World City Guide

Excursions

For a Half Day
Colmar: The capital of the Haut-Rhin, 70km (43 miles) south of Strasbourg, is known for its quaint Old Town and dry wines (celebrated in the annual wine festival, Foire aux Vins). It is also home to the Rétable d’Issenheim (Issenheim Altarpiece), painted by Mathias Grünewald, between 1512 and 1516, for St Anthony’s monastery and displayed at the Musée d’Unterlinden, 1 rue d’Unterlinden (tel: (03) 8920 1558; e-mail: info@musee-unterlinden.com; website: www.musee-unterlinden.com ); The museum is open daily 0900-1800 (May-Oct) and Wednesday to Monday 0900-1200 and 1400-1700 (Nov-Apr). Admission is ¬7 (concessions available).

Colmar is a 40-minute train journey from Strasbourg. Colmar Tourist Office, 4 rue des Unterlinden (tel: (03) 8920 6892; fax: (03) 8941 3413; e-mail: info@ot-colmar.fr; website: www.ot-colmar.fr ) can provide further information.

For a Whole Day
Molsheim and the Route des Vins: The Route des Vins extends from Marlenheim, west of Strasbourg, to Thann, close to Mulhouse, offering opportunities for free dégustations (tastings) and summer wine festivals. Molsheim is one of the largest towns on the itinerary, less than 30km (19 miles) southwest of Strasbourg – a 30-minute train journey. Its attractions, in addition to wine, include the medieval fortifications, the Porte des Forgerons (Blacksmiths’ Gate), the 16th-century Metzig and the Eglise des Jésuites, an impressive Gothic church.

Molsheim Tourist Office, 19 place de l’Hôtel de Ville (tel: (03) 8838 1161; fax: (03) 8849 8040; e-mail: infos@ot-molsheim-mutzig.com; website: www.ot-molsheim-mutzig.com ), can provide further information.

La Route des Vins d’Alsace and the Black Forest: Tourisme Fleury, 15 Rue du Kirchbert (tel: (06) 0726 6815; e-mail: info@tourisme-fleury.fr; website: www.tourisme-fleury.fr ) operates two tours on these routes, departing Strasbourg at 0930/1000 in air-conditioned mini-buses. The excursions visit the vineyards north of Colmar (Circuit A) or up to the Black Forest and Baden-Baden in Germany (Circuit B); both arrive back in Strasbourg around 1600. There is a minimum of two people and the tours cost ¬69.