by Melissa Kaltak
Perhaps you have already heard of the region of Alsace and its famous bird, otherwise named the stork. You know, that small region in Eastern France close to Switzerland and Germany? Fun fact, when we talk to French people from other regions, quite often they tell us that Alsace is not considered entirely French but rather German (the historical past is in question here). It’s also worth mentioning that Alsace has chosen to retain certain “German” advantages.
As a matter of fact, we have the chance to benefit from a greater number of public holidays than the rest of France. But why go camping in the Alsace region? What does this tiny place have to offer? Now you have 4 good reasons to go camping in Alsace: woohoo it’s time for our overview!
1. Alsace is a small and charming region
No matter in which part of Alsace you choose to go camping or the season for which you have planned your stay (from winter to summer), you can find your bliss there. Sightseeing in the charming cities of Mulhouse, Colmar and Strasbourg or in other small, typically Alsatian villages such as Altkirch or Ferrette, the charm of timber-framed houses will win you over throughout all seasons. At Christmas time, you can enjoy the magnificent markets or cool off with some ice cream on sunny terraces in summer.
In June you can attend free concerts during the music festival, and of course taste typical Alsatian dishes such as flammekueche and sauerkraut. In October, while walking around the Colmar region, you can check out the wine route: ideal for wine lovers! In the meantime, you can book tickets for concerts and events: sports- and music fans will find happiness here.
2. Fun activities for children and grown-ups alike
If you decide to spend a couple of days near Colmar, don’t hesitate to visit the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle, an old fortified castle dating back to the 12th century that offers an incredible view of the valleys. This little getaway will delight history lovers as well as younger generations daydreaming of knights, dragons, princesses and prince charmings. Not far from the castle you will have the chance to feed monkeys or admire eagles: each one of them has its own personal mountain!
Younger visitors can choose out of a diverse spectrum of activities. You can take your children to the Little Prince’s Park, which is guaranteed to amaze them with its hot air balloon takeoff! If you wish for less excitement while discovering our beautiful region, do not hesitate to visit the Ecomuseum: an open-air museum in an Alsatian village dating back to another era. This museum will introduce you to popular arts and traditions of the region, introducing the most common things in everyday life of the last century, such as milking cows and goats. This will undoubtedly be delightful for children. As for older visitors, they will have the opportunity to visit the barbershop of the old times.
3. Alsace: a region of lowlands and mountains
Alsace is rather small and making it therefore very easy exploring every inch of the region. Every Alsatian living in the region has definitely taken even once a short weekend walk in the mountains. Most of them will choose the Ballon d’Alsace, a part of Vosges mountains. This mountain offers a magnificent panorama from the Black Forest (Germany) to the east, the Jura, the Belfort gap and on a clear day the Bernese Alps as well as Mont Blanc and the Vosges of the north. Le Ballon d’Alsace is located in the regional park of Le Ballon des Vosges. Fresh air is guaranteed!
4. Alsace a tri-national region
During your visit, don’t forget to take advantage of one of the perks of our charming region: its proximity to Germany and Switzerland. In winter, you can go skiing in the Black Forest in Germany out on the Feldberg mountain or even enjoy the Swiss ski slopes. As the weather warms up and the snow melts away, the hiking trails become accessible again. As you can see, there are many ways to discover the region’s landscapes. As for city-dwellers, you will have the opportunity to discover the city of Basel on the Rhine, go shopping and stroll through the typical streets of the region, then take a refreshing break in a small café. We have one last recommendation for you: the unmissable Europa-Park located in Rust, Germany, voted best amusement park in the world for the 4th consecutive year!
Lets go!
We hope that our short tour to Alsatian region will give you more insight and make you want to pay a small visit to our dear Alsatian friends. One last detail: Alsatian region is very pleasant, because it still benefits from a lack of tourists. Streets are therefore not going to be overcrowded and you will get a taste of a still remaining authentic region!
If you liked the article and want to go for a camping adventure in Alsace, here are some campsites you can enjoy:
- Camping de l’Ill in Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin)
- Camping du Haut-Koenigsburg in Bas-Rhin
- Camping de Riquewihr
Many more campgrounds are available on our campstar website. Discover all of them!