Quaint village regularly tops list of France’s most beautiful places thanks to medieval homes, car ban & cute vineyards
THERE’S a tiny car-free French village that’s home to medieval houses, and it’s named as one of the most beautiful in the country.
While most Brits will head to places like Paris, Provence and Bordeaux on their trip to France, there are other lesser-known destinations worth visiting.
One of those places is Eguisheim, which was named as France’s Favourite Village in a TV show presented by French-Luxembourgish journalist Stéphane Bern in 2013.
It has also been routinely named as One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France since 2003.
Travel Blogger Full Suitcase wrote: “Visiting this pretty little town is like taking a trip back in time.
“As you walk its picturesque cobbled streets admiring colorful houses, with pointed roofs and timber-framed facades, you feel like you stepped into a real-life fairytale.”
Located just 15 minutes south of Colmar, Eguisheim is home to colourful half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets.
In the summer months, the windowsills of the Alsatian houses are decorated with colourful flowers.
The picturesque houses were built in a circle around Château de Saint-Léon-Pfalz, a 12th century castle.
A chapel and a fountain share the same name as the castle, and are another must-see for holidaymakers.
There are plenty of other historic buildings in the French village, including Saint-Paul Church, a gothic building that dates all the way back to the 13th century,
Use the Eguisheim Discovery Trail to tick off all these sites.
The maps can be picked up at the tourist office and highlight all of the main attractions and informational plaques in the village.
Holidaymakers can either use the printed map or a digital version to follow the trail.
Eguisheim is also part of the Alsace Wine Route, which means it’s home to quaint wineries as well as some of the best wines in the region, including Eichberg and Pfersigberg.
There are lots of local delicacies to try too, including flammekueche (Alsatian pizza) and galettes de sarassin (savoury pancakes).
While Eguisheim is just a short drive from Colmar and Strasbourg, cars are actually banned.
Tourists arriving will need to park their cars outside the French village, which reportedly costs up to €4 per day.
Overnight accommodation in Eguisheim is relatively affordable too, with rooms at a boutique hotels for as little as €67.
Hotel stays start from around €50 per person, based on two people sharing a room.
Eguisheim is a 40-minute drive from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, where direct services operate from the UK.
Direct flights operate from UK cities like London, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh, with one-way fares starting from £15.
Meanwhile, Eguisheim is also an hour’s drive from Strasbourg Airport, where direct flights operate from London.
The car-free French town has been praised by visitors, with one person saying: “The old city of Eguisheim is truly worth visiting.
“Walking there could remind you of walking around Disneyland, but this is the real stuff. Beautiful restored houses with lots of flower.”
Everything you need to know about visiting France
- Brits need to have a passport with at least three months left on it.
- No visas are needed for anyone staying up to 90 days within an 180-day period but you need to make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
- You may also need to show proof of accommodation and funds, around €120 a day.
- The country uses the euro with with around €10 working out to £8.55.
- France is one hour ahead of the UK
- Direct flights to France from the UK take between 1-4 hours depending on the destination
- Or you can travel by train with Eurostar, with destinations including Paris or Lille.
Meanwhile, this is one of the most attractive looking villages in the UK.
And this UK village has been made a Unesco heritage site.
