The France - Alsace UnTour

DATES AND PRICING: Select the number of travelers in your party. Choose Party Size 1 traveler 2 travelers 3 travelers 4 travelers 5 travelers 6 travelers Select the month or months you are interested in traveling. (Please choose the number of travelers first to see which months are available for that party size.) Choose View Properties for the UnTour date that you want. (Please choose the number of travelers first to see which months are available for that party size, then choose a month or months.) (Choose the months you'd like to travel to see available dates and prices.)

WHAT TO DO ON YOUR ALSACE VACATION

Day trips: Strasbourg (home to the European Parliament and one of France’s most cosmopolitan cities), Black Forest in Germany (just over an hour’s drive), Mulhouse (town with second most museums in all of France), Basel, just across the border is one of Switzerland’s most sophisticated cities and all the fairy-tale villages along the Route des Vins (wine road)

Sightseeing: The majestic pink sandstone cathedral in Strasbourg, Petite Venise (“little Venice”) neighborhood in Colmar, Ecomusée in Ungersheim, the beautifully restored Haut-Koenigsbourg castle. For a change of pace, try the well-reviewed automobile museum in Mulhouse or a dramatic mountain drive through the Vosges.

Off-the-beaten-track attractions that can’t be beat: Hikes in the Vosges Mountains and a stop at a ferme-auberge for a hearty, homemade lunch; local village festivals dedicated to regional products such as wine, cheese, and choucroute (a delicious dish made of sauerkraut, potatoes, meat); a bike ride through the lush vineyards. Lovers of great art should not miss the world-class collection (some of Cezanne’s, Monet’s, Klee’s and Rothko’s best pieces) in a small, jewel-like museum called Fondation Beyeler, just outside of Basel.

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS UNTOUR?

The France - Alsace UnTour Includes:

• One or two weeks in a personally selected private apartment in the heart of scenic Alsace.
• Suggestions for booking your international flight from the U.S. to Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport, or we can purchase tickets on your behalf. (Click for more information on Untours' air policies.)
• Personal transfer assistance for most airport arrivals, or detailed instructions that allow you to reach your apartment with ease.
• Car rental, with unlimited mileage and basic insurance, for the duration of your Untour.
• Use of a local GPS unit during your Untour.
• An orientation session given by our excellent local staff to start your trip off on the right foot.
• Excellent local information, a regional map, and the Untouring Alsace guidebook, researched and written by Untours staff, full of insider tips and day trip information.
• A local cultural event, like a group meal at a restaurant in the charming village of Ribeauvillé.
• A stash of groceries upon your arrival, so you don’t need to shop right away.
• Pre-trip planning advice from our staff, available by phone or email right up until you leave.
• Ongoing support with our local representative. Help available when you need it.

Here's what our customers say about how much there is to do in Alsace:

"Alsace is an incredibly beautiful region of historic importance with much to offer so we were very glad to make it our home for 2 weeks." Joy Drovdahl

"We just loved the area where we were "home-based". We were in a very small village but close to larger villages to obtain the services of a bank and a grocery store. We enjoyed the suggestion made by Vivien and Alicia to "get lost" -- really! They also suggested we visit Tourism Offices as we find them and the information received from those offices was invaluable in exploring their area." Joe Simmons

"As usual, we had a wonderful Untour! This was the first time we needed to rent a car. It did add a small element of stress, but we were glad to be able to get to sites that were not available by public transportation.
Two weeks is never enough time to do everything we want to do in an area. The storybook villages of Alsace were enchanting and the history of the area a poignant reminder of the menaces of war. The Pfifferdaj festival in Ribeauville was an added plus! We enjoyed several museums, but on nice days wanted to be outside hiking." Ann Mazeau

"We loved our week in Alsace, especially with it being wine harvest time. It was easy to get to so many places with our car (WWI battlefield, military cemeteries, castles, wineries, scenic villages, etc.)." Debra Berndt

"We found Alsace very interesting, with a wide range of activities, not all of which we were able to take advantage of. We were sorry, for example, to learn that the Humanist Library in Selestat was closed for renovation. Our interests in regional military history were very well served by the on-site staff recommendations -- we were able to visit a number of interesting and little-known museums. In addition, the parade in Ribeauville was extraordinary -- we were so glad to have been there at the right time to see it! We would recommend Alsace for anyone interested in hiking, wine, cheese, history, and learning about local village life." Laura Martin

"I loved the Alsace Untour, and the combination with a week in Switzerland was perfect. There were very few tourists, the scenery was gorgeous, and the villages were charming. As usual, I have found that French people do not live up - or down - to their reputation as being snooty and cold. On the contrary, they were warm and helpful. I appreciated their tact in letting me try to speak my bad French while at the same time letting me know that they spoke English... The villages are so charming you feel like you've somehow been set down on a movie set, and you hope you don't forget your lines. Each village was scenic and had something new to offer." Marie Wolf

"What we liked best were the small, colorful, and unique villages. The miles of green vineyards. People were helpful and charming and gracious." Paul Roloff

"The location is wonderful. Our daughter suggested it and we loved exploring the towns. We found the whole experience very relaxing and our life there very easy to manage. People were pleasant and helpful as we sampled the wines and new cheeses." Benjamin Gilson

"We took a delightful three-hour drive to St Die and a couple of small villages on the way. It was stunning. Do not fail to see the Vosges. And Haut Koenigsburg is memorable. Walk!" John Sorvari

"Location, location, location! Staff people, staff people, staff people! Vivienna and Alicia worked smoothly as a team, and truly "cared." Absolutely terrific!" Robert Young

"Alsace was drop-dead gorgeous!" Linda Farmer