Four Towns In France That Are Right Out Of A Storybook

Hey there, friends!

Today’s post has been one that I dreamt up sharing over a year ago when I went on a road trip along the Eastern Border of France, which kisses Germany and Switzerland, and explored some of the most adorable towns that I thought only existed in fairytale story books! I can’t wait to highlight the ones we stopped in as this trip was such a fun alternative to the other European trips I’ve done. If you’ve done the heavy hitters, like London, Paris, Rome, etc., switch things up and do something more low-key and I can promise you it’ll be a breath of fresh air – literally and figuratively!

alsace region france
This view is from the Chateau d’Isenbourg in Rouffach, France.

This area of France has alternated between French and German rule throughout the centuries so you’ll feel the influence of both cultures as you explore! White wine is heavily produced in this region, along the Alsace Wine Route, and I can’t encourage you to pop into the little wine shops in some of these little towns enough! You’ll see a photo of me holding a box of two bottles of Pinot Gris outside of one in Eguisheim. They’re all very quaint and the locals who run them are so kind and happy to pour you a flight of whichever one you fancy.

More than that, the area will delight anyone who enjoys the changing colors of the leaves. They are far more vibrant in this area of France than they were in Paris.

Today, I’m going to share the four cities that felt like they were right out of a fairy tale story book as well as our route. I’m not going to break down where we ate because, honestly, everywhere is small so just pop in somewhere when you get hungry. I wouldn’t say there was somewhere we ate that was a MUST.

Our Route + Where We Stayed

If you’re planning your own road trip through the Alsace region, you can see our route above.

You might remember I spent some time in Paris last year. From there, we took a train to Strasbourg, stayed there for a couple of nights [at Hotel D’Strasbourg, which was lovely] then ventured out from there. We lumped Colmar and Eguisheim into one day as they’re both very small and they were both on our way down to Rouffach, where we stayed at the Chateau d’Isenbourg! Highly recommend! Then, we drove through Switzerland, which was stunning with the autumnal leaves along the route, to end our road trip in Annecy, France. We stayed for two nights in this hotel, which had all of your basic needs. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite place I’ve ever stayed but it was really affordable. If you take the same route, driving along Lake Geneva – particularly at sunset – is one of the most memorable and beautiful things I’ve ever done. It’s on another level beautiful!

We dropped our rental car off in Lyon, which was not an easy feat so be sure to give yourself plenty of time if you do the same, as we took a train from Lyon back to Paris and the Eurostar back to London. You could easily fly in and out of Paris back to the States. I had just booked my roundtrip ticket in and out of London so that’s why I did that.

Strasbourg

strasbourg, france

Victoria and I arrived in Strasbourg, the capital city of the Alsace region, from Paris late one afternoon. After quickly settling in to our room at Hotel D’Strasbourg, we ventured out to explore the city but, sadly, the weather was less than ideal. It was very overcast and rainy but, we made the most of it but holing up in a quaint cafe and enjoyed a slice of quiche and a beer. Thankfully, we got to experience some sunshine in this charming town, brimming with German and French architectural influence, the next morning before setting out to explore our next two fairytale towns en route to our next stop in Rouffach.

Check out some snaps Victoria took in Strasbourg below! Because we only had about an hour to cover what we hadn’t covered the day before, keep in mind that this is only part of the city! There’s so much more we didn’t get to snap and share due to the rain so … there’s a beautiful square to enjoy as well as a beautiful cathedral!

strasbourg, francefairytale towns in france, strasbourg

Outfit Details

Keep in mind, these photos are from last year so not everything I’m wearing is available but here are the links in case you want to find something on eBay or another retailer.

Colmar

Colmar might have been the little city I was most excited about and it did not disappoint! You’ll enjoy the charm of its cobblestone streets and half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings all painted bright and pastel colors. Through the Spring, Summer and Fall, you can see flowers bursting beautifully out of window boxes and, during the holidays, you’ll see teddy bears hanging from the buildings. Regardless of when you decide to make your trip, Colmar will not disappoint!

Outfit Details

Keep in mind, these photos are from last year so not everything I’m wearing is available but here are the links in case you want to find something on eBay or another retailer.

Eguisheim

Eguisheim is a medieval village just down the road from Colmar, along the Alsace Wine Route, known for its narrow streets and almost crooked looking buildings. This village is famously known to be the inspiration behind the provincial little town that the Disney character, Belle, dreamed about getting out of! Check out the photos and see if Disney got it right!

Outfit Details

Keep in mind, these photos are from last year so not everything I’m wearing is available but here are the links in case you want to find something on eBay or another retailer.

Annecy

Annecy is an alpine village that sits on Lake Annecy in southeastern France. It’s known for its delightful old town, with cobbled streets, winding canals and pastel-colored houses. It’s quite the trek from the Alsace wine region but we had heard it was a popular spot and since we were heading back to Paris from Lyon, we figured we might as well check it out since we were somewhat close!

Outfit Details

Keep in mind, these photos are from last year so not everything I’m wearing is available but here are the links in case you want to find something on eBay or another retailer.

Hope you enjoyed this quick, but beautiful, trek through France! I hope you’ll consider taking a trip of your own to this area. It was absolutely stunning and a great way to see beautiful places but not come home exhausted. It’s literally a perfect little vacation – enjoyable but slow and steady! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below! Have a great day, y’all! xo.

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Editor's Notes

PHOTO CREDIT: VICTORIA METAXAS

THANK YOU TO CHATEAU D’ISEBOURG & HOTEL D STRASBOURG FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY.

thoughts?

18 Comments

  1. Oh my gosh, each of these look so magical! Thanks for sharing these beautiful places Haley!

    Happy Tuesday!
    Michael
    https://www.mileinmyglasses.com

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
  2. Rach wrote:

    Seriously, these towns are the cutest! Definitely want to visit them!

    http://www.rdsobsessions.com

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
  3. Roses for Fridays | by mia wrote:

    Beautiful recommendations … always love ♥️ these small villages, there are so much history and much beauty around these towns.

    ???ROSES FOR FRIDAYS ??? | by mia | A Creative Lifestyle Blog

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
  4. Nicci wrote:

    How were the suede loafers you wore in Strasbourg? Were they comfortable? Love the pictures! Some of the small towns in France are so cute and I preferred a lot of them to Paris.

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
    • AlysonHaley wrote:

      It’s so funny you ask because I actually threw them on today after putting this post together because I was like, I LOVED those loafers for that trip. They were SO comfortable. Some days, it was too cold for them but on the warmer days, they were perfect! I highly recommend them 🙂

      Published 11.6.18 ·
  5. Alexis Paci wrote:

    Wow! This post is everything! I was randomly thinking this morning when you would be heading back to Europe to spoil us with your amazing travels. I guess this post answered my curiosity. Eguisheim really does look like the town Belle lived in from Beauty and the Beast. Thanks for sharing.

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
    • AlysonHaley wrote:

      Haha, I head back in a couple of weeks so you’ll be spoiled again soon <3

      Published 11.6.18 ·
  6. Chelsea wrote:

    These pictures are beautiful and remind me so much of Beauty and the Beast! Thank you for sharing. I hope I get the change to see these places one day!!

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
    • AlysonHaley wrote:

      You should definitely plan a trip! 🙂 xo.

      Published 11.6.18 ·
  7. Jennifer wrote:

    omg I love this post Haley!!!!

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
    • AlysonHaley wrote:

      Thanks, Jennifer! Appreciate you visiting! xo.

      Published 11.6.18 ·
  8. Amber wrote:

    We are going to France next May & going to Strasbourg & Annecy. Definitely adding the others to the list

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
  9. McKinzie wrote:

    I spent a semester studying abroad in Strasbourg during college, and it is such a special city! You are so right about this area being beautiful and charming! The pictures are amazing and everyone should go!

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
  10. Nina wrote:

    Wow this looks like a dream! Definitely a different area I would not have thought of visiting.

    http://www.financetofashion.com

    Published 11.6.18 · Reply
  11. We went to Chamonix for Christmas a few years ago and it reminds me of these towns. So magical and at Christmas like being in a Christmas snow globe or movie set.

    Published 11.7.18 · Reply
  12. Gladys wrote:

    Hey Haley, such a lovely post.

    If you intend to come back in our beautiful country you should try the erea of Bordeaux/Bassin d’Arcachon 🙂

    Have a nice day

    Published 11.14.18 · Reply
  13. chris wrote:

    Nice presentation of many extraordinary sites!
    I went to Annecy – enjoyed alot as you seemed to as well. One site I encountered near Annecy known as ‘Gorges du Fier’ – a quite worthwhile stop (also a castle tour nearby – in French but still cool). Didn’t make it to Eguisheim – looks great! I did go to Riquewihr near Eguisheim and loved it. Did an ~ 3 km walk from Riquewihr to Ribeauville (both exceptional places – a town in between also nice). That walk was beautiful and memorable – espec. w/ fall colors. There is a pricey ‘tablecloth’ factory edge of Ribeauville – super high quality and colorful but imagine spending about $300-400 euros for (1)! Also white wines grown in area worldclass. Well, signing off, enjoy France!

    Published 11.1.19 · Reply
  14. Marie Ireland wrote:

    Magnifique ! Un grand merci à vous, ce fut merveilleux….

    Published 11.18.22 · Reply