Alsace

Alsace is so unique and distinctive as a French region that even those individuals familiar with French culture may believe they’ve mistakenly landed in Germany. This region ebbed and flowed between French and German control for centuries, changing hands five times since 1681. It is estimated as recently as 1918, only two per cent of the population spoke fluent French.

Evidence of this tumultuous history is not confined solely to the hilltop ruins and fortresses you may stroll past; Germany’s influence continues to form a living, breathing (and eating!) part of the Alsatian culture. Keep your eyes, ears and taste buds alert to the following signs.

Dialect
While French remains the official language, listen carefully, and you’re bound to hear the guttural sounds of the Elsässisch (Alsatian) dialect, which is most similar to Swiss German. Even ‘Alsace’ is thought to come from the German word meaning ‘Foreign Domain’. Further evidence of German heritage is found in the bilingual street signs and in the evocative village names such as Eguisheim, Kayserberg and Riquewihr. Even ‘Alsace’ is thought to come from the German word meaning ‘Foreign Domain’.

Food and Drink
Alsace deserves its spot on the map as one of the world’s most recognised winemaking regions, but lesser known is that Alsace is also France’s main beer-producing region. Alongside France’s passion for wine, you can raise a stein of frothing beer!
The fusion of food you’ll find today owes much to the region’s chequered history. The German influence is seen in the ubiquity of pork, potatoes and cabbage. Be sure to taste some of the following dishes:
Choucroute is Alsace’s take on the German favourite of Sauerkraut. In Alsace, the shredded, fermented cabbage includes juniper berries and is sometimes served with fish.
Baeckeoffe is an overflowing casserole dish filled with potatoes, onions, three types of meat and Alsatian white wine.
Flammekeuche, sometimes called Alsatian Pizza, was accidentally created by Germanic farmers; before baking their weekly bread, they’d test the oven temperature with a thin crust covered with crème fraîche, onions and lardons.

Architecture
You’ve probably seen photos of the colourful houses of Alsace, which evoke childhood memories of fairy tales and the Brothers’ Grimm. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this half-timber construction is most commonly found in Germany.
The layout of many Alsatian villages also testifies to their violent past and their the need for them to serve a defensive function. In Riquewihr and Bergheim, you’ll find fortified walls and city gates. In Eguisheim, rings of narrow streets encircle the town, with the houses themselves forming ramparts that would hinder any attack.