I went to Colmar many years ago and loved it, and for my second visit, added Eguisheim to my visit. It’s just a hop and a skip away from Colmar and it’s one of the many villages in Alsace that still preserves its magical atmosphere. It’s one of the villages said to inspire the setting for “Beauty and the Beast.”

It’s an absolutely charming village that I fell head over heels for.

A Short History of Eguisheim

A small place like Eguisheim has a small – but interesting – history. It is said that there was a Neanderthal skull found here in the 19th century, though I cannot find any modern interpretations of the findings. It’s also said that the Romans used this land to grow vineyards several centuries before it became the town that is now known as Eguisheim.

In 720, a castle was built (not one that stands today) and a community started in the fortified town. A few centuries later, from the 11th-13th centuries, the current castles of Eguisheim were built in the hills, as was the Chapel of Saint Leon, around which the lanes and streets of Eguisheim are centered. It’s named after Pope Leon IX, who was born at that spot, and supposedly that building, in 1002. It was formerly a castle.

From wine to chapels and castles, not much has changed for this Alsace village in the following centuries.

Visiting Eguisheim

There are a few landmarks to see in the town, particularly the Place du Chateau which is where the Chapel of Saint Leon (formerly castle) is located. You can go inside to look at the colorful chapel and see their small garden. This is such a darling little spot, with a nice fountain, a small and quintessentially medieval castle, half-timbered buildings and… stork nests?

Yes! You can see lots of storks around Alsace and their nests are undisturbed at the top of many tall buildings in Eguisheim, Colmar, and other towns in the area. That’s why you’ll see so many references to storks. Keep your eyes peeled!

There is also the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, tall with its dominating tower yet somehow tucked away in the narrow streets. There are a few other fountains you can spot called the Market Fountain and Fountain of the Lower Port. There is also a little square for sitting at Place St Pierre.

You’ll notice the town has two circular roads going around the center, which has only a few streets, so it’s quite easy to get around and see the whole of the town.

And, honestly, that’s kind of it. Eguisheim is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to but it’s also very tiny. It has several restaurants, numerous wine bars, a handful of souvenir shops, and a few locals’ homes or places that have been rented out. It’s very much a place you go to walk around and grab a glass of Alsace wine. A place to slow down and relax.

Since we combined Colmar and Eguisheim in one day, our trip to the latter was a bit rushed. We did get to see the whole village but in two hours, that was about all we could do. I did want to visit Wolfberger to taste some of the Alsacienne wines there, but we didn’t have time.

With my mom present, hiking of any kind was off the table. If you do have the desire and time to hike, the Three Castles of Eguisheim are something you should put on your list. These castle ruins are in the gorgeous mountains surrounding Alsace. They are close together and quite old, with the newest dating to the 13th century! They’re also said to be haunted.

Photography note: We visited during the evening, and the sun was behind many of the iconic shots you often see of Eguisheim. It was a bit disappointing to see all my photos washed out because of this. Perhaps go earlier in the day if these shots or more important to you.

Getting to Eguisheim from Colmar

There are a few buses that go to Eguisheim but we waited and the bus did not come at the assigned time. I read from a local that Uber is not used in Alsace but we had no issue getting an Uber between Eguisheim and Colmar. There is also the Kut’zig tour bus but its website is currently down so maybe they went out of business?

But it was very much worth the effort, and cost of the Uber, to get to Eguisheim. It’s such a charming little place, and even though Colmar is so beautiful, Eguisheim is too but in its own way. It’s more quaint.

There are still a lot of fairytale towns I have to visit in the Alsace regions, but for now, I’m happy to say that I got to visit the beautiful town of Eguisheim.

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