True Colours

Dotted with fairytale towns and villages, a unique history and an impressive wine route, Alsace is a feast for the senses, as Peter Stewart finds

- Peter Stewart

Ask the French what they think of Alsace and chances are many will smile with nostalgia and affection for this most beguiling of regions, which borders Germany to the east and Switzerland to the south.

Made up of the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin departments, Alsace is a seductive mix of gently rolling countryside, picture-postcard towns, and villages that swear by centuries-old traditions and vine-cloaked slopes. And if that isn’t reason enough to fall in love with this region, Alsace boasts a surprisingly mild climate, with summers often hot and humid producing everything from sun-swollen tomatoes to juicy apples.

Property prices are slightly lower here than in other parts of France, which means you can get more for your money than in the regions that are traditionally more popular with Brits, such as Normandy and south-west France.

In fact, in Alsace there are properties to suit all tastes and budgets; one-story properties can be snapped up from as little as €94,000 while timber-framed townhouses (some of which are in need of renovation) are on the market from €145,000, with beautiful country dwellings complete with mini vineyards starting from €285,000.

CAPITAL CITY

Nestled in the eastern corner of Alsace is the city of Strasbourg. Perched right on the German border, Strasbourg is a wonderful mix of all the main highlights of Alsace – here snaking alleyways home to half-timbered 15th-century houses stand shoulder to shoulder with cozy Alsatian taverns known as winstubs, quaint shops, and boulangeries bursting with freshly baked gingerbread, sugar-dusted kugelhopfs (sweet raisin-filled yeast cakes often served for breakfast) and flammekueuche, Alsace’s answer to pizza.