Auvergne was given the title of “First Alsatian Town” (similar to Yair Garbuz’s “First Look at Paris”) and it certainly did not disappoint. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful towns on the wine route and if you are looking for attractions in Alsace, it is highly recommended not to miss it.
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The town is located about 25 kilometers from Strasbourg and is right at the gates of the Alsatian wine route and a very short distance from the cabbage fields, from which sauerkraut is made, and the vineyards where the excellent Alsatian wine is grown. Also a short drive from Auvergne is Mont Saint Odile, named after the patron saint of Alsace, which has an active monastery from which you can look out over the surrounding landscapes.
history
The town of Auvergne is mentioned as early as the 7th century as the birthplace of Saint Odile and the home of one of the Dukes of Alsace. In 1240, the village of Auvergne became a town and began to grow rapidly. It reached its peak during the 16th century during the visit of Emperor Ferdinand I in 1. The town was damaged during the Thirty Years' War (1562-30) but began to recover from this, when in 1618 it was annexed, along with all of Alsace, toFranceLike almost all towns in Alsace, Auvergne passed from France to Germany and back several times between the years 1870-1945, which is evident in the very German character of the place.
When should you visit?
Auvergne is especially charming in spring and autumn, but in the summer the town hosts festivals and local folklore events. The advantage is dancers in colorful costumes. The disadvantage is of course the crowd and the correspondingly high prices for accommodation and restaurants.
Accommodation in Auvergne
As you will see below, there is quite a bit to see in this town and since it is a charming place, it is highly recommended to make it a base for a trip along the Alsace Wine Route. If you have decided to do so, you are welcome to enter the article Recommended hotels in Obernai And the surrounding area, where you will find a number of great hotels and apartments that I have carefully collected for you.
Tourist attractions
Church of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul
Although the church looks as if it was created in the Middle Ages, it was actually built in 1872 in the neo-Gothic style on the foundation of an earlier church from the 15th century. The interior of the church is impressive and has an excellent organ, as can be heard in the following excerpt:
City Hall (Hotel de Ville)
The town hall is housed in a charming 14th-century building that previously housed the town's commercial court. In 1848, the building was enlarged and neo-Renaissance parts were added. Note the building's frescoes, which were restored during the 90s.
WHEAT MARKET (LA HALLE AUX BLÉS)
The market is housed in a Renaissance building, which was built in 1554 and initially served as a slaughterhouse (hence the two statues of cattle heads that adorn it).
The Well with Six Buckets (LE PUITS À SIX SEAUX)
A charming Renaissance well built by craftsmen from Strasbourg in 1579. The well, consisting of three columns and a canopy, is decorated with sculptures from the Old Testament.
The synagogue of Auvergne
The magnificent synagogue was built in the 19th century in the neo-Romanesque style that was very popular at the time. It was once home to a thriving Jewish community, but following the Holocaust, the Jewish community in the city shrank greatly, and as a result, the synagogue is only open on special days of prayer.
The “urban train”
If you have arrived for a short time and want to see all of Auvergne's main attractions, you can use the services of the small train that leaves from the city center and reaches all the important places.
Food
The food in Auvergne is typical Alsatian and you can find quite a few places there that sell choucroute, baeckeoffe (a stew made from three types of meat that are slowly cooked in an earthenware pot), and more. We asked where we should eat and several people highly recommended the restaurant The Dime. Unfortunately, this restaurant was closed so we went to look for another restaurant and ended up at Les Ramparts. I ordered a fish choucroute which was made from three types of fish along with a few shrimps and dipped in a cream-based sauce. Although it was very heavy and made me want to take a nap, the choucroute itself was very tasty in my opinion.
The bakupa dish that my travel companion ordered was disappointing because although the dish looked very good, it was quite tasteless. Unfortunately, it was only after my companion returned the dish and chose duck liver instead (which was great) that we discovered the place's wonderful mustard, which could have given the dish the flavor it was a little lacking. Since that restaurant, none of us have dared to order at the bakupa, and so the mystery remains whether the bakupa there was simply not good or whether this is the taste of traditional bakupa (if you managed to solve the mystery, I would be very happy if you could comment below).
Summary
Auvergne is definitely a charming town worth stopping by while touring the wine valley. I call these towns “bite towns” because unlike larger cities such as Strasbourg And Colmar, you can explore this lovely town in half a day, eat well, and move on. If you have also visited the town and have tips about restaurants, attractions, or shopping, you are more than welcome to comment and I promise to update the post accordingly.
I would like to thank the Office de Tourisme d'Obernai for some of the photos, which appear in this post