Alsace

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With its characteristic distinctiveness and its time-old traditions, Alsace is a region sure to be mentioned whenever the French talk about their gastronomy, art, history and culture. Alsace is a frontier land that is both open to the world and attached to its own traditions.

Region and former province of France; area 8,280 sq km/3,197 sq mi; population (1999 est) 1,734,100. It consists of the départements of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin; its administrative centre is Strasbourg, which is the seat of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. Alsace has much rich agricultural land, particularly between the River Rhine and the Vosges mountains. Vineyards dot the low-lying areas that rise up from the Rhine, and Alsace is noted for its white wines. The region also produces about half the beer consumed in France.

Of Celtic origin, Alsace became part of the Roman province of Upper Germany, then fell to the Alemanni in the 5th century and to the Franks in 496. Following a period during which the region's principal cities enjoyed virtual independence (from the 13th century), Alsace became part of France through the Treaty of Westphalia (1648), which ended the Thirty Years' War. In 1871 Alsace and the northern part of the province of Lorraine were annexed to Germany, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Alsace remained in German hands until 1919 when it returned to French sovereignty. During World War II Alsace was again under German control, but in 1945 it was returned to France.

At the crossroads in the centre of Europe, Alsace has, for better or worse, been at the heart of events since the beginning of time. While still bearing some of the wounds left by history, it is also the site of some of the European civilisation’s finest achievements.

Although the Rhine now separates Alsace (and thereby France) from Germany, the border has moved many times: the region has changed hands 17 times in 20 centuries – but has never lost its soul! Today, its strength of character makes it stand proud as the central region of Europe. Alsace is a land of traditions (a large number of its inhabitants still speak Alsatian), and one notably renowned for its cuisine. Its proud list of culinary excellence includes choucroute, foie gras en croûte and kougelhopf – all best enjoyed with a glass of Alsace wine. Strongly influenced by its industrial activity, it's a dynamic region which has managed to preserve its architectural heritage, both in its villages and its larger cities – and notably in Strasbourg or Colmar, departure points along the wines route where the famous vineyards climb up slopes towards the Vosges, wrapping around fortified châteaux and villages with their colourful houses.