of three marinated meats, onions and potatoes, which women used to take to the bakery every morning on washing day. They would get them back after a cooking time of at least 3 hours. Sauerkraut : A classic recipe that is constantly being reinvented (with all kinds of ingredients, like fish or goose.) Rhine Matelote : A mix of fresh-water fish, cooked in an Alsatian wine. A speciality of the Grand Ried area. Flammekueche( tarte flambée) : Thin dough garnished with cream, diced bacon, and onions, cooked in the oven. Looks like to pizza but thinner. Munster : this cheese is often eaten with cumin and should be accompanied by Gewürztraminer (one of the regions white wines), or a glass of Kirsch (a white brandy distilled from cherries.) Can be consumed cold or warm. Kougelhopf : A sweet or savoury brioche made with brewer's yeast, cooked in a specially shaped mould. Pretzel : A small savoury cake in the shape of a double knot.
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