Alsace in February

Posted by samsymlacy on 01/03/24 05:21 PM

My wife and I will be visiting Alsace in early February and are trying to figure out where to stay. Currently planning on two nights in Strasbourg and then renting a car and would like to stay somewhere else for three nights. We would like to explore the smaller villages along Route Des Vins but am finding that many hotels/B&Bs are shut down for the season. I like the idea of not having as many tourists around, but I don't want to stay somewhere that feels like a ghost town.

We're from Chicago, so we're used to snow/cold/wind/gray and are not particularly concerned about the weather, but want to stay somewhere with warm, cozy places to tuck in for dinner and drinks at night. Our travel priorities: eating/drinking with locals, exploring on foot (but not aggressive hikers), history, architecture, scenery.

Are we better off staying in Colmar and day tripping to the villages? Of the smaller villages are there particular ones that have more year-round appeal?

Thanks for any guidance!

Posted by balso

Paris

01/03/24 05:25 PM

7300 posts

I think that Obernai could work as a smaller town with year-round appeal, but it is perhaps a bit too close to Strasbourg. Colmar isn't exactly a huge metropolis (still has small town charm) and it will definitely have more to offer in terms of restaurants and hotels.
Vineyards are forlorn-looking in winter. Rows of sticks. The villages will still be charming, though.

Posted by travel4fun

Bend, Oregon

01/03/24 06:05 PM

2545 posts

We’ve stayed in both Colmar and Strasbourg. I would choose Colmar. With a car, it’s easier to get to the small villages. There’s plenty to see in Colmar, lots of restaurants, etc. The smaller villages may have very limited options during that time. If the hotels are closed, the restaurants probably are also.

Posted by JR

Gulf Coast, usa

01/06/24 04:45 PM

1191 posts

We have stayed many times in both Colmar and Strasbourg. We love Strasbourg for the very reason you mentioned above. There are more options for food and drink, and more to do in Strasbourg when the smaller villages close shop early in the off-season. You can easily train to Colmar for a day, and cab over to adorable Equisheim. With Strasbourg, we easily take day trips to places like Gengenbach, Germany, Baden Baden, Heidelberg, Nancy, and much more. Renting a car in Strasbourg will be easier. There is a location at the train station and a couple within the town. A lot of places can be reached by train, but villages like Ribeauville, Riquewihr, and Obernai etc. are best with a car. We rented a car a block from our hotel and did those all in one day.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/HotelsNear-g187075-d4499117-Gare_de_Strasbourg-Strasbourg_Bas_Rhin_Grand_Est.html

We have stayed at the Arok and loved it, as well as the Best Western Monopole Metropole. Both are wonderful and directly across from the train station. We love walking around La Petite with its cobblestone streets, canals, and half-timbered houses which look like a Harry Potter book, and has lots of restaurants, bars, etc. Easy walk from the hotels mentioned above.

Alsace is one of our favorite places to visit in Europe. We love it.

Posted by Schteffi

Lancaster PA

01/07/24 12:08 AM

262 posts

Look at your situation from the point of view of the locals. They have lived through a very intense Christmas season and are ready to put their feet up, preferably on the Spanish coast. There is probably not enough business to make it worth turning on the heat. Stay in a functioning city, like Strasbourg or maybe Colmar, and go day tripping from there. Dead villages will offer great photo ops but little otherwise. It is a lovely area and you will not regret your visit, but embrace civilization rather than the closed down villages.