Time to explore a bit of France for a change.

S J, if you wind up staying in Strasbourg or Colmar, I would highly recommend a trip to Gengenbach in Germany, which is one of my favorite places. It's very easy to get to—only a 40 minute train ride from Strasbourg, including one quick transfer in Offenburg. The town is very charming with beautiful half-timbered houses (it's been frequently called a "chocolate box" village) and has a beautiful Altstadt (old town), with some wonderful restaurants and cafes to choose from. There are lots of things to see and do on a day trip there.

The town church (Saint Marion) is quite beautiful, and the medieval gates to the city are really beautiful. The Benedictine Abbey is also worth a visit, and behind it are some cloistered gardens that were a joy to wander through. This was one of my favorite places. It was peaceful and inviting and I could have stayed for hours. There were little signs of inspiration scattered around, and some children from a nearby kindergarten playing on one side.

Also don't miss a walk through Engelgasse and Höllengasse streets (near the TIC). Here you will find cobblestones and half-timbered houses, flower pots and cats resting on doormats and quaint dolls in the window. I felt like I had walked back in time when I strolled through these quaint and narrow streets. There is also a nice hike you can take that will get you above the town with some absolutely beautiful views of below. The hike ends up at a church called St. Jakob auf dem Bergle that sits above town. The TIC in town will have maps showing you how to get there. It was a really nice hike and as I said, the views are just lovely.

And if you don't believe me, ask Nigel about Gengenbach. He and I both tend to laud its praises. :-)

S J,
I wouldn't consider Dijon a day trip from Colmar, but you have tons of wonderful options!
Enjoy!

Thanks Mardee…I will save every bit of advice!

I loved our day trip to Gengenbach in June. Very easy from Strasbourg.

We loved Strasbourg and spent several nights there before moving to Riquewehr, one of the wine villages which we also enjoyed. We took a day trip to Colmar and were very disappointed. It seemed very touristy to us.

Colmar is beautiful, but as a result it does get a lot of tourist traffic. It wasn't so bad as to make me want to leave (I spent 3 or 4 nights there, I think), but Colmar is by no means an undiscovered jewel. I'd say it was less crowded than Annecy and Taormina, two other well-known beauty spots.

Colmar is well positioned for side trips to the little wine villages in the area--but check bus schedules carefully, because getting to multiple villages in one day is likely to be a challenge.

I haven't checked rail schedules from Colmar to the other places you've mentioned. I know Strasbourg is OK, but I'm not sure about the travel time to Dijon, Mulhouse and Basel.

“Taormina”?
Not in France, but a place we avoided in Sicily.

I’ve been looking at train services in France….much more expensive than Italian ones.
Do they have occasional advance sales and specials, as the Italian ones often do?

The French train prices are fairly set. I've never seen a sale, though once in a while I'll get an email talking about a good price from Paris somewhere. If you buy soon after the tickets are released, the prices are slightly lower. You can buy discount cards that lower the price, but the card costs 50 euros per card, good for one person. You have to be sure your itinerary justifies the cost of the card. Local and intercities trains are not included on the card.
Local trains, TER, never change in price.

S J,
Yes, special offers can be had from SNCF. I get notices from time to time from them. Also, prices are usually cheaper the further out you reserve, especially on TGV trains. Sign up to receive them, or once you make a reservation with them online you will begin to get notifications.

S J,
By the way, since you have about two weeks, I would spend one week in Alsace/Northeast France, and a week in Provence. If you still want two weeks in the Northeast, then take about a week in Germany. Just my preferences.
Bon voyage!

Thanks everyone.

I agree with the suggestion to go to Gengenbach as a day trip. You might consider using Strasbourg as your base to shorten commutes to day trips. I’ve stayed in both Colmar (with a car) and Strasbourg (used trains). Depending on how much time you have you might consider an additional base elsewhere in the country, such as, Burgundy, the Loire Valley or Provence. If you would like a city experience Lyon would be a good choice.

S J, in terms of Colmar vs. Strasbourg, you might want to read this thoughtful response by David a few days ago about his take on Colmar. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/town-to-stay-in-alsace-between-paris-and-interlaken

FWIW, I agree that Strasbourg would make a good base, especially if you are using public transportation. And it's such a wonderful city!

Lots to think about!
I love big busy towns and cities, and thought Colmar might be a bit less so for a different feel this trip, but with the usual amenities such as grocery stores.
We stay in apartments, so need groceries to be nearby of course for breakfasts and the occasional dinner.
Thanks for the link, Mardee.
Germany is looking very interesting……!
Everywhere in the world is just getting so busy and crowded! :O(

We really enjoyed the regions North of Paris, two years ago. Bayeux, Juno Beach, Giverny, Auvers-sur-Oise…

I’m sure I’m biased because my mother is from this area but, I think you might want to check out Freiburg. It’s a beautiful old city with a gorgeous Munster, lots of remains of the original wall and very picturesque. The market in the munsterplatz is great and you can also grab a train to Titisee and Neustadt easily enough.

"...are there towns and villages you would recommend....in the area?" Yes, from Strasbourg take the RER to Obernai, a quaint and lovely village in Alsace. I saw it once.