Alsace: a pre-Christmas road trip to France
It’s time to pick up my on my French! With 3 friends: Naomi from Authentic Chic Lifestyle, Karine from The Digitalistas and our photographer Remke Vet from Bold-sl.nl, I jump in a brand new, high-tech Peugeot 508 SW for an exciting road trip to Alsace in France. We will visit fairytale-like villages, cosy Christmas markets and drink heartwarming mulled wine….
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Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
Our impressive Peugeot 508 SW features a panoramic roof, i-Cockpit, Night Vision, Lane Positioning, Full Park Assist and piano keys for climate control, music and more. And… the two front seats are equipped with seat heating and massage function! Luxury, safety and comfort on the go! So our trip to the south will be pleasant! From Amsterdam the route to our first stop in Strasbourg is about 625 km and 7 hours drive via Metz. With a little sweaty moustache I start the 508 SW… what a car!
After an easy trip, with playlists full of guilty pleasures, we arrive at our hotel for the night: Château de L’Ile. The hotel, including a luxury spa, is only a 15-minute drive from Strasbourg. This spacious 5-star castle is so impressive! After a delicious dinner in the castle, this road trip princess dives into her enormous bed for a well-deserved night’s sleep. Check HERE all the rooms and availability!
Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
Strasbourg is busy, very, very busy. But there is a reason for this. It is absolutely beautiful. So it’s no surprise that the city is on the Unesco World Heritage list and busloads of Asian tourists populate the streets. The large number of tourists makes it somewhat difficult to take pictures, but that shouldn’t spoil the fun. We enjoy pastries at Sébastien’s and visit the photogenic area Petite France. Have a drink with some tapas at Ola Tapas and eat cake at What the Cake!
CLICK HERE FOR RENTAL CARS FOR THIS ROAD TRIP
Another must is a boat trip with Batorama. In just over an hour, you get a lot of information about Strasbourg, while enjoying different areas of the city from the water. Climb the cathedral for a beautiful view! There are many cosy Christmas markets in the city where you can warm up with delicious, homemade mulled wine.
Kaysersberg | Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
We put our luggage in the spacious Peugeot 508 SW, believe me that space is necessary when you travel with 3 other women, and drive on to Kaysersberg. This is my favorite stop of the road trip. What a cute little town! Kaysersberg is much smaller than Strasbourg and is nicknamed ‘City of Character’. Because of the beautiful colored houses, the gigantic old church, the romantic castle and streets with cobblestones, we seem to have ended up in the village of Belle & the Beast. What a fairytale town! It is full of nice shops and beautiful Christmas decorations. Have dinner at the incredibly good restaurant Art is Show! We stay at the perfectly located Hotel les Remparts, where I have a comfortable bed and a room that is fully equipped. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful! Click HERE for rooms and rates!
Kaysersberg | Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
Through the vineyards we drive to our next stop: Riquewihr. According to many one of the most beautiful villages in France …. but also one of the busiest. Wow! Unfortunately I find the atmosphere here less authentic than in Kaysersberg, but it is a beautiful town. We try a classic lunch from Alsace at restaurant le Manala. I go for the sauerkraut with pesto (‘choucroute verte’) and sausage. Delicious combination!
Riquewihr | Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
The last stop is Colmar. It looks like we’re walking into a film set. What a beautiful and cozy city this is! Colmar is perhaps the ultimate combination between Strasbourg and Kaysersberg. There are many lovely shops, and it is still authentic. The city centre is almost completely car-free.
La Petite Venise (Little Venice) is a must visit. This super popular district is beautiful. Stroll through the cosy shopping streets, visit the many Christmas markets and go wine tasting at Le Cercle des Arômes. Don’t miss truffle heaven Signorini Tartufi! I wanted to buy EVERYTHING! Alsace is full of dangerous delicacy shops. They sure know what’s good! At Gilg you can buy colorful macaroons and tasty pastries. I will hit the gym when I get home..
Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
We check in at the 2nd 5 star castle of the trip: Château d’Isenbourg. What a luxury! This hotel is the ideal base for a visit to photogenic Colmar. The 41 rooms are all unique and the view from the breakfast area is stunning! Château d’Isenbourg has its own vineyard. Our dinner at the hotel is delicious! We did miss some music in the large room though… Some jazz would have been perfect for the setting. Click HERE for availability and rates!
Road trip Alsace with Peugeot | France
We end our road trip in the spa of Château d’Isenbourg, where we recover from all the impressions of the past few days. What a beautiful region! I want to go back in the summer for wellness and a wine route! We’ve only had a short time to visit this area, but this region literally tastes like more…. À bientôt Alsace!
Click HERE for more information about our comfortable Peugeot 508 SW!
For more inspiration for your road trip to Alsace, go to Visit.alsace of France.fr!
Click HERE for the best rates at Chateau de l’Ile.
HERE for the best rates at Hotel les Remparts.
Check out the best rates at Chateau d’Isenbourg HERE.
Click HERE for my Paris City Guide!
HERE you can read all my tips for Metz and Nancy!