Prettiest Villages in Alsace – Part 4 Eguisheim

In the fourth and final part of my series on visiting the prettiest villages in Alsace, we visit Eguisheim. This is the quirkiest of the villages and, possibly, my favorite.

Where is Eguisheim, France?

Eguisheim is a 15-minute drive south of Colmar. If you are exploring this region, Colmar makes an excellent home base, as it is slightly larger than many of the villages and centrally located enough that you can explore a couple of villages each day.

What is Eguisheim’s Story?

Though the “city” has been occupied since prehistoric times, when the first castle was constructed here, the city really began to grow. . . around the year 720.

This village was built for business purposes, not military purposes. The vineyards in the region created a large class of wealthy merchants and landowners. Their “tithe courtyards” were where they weighed goods, bartered, traded, bought and sold their products. These needed to be protected and, so, were built within the walls. Originally, there were two walls that formed a double fortification. However, in the 16^th Century, the outer wall was removed, and houses constructed up against the remaining wall.

Eguisheim is so old that the streets are really just lanes. You can forget driving around. There are two paid parking lots on the edge of the village. Leave your car in one of those and spend a few hours walking the circle. What circle, you ask? Well, Eguisheim was originally a walled city that was built in a circle. In fact, there is one lane that winds in concentric circles through the village. If you take this most famous street, you will get a perfect overview of the village. If time allows, you can then branch off and wander down some of the other lanes.

It is known as the City of Pope Saint Leon IX because he was born here in 1002 and grew up here before becoming a Pope and a Saint. Locals are quite proud of this fact and his image and name can be seen everywhere.

Prettiest Villages in Alsace – Eguisheim’s Houses

Eguisheim, as a community, also did something that I never noticed in any of the other villages. There were small educational plaques written in three languages on the exterior building walls. They want people to understand their town’s history. How wonderful! This is where much of the information for this article comes from.

The houses here have stone floors that support a timber frame. Up until the 16^th Century, the half-timbered buildings were sober colors. People protected the timbers from rot with a coat of soot. The walls were often wattle and daub or a lime whitewash. In the 17^th Century many homeowners expanded the windows to allow more light and fresh air. Some of the wealthiest residents added pastel colors and wooden carvings to the exteriors of their homes. Finally, in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries, people began adding a layer of cement to the exterior for protection and painting the exteriors in bright colors. These bright colors give the village (and many others) the storybook feel that made the region famous.

Is That a Secret Code Over the Front Door?

House numbers are a relatively new invention. In bygone eras, this system did not exist. The lintel above a home’s front door could be decorated with the family coat of arms. It was also common to see the stone mason’s signature, dates, and symbols representing the homeowner’s profession.

Today, modern house numbers appear on the wall to the left of the front door in most cases.

More Storks!

In this pretty village, you will, once again, be treated to storks galore. Baby-delivering storks are iconic in this region. Look overhead at any pointy rooftop or steeple and you’ll likely see a huge nest and its residents. We sat on a bench in the main town square for a little while and just let our cameras click away. It was relaxing and thrilling at the same time.