Fairy Tale Villages in France┃Alsace 🇫🇷 Travel Vlog
Welcome 🙂 we are now driving to Alsace First of all we are here in Colmar Later we will visit the smaller places around it Here in Colmar there is a lot to see Above all I like the shops here and the architecture The most beautiful house in Colmar is this one The “Maison Pfister” It was built in 1537 The house has an octagonal oriel tower with a wooden gallery It is a typical example of early Renaissance architecture in Alsace Up ahead you can see the collegiate church St. Martin It is a Gothic church from the 13th to 14th century The yellowish red Vosges sandstone is very striking and the richly decorated rose window But before I go into the church I will look at this shop Here it is Christmas all year round! The shop is located on the forecourt of the church From here you can look at the church The selection of Christmas decorations is gigantic here now we continue I like this restaurant very much now we are going into the church The interior of the church is impressive The Alsace region is in the east of France It is famous for its picturesque villages with colorful half timbered houses Typical dishes here are tarte flambée, sauerkraut with sausage and kougelhopf and Alsace is an important wine region Here people speak French as well as regional Alsatian an Alemannic dialect with German roots I love the large selection of sweets here A dream for anyone who loves to snack! There are numerous small cafés, boutiques and shops like this one Throughout Alsace many windows are decorated it is done so lovingly Now I am going to the district “La Petite Venise” there I will take a ride on the canal later but as always I will look around again before moving on Hayao Miyazaki the creator of the film “Howl’s Moving Castle” by Studio Ghibli was fascinated by the fairytale architecture of Colmar The narrow alleys and half timbered houses served as a visual template for the film city Especially “Petite Venise” with its bridges and canals inspired him greatly You will also see real storks in this video because the stork is often seen here in Alsace The region offers ideal habitats for storks The stork is considered a symbol of good luck here and is the heraldic animal People say where storks nest it brings luck, prosperity and fertility Here is the market hall “Marché couvert” It was built in 1865 and has many stalls with fruit, vegetables, fish and cheese The city of Colmar was first mentioned in documents in the year 823 In the 13th century Colmar was granted city rights and became a free imperial city in the Holy Roman Empire The half timbered houses here are simply wonderfully beautiful I will come back here again at Christmas time then it is said to be even more beautifully decorated of course I will make a video then as well but now back to the warm season I also like the “Petite Venise” district particularly much Soon we will take a boat trip on the Lauch River It is also called “little Venice” here But first we will drink a cappuccino Here at “L`Artemise” It is a cute little café and you feel very cozy here It is near the market hall now we are waiting for our boat You can buy the tickets on site and they cost 9 euros for adults Here you can see the shop where you can buy them Here comes the boat Now we are off The ride takes about 25 to 30 minutes The guide tells a lot about Colmar and life in the past the boats you ride on are called “Barques” These are traditional wooden boats that used to transport goods Now we have to duck The canal is so narrow in places that you think you could touch the houses with your hand The ducks are relaxing Now we are at the market hall There are many fish here Heads down again You keep meeting other boats coming towards you In the past the water was used for tanneries and dye works Many craftsmen therefore lived here many houses here are 500 years old the houses along the water often belonged to winegrowers, fishermen and tanners The colorful façade colors used to have a meaning Blue for fishermen, red for butchers, green for gardeners Colmar used to be called “the city of gables” because almost every house has a different roof or gable design Colmar is the birthplace of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty in New York Colmar is one of the sunniest cities in France The region around Colmar is so sunny that it has a microclimate almost Mediterranean, therefore ideal for vines The tour will end soon it was extremely beautiful and relaxing A must when you are in Colmar Now we will get a snack for lunch We are sitting by the fountain and enjoying the sun After that our Alsace tour continues and now we are driving to Eguisheim On the way to the car we passed “Au Croissant Doré” a well known café here in Colmar Apparently someone passed away and therefore it was unfortunately closed You can park right at the entrance to the town Here you can see the map of the place and to the right the car park There is a lot on offer here This one is called “Parking Mairie” Like many other places here Eguisheim is one of the “most beautiful villages of France” Criteria for the label are the following The village may have at most 2,000 inhabitants It must have at least two protected historic monuments or sites and it must be exceptional as here for example the special layout of the town it has a circular ground plan This is the “Le Pigeonnier” the dovecote Because of its shape and location the house appears crooked Only nobles and wealthy citizens were allowed to have their own dovecotes It is one of the most photographed houses in Eguisheim Here too the windows are decorated again Many film historians and travel authors agree that Eguisheim was one of the most important sources of inspiration for the village in the Disney film “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) Disney wanted a fairytale but real village feeling The half timbered houses snuggle together in a ring here Eguisheim has also been voted the “most beautiful village of France” several times The teddy bears are from the Christmas season it is so beautiful here Eguisheim has only about 1,600 inhabitants but it feels like an entire fairytale world Because of the many colorful houses people say that Eguisheim is the “color palette of Alsace” Eguisheim is also famous as a flower adorned village there in front there are especially many it is unbelievably beautiful So many flowers It is like in a picture book here Here too you will find many sweet little shops Soon the circular walk will be over and then I will go to the center of Eguisheim But I am still collecting the last impressions here I hope you enjoy it as much as I do Here you see the beginning of the walk from earlier Now I am walking into the town center In my opinion it looks as if you were in another place Here you can find many beautiful restaurants like this one The Saint Léon fountain which follows now was built in the 19th century it bears the statue of Pope Leo IX The fountain is octagonal and one of the largest fountains in Alsace Look what is up here! The storks – the emblem of Alsace They nest on the chapel The Saint Léon IX chapel was built from 1894 to 1896 It was erected in the Neo Romanesque style Now we are making our way back to Colmar where our hotel is We are at the “ibis Budget Colmar Centre Gare” It has a very good price performance ratio The rooms are a bit small but sufficient This is the lobby We are now going to look for some food Very close by we found “Crep Dream” It is very modern and cozy There is also a wide selection of dishes For me there is a burger with fries The food tastes very good And there is also a wide selection of desserts I am of course having a crêpe so tasty There is also one with Bueno and bananas Good morning from the breakfast area 🙂 We were able to sleep well here and are now fueling up for the day Our first stop today will be Kaysersberg From the car park where we parked you have a great view of the castle Right next to the car park is the Pfaffenturm It used to be a defensive tower Arriving in the village center I will first look around Here too there are wonderful half timbered houses with decorations The name of the town means “Emperor’s Mountain” The town had strategic importance in the Middle Ages Today Kaysersberg is also one of the most beautiful villages of France A wonderful restaurant There are bird nests everywhere here This is the “Maison Brief Faller” Many of the wood carvings were meant to protect against misfortune The house is a listed monument It is considered one of the most beautiful historic buildings here The castle of Kaysersberg was built in the 13th century The round keep is one of the oldest elements It looks like a postcard here Here on the river there is a small waterworks The plant is still functional today The river that flows through Kaysersberg is called “La Weiss” It rises in the Vosges And flows into the Fecht The houses were built right on the river back then to use the power of the water Bridge houses were built over the river to save space Therefore the river flows under the houses Here you feel like you are in the past The main street of Kaysersberg is surrounded by beautiful Renaissance half timbered houses Particularly strikingly beautiful is this house here the “Maison Herzer” It is one of the most photographed buildings in Kaysersberg If you go left you will come to this beautiful shop called “Poterie de Kaysersberg” And from here you would reach the castle on foot in about 10 minutes It is designed so beautifully The shop offers traditional crafts such as Alsatian pottery, hand painted tableware, figures and decorations with regional motifs such as storks If you walk through the city gate you will reach the castle But I will not walk up there today However up there I would be greeted by a gorgeous panorama over the valley I will now go briefly into the shop and show it to you from the inside I am now continuing to walk into the town There are many beautiful shops cafés and restaurants here They are lining up there so it must be especially good There you can see how the river flows under the house so cool! Very nicely decorated A great selection By the way Kaysersberg has more vineyards than inhabitants And it is famous for its local foie gras Here too you can find Christmas teddy bears again This is the square where the Constantine Fountain is located The Holy Cross Church can also be found here The square here is also a well known photo motif I will look around a bit I cannot put it into words how beautiful it is here I like the postcards And the baked goods too Kougelhopf And delicious macarons A traditional costume in Alsace Here at “Brasserie La Palme d`Or” we will now have something to eat There is a large selection I have opted for the tarte flambée As I already mentioned a typical dish here in Alsace After that we are heading on to Riquewihr From this car park the place can be reached in a few minutes From the car park you could already see the “Hôtel de Ville” If you walk through the gate of the town hall you enter the town directly Here is the gate I am walking through now You feel as if you are walking through a gate into another world Here again you have a wide range of attractions and places to eat As with the previous places Riquewihr is one of the most beautiful villages of France The old town is almost completely surrounded by a city wall The village was hardly destroyed in the Second World War Therefore much is preserved in its original state Although the place is so small hundreds of thousands of visitors come every year And funnily enough there are more wine cellars here than streets I think Alsace has some of the most beautiful places in Europe I am simply fascinated Each of the places has its completely own charm A trip to Alsace is worth every effort! As I said I am especially looking forward to the Christmas season to see the places in wintry magic The restaurants here are simply great! I would love to come again already in autumn Just because of the decoration of the windows The Easter decorations are still up And the stork Riquewihr has already been used several times for film shoots because the scenery is so authentic The blue house is the “Winestub Au Tire Bouchon” “Tire Bouchon” translates to “corkscrew” fitting the wine The “Maison Zimmer” offers wine tastings Take a look at the floor under the counter! I did not notice it while filming Up ahead you can see the “Dolder Tower” It is the landmark of Riquewihr It is a 25 meter high watchtower The tower is part of the old city wall Today it houses a small museum which shows medieval life There is another Christmas shop The “Féerie de Noël” An old map of the place I will now look around the alleys Here you actually feel a bit like in the Middle Ages Today Riquewihr is a symbol of Franco German history and the shared cultural heritage The wall is one reason why the place in the Second World War was hardly damaged, it even protected against shrapnel It is very quiet here Beautiful wisteria is blooming here As here in this courtyard The typical architectural style can be found everywhere here The colorful half timbered houses here date from the 15th to 18th centuries From here you have a great view of the church Storks nest here too Now our trip continues to the last place of our tour namely to Ribeauvillé We parked on the outskirts and are now walking into the town Ribeauvillé is a well known winegrowing town The town was home to the famous minstrels of the Lords of Rappoltstein Therefore Ribeauvillé is also called “the town of minstrels” In the Middle Ages the place was known as a place of protection for minstrels and jesters I find the streets are wider here And it feels more like a shopping street Because there are many great shops here A small herb bed stands by the street Here too wine is important as everywhere in Alsace The oldest folk festival in Alsace takes place here – the “Pfeifferfest” It has been celebrated since the 14th century and takes place in September I am slowly getting hungry Therefore we will soon look for something to eat The square here is very beautiful Here too there are many souvenirs to buy After eating I will show you a few more of the great shops Here at the “D`baecka Ofa Stub” we will now eat something It is a very beautiful place And there is a really large selection You can also sit outside But we chose a table inside It is a traditional Alsatian restaurant I am eating the pork knuckle It is really very tasty We will explore the area a bit more And take a look at the shops Here on the square stands the “Butchers’ Tower” The “Tour des Bouchers” It is the landmark of Ribeauvillé It was originally built around 1200 as part of the city fortifications It is called “Butchers’ Tower” because the butchers’ guild was based here There are more great restaurants here as well The first mention of Ribeauvillé dates from the 8th century The place name comes from the Lords of Rappoltstein (Ribeaupierre) These Rappoltsteins built three castles above the town The three castles of Ribeauvillé are the following The “Château Saint Ulrich”, also called “Ulrichsburg”, the largest and oldest The “Château Girsberg”, smaller but very picturesque And the “Château Haut Ribeaupierre”, the highest situated castle This is a historic city fountain from the 18th century The barrels set up around it symbolize the wine tradition The Alsatian costume is one of the best known traditional garments in France The colors and details used to show the village or religious affiliation This is the “Maison Jean Sipp” one of the best known wineries in the old town There is a sweet tomcat lying over there He is a handsome guy The tomcat enjoys being here just like we do He is a curious guy Many thanks for watching my video 🙂 I hope you liked it! If so please leave a like and a comment Now stay tuned for the preview of my next video
Hello 🌟 Today I’m exploring the fairytale region of Alsace in eastern France — a land of colorful half-timbered houses, charming villages, and scenic vineyards.
We begin in the magical town of Colmar, said to have inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle.
Wander through its cobbled lanes and enjoy a peaceful boat ride through “La Petite Venise”, the romantic old town lined with flowers and medieval facades.
Later that day, we head to Eguisheim, one of the most picturesque villages in France, known for its circular layout and peaceful atmosphere.
This fairytale village also inspired Disney’s Beauty and the Beast — a true storybook location full of charm and character.
On the following day, our journey continues through three more gems of Alsace:
Kaysersberg, with its medieval bridge, castle ruins, and a scenic river that flows beneath the charming houses,
Riquewihr, nestled between vineyards and ancient walls,
and finally Ribeauvillé, with its scenic alleys and views of the Vosges mountains.
No commentary, just the natural sounds, the gentle ambiance of Alsace, and soft background music accompany you on this journey. Let yourself be enchanted by the calm and beauty of Alsace! 🎶💙
Enjoy watching 🌸
⬇️ Timestamps ⬇️
00:00 Short Intro by Nini Travels
01:00 Welcome to Colmar
14:06 Boat ride in La Petite Venise
22:46 Eguisheim
32:50 Short Hotel Part
35:54 Kaysersberg
47:16 Riquewihr
56:54 Ribeauvillé
01:06:44 Preview of my next video
Date: 10.05.2025
#travelvlog #alsace #colmar #france #silentvlog #asmr #cozyvlog #fairytalevillages