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Alsace-Lorraine & Champagne
Of the areas in France, the east is
undeniably border country rich in
culture and traditions. Estranged to a
degree from other parts of France by the
Vosges mountains and bordered from
Germany by the Rhine, Alsace has been
shaped by more than one nation with a
history of occupation and conflict and by its
diversity and its vast panorama of
history, gastronomy, culture, and
museums.
A broad spectrum of activities
and natural beauty spots await you in
this region of tradition, legends and
unique festivals.
Your cruise will take you between the
River Rhine and the Vosges mountains,
through the plain, vineyards and
mountains, along country lanes with
fortresses and rich archaeological ruins
on the horizon. Wander through the towns
and villages with their starting
architectural wealth combining typical
rural styles and gems from the
Mediaeval, Renaissance and Gothic
periods.
Experience the wonders of a region which
has carefully preserved its heritage. In
Alsace, you will be greeted with a
smile. The warm-hearted Alsatians with
their living traditions and skilled
craftwork inhabit a corner of France
where the good life is a byword.
Whether you go for the gastronomy. the
culture or the beauty of nature, it’s
all here for the taking. Here you’ll
have all the time you need to experience
life to the full. Local specialties,
gourmet dishes, traditional flavor,
vintage Alsace wines, beer and
eau-de-vie… at the heart of a region
where good living is an every day event.
To really appreciate Alsace you need to
know a little about its history as some
things are not always how they first
appear.
The prime example is language - the sing
song lingua franca of their day to day
parlance may sound like German but in
fact it’s a high German dialect with
various versions in use. Luckily
Alsatians speak French for most daily
transactions. But street signs in
Strasbourg, since 1991, are bilingual in
French and German.
Alsace became part of France in the 17th
century and after a relatively quiet
period things changed. Since 1871 Alsace
- along with most of its neighbor
Lorraine - has seen its nationality
changed four times. Germany aggressively
annexed the area on two occasions with
the French assertively reclaiming it in
1918 and 1944.
The resulting combination of Germanic
and Gallic influences has benefited
both: the region’s Germanic specialties
benefit from French refinement and the
wines have grape varieties from both
countries. |
