where to go in france - other than paris
I have a theory about Paris - you either hate it or you love it to the point of obsession. Sadly, I think I hate it. I’ve been twice, and both times I was underwhelmed. I think it’s one of those places I had set the bar for so high in my head that it could never live up to my expectations. Take the Eiffel Tower - after so many years of seeing photos of it, when I came up close to it, I was underwhelmed by the icon. However, Paris has a lot to offer, and there is something for everyone. Personally, I think it’s a great excursion on a trip to London or a stop on a bigger Euro trip, as it’s a relatively quick trip through the chunnel. Last summer I visited the Alsace wine region of France and I was blown away. Perhaps I was meant for the French countryside and not the city, because it was one of my favorite trips I have ever been on. I also spent some time in Strasbourg at the Christmas market last year which fulfilled all my European Christmas expectations. You can read more about all my French adventures below and what I feel are the best cities to visit in France.
ALSACE REGION
STRASBOURG CHRISTMAS MARKET
PARIS
ALSACE
If you like wine, good food, and charming small towns, then the Alsace region is the place for you. Bordered by Germany, the area takes inspiration from both countries. Colmar and Strasbourg are the two major cities, although I recommend staying in one of the small towns for the true charm. The area is known for the Alsatian wines, which include Riesling, Pinot blanc, Pinot Gris, and more.
Where to eat
When in the region, you must try the Alsatian tart. It’s a thin, pizza-like dish topped with creamy cheese, onions, and bacon. They have a wide variety of offerings on the tart, but this is the classic and most delicious one. You’ll also see a lot of signs for choucroute - don’t be deceived and think it says charcuterie, because there is no cheese; it’s actually giant pieces of sausages and other salted, cooked meats served with saeurkraut.
I’ve eaten so many great, classic French dishes during my stays, see my favorites here:
Where to taste the local wines
It’s important to note that wine tastings work a little differently than in the US, but in a good way. Most shops are located separate from the vineyards, and offer unlimited tastings of any of their wines you’d like to try, often with a heavy pour. The assumption is that you’ll end up buying something that you’re tasting (but if not, don’t sweat it). We went to Wolfberger, Cattin, and Ginglinger Paul on the Alsace wine route. Cattin was unique as it had a restaurant and patio, so we paid for a flight of wines, which was affordable and also had incredible views of the region.
What to do (other than eat and drink)
There are endless things to do in the Alsace region and it’s a wine lover’s dream. There is a cluster of small towns that make up the region and each has its own unique charm. Two of the towns actually served as the inspiration for the setting of Beauty and the Beast, but it’s easy to see this inspiration in any of the towns. A few of my favorite towns were Riquewihr, Ribeauville, and Kayersberg.
The first time we went we rented e-bikes and did a self-guided bike ride with Asla Cyclo Tours and biked for miles through the vineyards, which were all in bloom and absolutely stunning. We also stopped along the way for a few wine tastings. The second time we went we opted to take a bus around the towns and vineyards through Kutzig Bus Tours. They come at a limited schedule, but as it was our second time there, we were fine to only make a couple of stops during the day.
For non-wine-related activities, Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is on a mountain in the heart of the region and is worth a trip for stunning views. Colmar is extremely cute to visit, with Petite Venice and Marche Couvert market as the highlights. It is very small, but I would say Colmar is one of the best cities to visit in France. We got sandwiches for lunch at the main market. I had a baguette with butter and ham which was amazing. You can also take a little gondola ride through Petite Venice. Strasbourg is the biggest city in the area and the capital of the EU. My favorite things were walking around Petite France, having an alsatian tart (cheese, bacon and onion) at Maison des Tanneurs, and taking a boat tour of the city.
Where to stay in Alsace
We’ve stayed at quite a few spots in the area. For our first, trip, we stayed in Eguisheim at the Hotel St. Hubert, which was charming and in a great spot. The town is small, so we were within walking distance to everything and had a patio that overlooked a vineyard. On our next trip we went to Colmar and stayed at Residence Pierre & Vacances La Petite Venise, which was more of an apartment-style hotel and in a great location to walk to downtown. I really liked the spot and the price was great too. For my trip to the Strasbourg Christmas Markets (more on that below), we stayed at Hôtel Restaurant d'Alsace The Originals Boutique, just outside of the city. The price was great and the hotel was really nice for the price we paid. It’s right next to the train which runs directly downtown, and an all-day pass will only cost you 7 euros.
STRASBOURG CHRISTMAS MARKET
I’ve added a separate section highlighting one of the best reasons to visit this area - the Christmas markets. I went for two nights to visit the Strasbourg Christmas Markets and they did not disappoint. Here are a few tips and pointers if you’re planning a trip to the Christmas markets in Strasbourg. You can find all the annual details also listed on their website here.
There are ten different markets in the city. The biggest and my favorite was the one in the main square under the cathedral. Note that this is also the busiest one, but had the best for both gifts, food, and ambiance.
For a ton of food selection, try the Place Broglie one.
For something quirky and nontraditional, try the Place Grimeissen one.
If you’re staying overnight, go to dinner early or call to make a reservation. Note that a lot of restaurants also close around 10/11 since it’s really a smaller town. We ended up either not getting dinner or being the last ones in for a 9PM seating due to poor planning.
We stayed at Hôtel restaurant d'Alsace The Originals Boutique, which is just outside the city. Prices were much lower, and there was a tram stop right outside of the hotel. For 7 euros we got a one-day pass for three people, so it was cheap and convenient.
The one thing we didn’t get to do was visit some of the smaller markets in surrounding towns - the aforementioned towns in the Alsace region all put on Christmas markets and I’ve heard Colmar and Ribauville are two of the top spots to see.
PARIS
I already told you my thoughts on Paris, so I’ll stick to sharing some nice things below. I recommend finding a more robust guide like this one or this one if you’ve been before and are looking for something other than the main tourist sites. Here are a few of the top things to do in Paris:
Sacre Cour de Montmartre - A huge church on a hill with an awesome view of the city
Notre Dame - The church is iconic in its own right and has a crypt that is worth seeing
Champs Elysse - The spot for shopping. The Arc de Triumphe can also be found at the end of it.
Eiffel Tower - From the exterior, I found it rather underwhelming during the day, but it is awesome to see at night. You can see the ‘sparkle’ show on it every hour on the hour until 1AM. I’d also recommend going inside, as you will get great views of the city.
Moulin Rouge - Enter if you dare ;)
Place de Vosges + Tuileries Garden - for some green space strolling
The Louvre - It’s cool but huge, I would look for other art museums if you’re interested and just see the outside of the Louvre. The Mona Lisa is perhaps one of the most overhyped tourist spots in the world, with hoards of people surrounding a small 8 x 10 painting.
Take a day trip to Versailles - This I did really enjoy, but when have I ever met a palace I didn’t like?
Food - almost any cafe will probably be really good, if you go to places along the Seine they have great outdoor seating too. A crepe, croque monsieur, and baguette are often easy and delicious finds.