Ok, I hit the jackpot. I found the man of my dreams AND he just happens to be French (and from the region of Alsace), so my friends, family and I get to see what most tourists visiting France never will... ...their own private tour of where the French prefer to go on vacation in France (and surprisingly enough, a lot of French people stay in France for their vacations!) When I first moved here, I didn't think much of Alsace. Alsace? It's that German part of France, right? Weren't there some wars fought in Alsace? I think I remember something like that from history classes. Yeah, ok, why should I go to Alsace on vacation, or (in my case) live there?!? 
But if you like.... history... Alsace has over 150 villages full of: centuries-old churches medieval gates medieval walls restored and ruined castles and a lot more... I often feel like time is standing still in these ancient Alsatian villages and yet the locals live and thrive here like it's no big deal. They're so wonderfully down to earth. It's really indescribable, and I always end up taking a million pictures trying to capture the magic in my photos! I just can't help myself. It's so magical!
wine... Alsace is a French wine region and has over 104 villages surrounded by vineyards with mostly family-run wineries... And did I mention wine tastings?!? But pace yourself! If you do a wine tasting at every winery in even a really small village in Alsace in a single day, you may not make it to dinner! culture... Alsace is distinctly different from the rest of France. Alsatians (the people not the dogs!) have their own language that sounds NOTHING like French or German. They have their own cuisine, music, traditional dress, architecture, art, and way of life. They are a wonderful people and it's well worth experiencing the way they live life day in day out. If you only sample their wine and take photos of their villages, you've missed something you may regret. Take the time, if you can, to find out what it's like to live here... Even if for a short time! I live here and from experience I can say that it's completely unlike living anywhere in the US or even Paris. 
war history... Alsace has been fought over from Roman times to the 20th century. Everybody wanted Alsace (with good reason for strategic purposes): Julius Caesar Frederick Barbarossa Louis XIV Napoleon the Hapsburgs the Holy Roman Empire and the Germans to name a few. Because of all this, Alsace has tons of castles...some ruined, some in good shape. Alsace also has quite a few Maginot Line forts. One of which was still shelling Germany after the French had surrendered to the Germans. Why? Nobody told them about the armistice! Alsace also has the ONLY concentration camp in France (although it was technically part of Germany at the time). And I won't even start talking about the World War One trenches in Alsace...that are still in good shape... Gothic cathedrals and medieval monasteries... 
Alsace has a magnificent cathedral in Strasbourg, but it's also full of monasteries and convents that are even older! European Politics... Alsace's capital, Strasbourg, is the seat of the European Parliment, the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights.
whether you will be visiting Alsace for a day or a week...
whether you want to get off the beaten path or see the most popular sites here in Alsace...
Hey, I know what it's like. Before I moved here, I had never visited a foreign country other than Canada. So a FOREIGN country on a DIFFERENT continent that speaks a DIFFERENT language can be a little intimidating. BUT it doesn't have to be. I've thought of EVERYTHING (or at least everything I could think of!) for your trip to Alsace. And if you can't find the information you're looking for, you can ask me. And for those more seasoned travelers, there will be lots of lesser-known things to do and recommendations. So whatever you are looking for in Alsace, you will be able to find it here! So... Bienvenue en Alsace!
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