I think France’s Alsace region is an underrated destination for exploring Europe.

When I told my friends that I was off to live in France for a couple of months with my dog, practically every single person asked some rendition of the same question — “So, you’re staying in Paris?”

The answer was no. Not in Paris. 

Although Paris is lovely, I had my sights set on being able to explore more of Europe than just France on this stay. As an American, the ability to easily get from country to country in the EU fascinates me and I wanted to take advantage of it. 

That’s why I decided to spend my time in France’s Alsace region. Situated less than two hours east of Paris, this area near the country’s border is conveniently next to both Germany and Switzerland. 

Besides its advantageous positioning for European day trips, the Alsace region has a unique culinary culture, fun holiday events, and plenty of adorable French towns to explore within its bounds. 

After staying in two different Alsace destinations and visiting half a dozen amazing places during my time there, I now consider it one of the most underrated destinations for getting to know Europe. 

Here’s why, and everywhere I managed to go over the course of two months. 

Where I Stayed in Alsace

I rented short-term apartments for a month each in two Alsace cities about an hour away from each other. They were quite different, but each posed benefits to my goal of getting familiar with the region and visiting as many cool spots nearby as possible in the process. 

Strasbourg (September – October)

From September through the end of October, I found myself living in Strasbourg. 

Probably the most famous city in the region, it’s an interesting mix of French and German culture since it’s so close to the two countries’ borders. It’s mainly known for its seasonal Christmas markets and distinctive cuisine. 

I stayed just outside of the main city center and quickly developed a love for Strasbourg. Excellent public transportation, walkability, plenty of green spaces, endless delicious restaurants and bakeries. What more could a girl want? 

Mulhouse (October – November)

For my second month in the region, I headed about an hour south to the lesser-known city of Mulhouse. I specifically picked Mulhouse because it was a mere 20-minute train ride into Switzerland. 

Now, Mulhouse was much less touristy than Strasbourg, which came with pros and cons. It didn’t feel nearly as charming. But at the same time, I was getting a taste of authentic French life. All while having the freedom to explore nearby countries. For me, that worked out well. 

When I Visited The Alsace Region

Most travelers flock to Europe in the summer months, but I have an affinity for autumn. The crowds have dulled, the weather is tinged with the right amount of crispness, and the changing leaves makes every corner look like a painting. 

That’s why I opted to spend the end of September through November in the Alsace region. This was an exceptional decision because I got all the things I craved — colorful leaves, pleasantly cool weather, and a peaceful atmosphere. 

3 Reasons I Think Alsace is An Underrated Gem

Being surrounded by so many iconic French destinations, the Alsace region usually goes completely unnoticed by visitors. But I consider this a grave injustice. 

Here are just three key reasons why it’s such a great place to base a Europe trip. 

A unique culinary & wine culture

Food is an obvious draw to France as a whole, but the gastronomy in the Alsace is its own thing completely. It’s a little bit of French with a skosh of German flavor mixed in. There’s things like tarte flambée (a thin, pizza-like creation), bretzels, and braised ham. 

For me, it was such a fun experience to try this blended Alsatian cuisine that can basically only be found in this region. 

There are a variety of lovely stays, from hotels to short-term apartments

Unlike most travelers, I was on the hunt for a destination where I could find a reasonably priced short-term apartment that felt cozy for weeks at a time. Both Strasbourg and Mulhouse provided this in spades. 

As a freelancer who works remotely, I needed something more homely than the typical traveler, and I found two well-equipped Airbnbs that fit the mold. And there were plenty more around. 

Alternatively, there are just as many wonderful hotels around the Alsace. For instance, Hôtel & Spa Le Bouclier D’or right in the center of Strasbourg is in a beautiful historic building and has super stylish rooms for fairly reasonable prices anytime except the holiday season. 

Amazing access to nearby day trips in France, Germany, and Switzerland

While the previous two benefits of staying around the Alsace region were enticing, the thing that really drew me in was its amazing location for taking European day trips. It’s just a short drive or train ride away from some of the most beautiful parts of Germany and Switzerland. In addition to being close to amazing French destinations as well. 

Knowing I wanted to take advantage of this strategic location, I then had to figure out where I was going and how I was going to get there. 

How I Got Around Alsace

🚗 Driving – I was fortunate enough to meet a friend with a car who was down to go on a few adventures around the region. This was super helpful for reaching places that might’ve been a bit too far on a day trip using public transportation. 

If you don’t know anyone around the area, I’d definitely suggest renting a car to reach those slightly further places because they ended up being some of my favorites. You can use Discover Cars to find the best rate nearby for a trip. 

🚆 Trains – The other easy way that I managed to embark on day trips was by using the train system. I could get to Germany in less than an hour on the train from Strasbourg, and Switzerland in just 25 minutes from Mulhouse. 

Of course, I managed to get to some cool places in France on the train, too. The buses are also an efficient way to get around between smaller towns. 

6 European Destinations I Visited Staying In The Alsace Region

With such easy access to three countries, I managed to hit six amazing European destinations in just two months when I was staying in the Alsace region. Here’s how I accomplished each one and what they were like. 

Lucerne, Switzerland

Let’s start off with one of my favorite day trips of my entire stay: Lucerne. 

I knew this would be a bit of an undertaking since it was almost a 2-hour drive away from Mulhouse where I was staying. But this endeavor was so incredibly worth it considering even the drive there was filled with spectacular Swiss mountain views. 

I ended up picking a random elevated hike around Lake Lucerne called Felsenweg Bürgenstock for two simple reasons. A) All we had to pay for was parking and B) it looked insanely gorgeous in the review photos. 

Even with the glimpse, I couldn’t predict how stunning this trek would be. It took a couple of hours to finish and brought us around the perimeter of the vividly blue lake. Along the way, we saw snow-capped mountains and even freely grazing cows. Expectations exceeded is an understatement. 

Black Forest, Germany

Since I was visiting the region during the fall, it was the perfect opportunity to see Germany’s Black Forest in all its multi-hued glory. I couldn’t miss out on that when it was only an hour drive away from Strasbourg. 

I was lucky enough to have a local show me around the area. They took me on a beautiful (albeit tiring) hike that ended with perfect views of the colors rippling through the forest in late October. 

On this day, we actually managed to go to another well-known natural destination in Germany as well. Stay tuned for that below. 

Colmar, France

The aestheticism alone of Colmar has made it a reasonably famous destination in France. It’s actually rumored that the vibrant architecture around this Alsace town inspired the animated worlds featured in Howl’s Moving Castle and Beauty and the Beast. 

From Strasbourg, it took me just 40 minutes to get to Colmar on the train. After exiting the station, it was a brief walk to the center of the city with all the pretty buildings and canals. Due to its notoriety, there were quite a lot of families and other sorts of tourists roaming around. Even when I was visiting during the off-season in early October. 

Still, I enjoyed the picturesque streets. Particularly the ones on the outskirts of the city with far less people roaming around. I also found a bunch of great spots to eat in Colmar, such as Patisserie Gilg and Les Bateliers right near the water. 

Mummelsee, Germany

Here’s the second part of my day exploring the Black Forest – Mummelsee. I actually stumbled across this spot on TikTok and thought it looked magical. Most of the clips I saw were from summer, though. 

While there was a certain Twilight-adjacent atmospheric quality to Mummelsee in October, it was extremely cold up at the top of the mountain where it’s located. I definitely wish I bundled up more before checking it out, but it was still a worthwhile experience. I’d be curious to see what it’s like in full swing when it’s warmer. 

Basel, Switzerland

The major appeal of staying in Mulhouse for me was that it was a mere 20-minute train ride into the Swiss city of Basel. And it only cost about $12 each way. The fact that I could go from one country to another in that short of a burst mesmerized my American brain. One accustomed to multi-hour drives to even get out of my home state. 

I made the brief journey over the border by myself in the beginning of November, just when people were starting to get into the holiday spirit. The weather was crisp, but bearable. The thing about Switzerland is that it’s tragically expensive. So, I knew I wanted to keep things on the cheap side. 

A quick walk around the totally free University of Basel Botanical Garden (loved), followed by an accidental stroll through a local Christmas market that spanned several streets. Eating a bretzel on the go and aimlessly wandering the pretty streets. This one was a win, for sure. 

Eguisheim, France

As the end of November loomed, I wanted to squeeze one more solid day trip into my Alsace stay. I settled on the very tiny French town of Eguisheim near Colmar. 

I actually took the same train to Colmar and then walked all the way to Eguisheim over an hour away because I didn’t want to deal with the bus schedule. I like a good long walk, what can I say? 

This town was the definition of quaint, but each street had its own charm and lots of little quirky shops. I even passed one that completely specialized in mushrooms called La Boutique du Champignon. It was super cute here, but my exhausted legs did end up forcing me to invest in an Uber back to Colmar’s train station when I was done wandering. 

***

Staying in the Alsace region fulfilled my desire to country-hop around Europe. In just a couple of months, I visited three different countries and collected a handful of experiences that will be etched into my brain forever. I’d happily return and recommend it to anyone who has these spots on their travel bucket list. 

And if you’re planning on a trip anywhere in the EU, make sure you check out Lea Rose’s complete Europe packing list before you set off.