The Alsace region has been at the centre of a custody battle between France and Germany for centuries. The region was only reunited with France at the end of World War One and still has a very Germanic feel to it. 
Alsace is also studded with many forts belonging to the Maginot Line (the Great Wall of France) built in the 1930s to protect France from the next generation marauding Huns. The problem was they simply overran Belgium and came in the back door with hardly a shot fired from the Maginot Line. | Today it is all one big happy Eurozone and Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace is also the home of the European Parliament. Its geographic centrality and ‘foot in each camp’ outlook made it the ideal location for this vague and woolly institution. 
The climate of Alsace is cool, but quite dry and produces excellent white wines such as the Traminer variety. 
Above, Cité de l'Automobile (car museum) in Strasbourg. | 
Alsace Quick Facts Population: 1,836,000 Departments: Bas Rhin (67) and Haut Rhin (68) Major Centres: Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Colmar What to do and see: What to Eat: Germanic influences - Meat stews, pork dishes, sauerkraut, tarts, pies What to Drink: Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Tokay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Kronenbourg Beer Airport: EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Alsace Official Tourism Site Alsace Wikipedia Site |
