Fairytale Alsace Road Trip through France

One of the most memorable road trips we’ve embarked on in Europe took us through the enchanting Alsace Region of France, a picturesque area renowned for its stunning landscapes, lush vineyards, and charming architecture.

The Alsace region was also the inspiration for the Beauty and the Beast movie, so we were excited to go on a fairytale Alsace road trip through France to visit a few towns in the area that inspired the fairytale story.

Our Alsace road trip through France takes us to the capital city of the Region in Strasbourg, Riqeuwihr, Colmar, and finally Ribeauvillé.  

The setting for Belle’s hometown in Disney’s classic Beauty and the Beast is a small provincial French city lined with colorful homes, cobblestone streets, and quaint shops…this region is so spot on!

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Where is the Alsace Region

The Alsace area is located in the Grand-Est region, on the Eastern side of France, passing through cute little vineyards and charming fairytale towns. 

Because of its location at the border of Germany, the Alsace region has been under alternate control between France and Germany throughout the years and has shaped the region. 

When planning a visit to the Alsace, make sure to spend at least a weekend exploring the region. There are so many cute towns to see, and one day isn’t enough time to see them all.

But if you can only spend one day in the Alsace region, I suggest staying in Colmar and taking a day trip to the neighboring towns like Riquewihr or Ribeauville.

How to get to the Alsace region 

One of the best ways to explore the Alsace Region is by car. The drive around the region is so scenic and you get to see a lot of the towns that are only accessible by car.

You can also get to some of the bigger cities by train. Strasbourg and Colmar are the perfect base when exploring the region, and the train stations are a walk away from the city center.

What is the Alsace Region known for?

The Alsace Region is known for its brightly painted half-timbered houses, winding vineyards, and charming cobblestone streets and alleyways.

Classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, the region is the perfect setting for the Beauty and the Beast Village.

As you stroll along the Alsatian villages, you see some German influence and reflect a mix of both cultures.

The region is also known for its wine, with miles and miles of vineyards along the foot of the Vosges mountains which makes it the perfect place to go on a wine-tasting adventure while you explore the charming fairytale streets.

The Alsace Region is also known for its food and a few things to sample are the macaroons and gingerbread cookies.

The Flammekueche or Tarte Flambe, is a traditional Alsatian dish covered in cheese, cream sauce, ham, and mushrooms. There are many different variations to this dish and tastes amazing!

Look up for Giant Storks

One interesting fact about the Alsace region is the folklore about the white storks and babies.

The storks are known as a sign of fertility and good fortune, and you will find all things stork in every souvenir shop in the Alsace region.

Walk around and you will come across one of their nests, which can grow large enough to fit a small car. We found a few smaller nests perched up on buildings and it was pretty amazing!

Make sure to look up next time you visit the Alsace Region, you may just spot one flying through the sky!

Beauty and the Beast Villages in the Alsace Region

Strasbourg

Our first stop on our Alsace road trip through France is Strasbourg. It is the capital of the Alsace and one of the biggest cities in the region. We chose to stay in Strasbourg as it is the perfect base when exploring the region.

One of the highlights of Strasbourg is the Grand Île, which is its historic center and was classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the first time such an honor was placed on an entire city center.

Make sure to visit the Petite France area, which is one of the historic quarters of the city of Strasbourg.

The Petite France was once home to the city’s tanners, millers and fishermen, and is now one of Strasbourg’s main tourist attractions.

READ MORE: Top things to do in Strasbourg France

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Riquewihr

Our next stop on our Alsace road trip is to the beautiful Riquewihr France. Riquewihr is a medieval town in the heart of the Alsace Region and was classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France.

This enchanting town in the Alsace is one of the most beautiful and is home to some of the most charming half-timbered houses dating back to the 15th-18th centuries.

You will feel like you’ve stepped into the Beauty and the Beast movie set in this fairytale village and is an easy day trip while exploring the region.

We stopped here on our way to Colmar, and it’s one of the most unforgettable places we’ve ever visited, just pure charm and fairytale!

READ MORE: How to spend the day in Riquewihr France

Colmar

Colmar was our next stop on our Alsace Road trip through France which was also one of the villages that inspired the movie, the town is renowned for its well-preserved old town and famous landmarks.

The Little Venice Quarter, or Petite Venise is one of the town’s most visited landmarks lined by beautiful pastel-colored, half-timbered houses, and a canal that you can explore by boat. It’s one of the prettiest areas and there are lots of cute photo-ops.

READ MORE: Top things to do in Colmar France

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 Ribeauvillé

The last stop on our road trip is to the beautiful town of Ribeauvillé, France. Ribeauville is one of the oldest medieval towns in Alsace.

What sets this town apart is the majestic ruins of the Three Castles of the Lords of Ribeaupierre overlooking the town, which is so amazing!

The Grand Rue (main street) and its picturesque streets are lined with 15th-18th century buildings, scattered with Renaissance-style fountains, which are just so beautiful.

From its medieval fortifications, the town has preserved a part of its town walls and some of its defensive towers.

Ribeauville was also an easy day trip from Strasbourg or Colmar, whichever place you use as your base to explore the region.

We explored the town on foot, but there is a little train/tram that can take you on a tour of the area.

If you have more time, make sure to hike up to the castle ruins, you can get to the trail from the town, and you get the most amazing views of the town and surrounding area.

READ MORE: How to spend the day in Ribeauville France

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Our Alsace road trip through France was beyond amazing! The main pleasure was simply strolling through the picturesque streets and admiring the beautiful and colorful half-timbered houses, which made us feel like we stepped into a fairytale.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to visit all the cities, as there are so many, but maybe one day we will revisit the area. This was one of our most memorable road trips.

Our little one had a blast and always felt in awe of the beauty, and always made sure to sing the Beauty and the Beast song!

READ NEXT: Read about some of the most fairytale towns in Europe

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