About Alsace
Alsace (population 1.73 million) is one of France's smallest regions containing just two departments: Bas-Rhin (67) and Haut-Rhin (68) Lower and Upper Rhine. It's located in the extreme east of France bordering Germany, to which it has belonged at various times in its colourful history. Not surprisingly it has a Germanic feel, which is reflected in its architecture, cuisine, dress, dialects (German is still widely spoken), names and people (called Alsatians). Sandwiched between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine, Alsace is gloriously scenic and largely unspoiled, with delightful hills (cross-country skiing is a popular winter sport), dense forests, rich farmland and pretty vineyards. It's noted for its many picturesque villages, particularly on the Wine Road (Route du Vin) stretching from Marlenheim west of Strasbourg down to Thann beyond Mulhouse. Alsace is famous for its beer (such as Kronenbourg) and white wines. Perhaps surprisingly, Alsace has more Michelin restaurant stars than any other region of France!
The regional capital is Strasbourg (67), home of the European Parliament, the European Court and the European Commission on Human Rights. Other notable towns include Colmar and Mulhouse, a prominent industrial city. Property prices are higher than the average for France and there are few bargains to be found. Rundown or derelict rural properties for sale are rare in Alsace, where (unlike many other regions) there hasn't been a mass exodus from the farms and countryside. The region has excellent road connections with Paris, the south of France, Germany and Switzerland.
©Text by David Hampshire, from Survival Books' Buying a Home in France