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By Root 1020 0

of vine-covered hills squeezed between the Rhine and the Vosges Mountains started out being called Prima Germania by the Romans, and belonged to the fiercely Germanic Holy Roman Empire for more than 700 years. Yet west of the Vosges, Lorraine served under French and Burgundian lords as well as the Holy Roman Empire, coming into its own under the powerful and influential dukes of Lorraine in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Stanislas, the duke of Lorraine who transformed Nancy into a cosmopolitan Paris of the East, was Louis XV’s father-in-law. Thus Lorraine’s culture evolved as decidedly less German than its neighbor to the southeast.

But then, in the late 19th century, Kaiser Wilhelm sliced off the Moselle chunk of Lorraine and sutured it, à la Dr. Frankenstein, to Alsace, claiming the unfortunate graft as German turf—as a concession after France’s surrender in 1871. At that point the region was systematically Teutonized—architecturally, linguistically, culinarily (“Ve haff our own vays of cookink sauerkraut!”)—and the next two generations grew up culturally torn. Until 1918, that is, when France undid its defeat and reclaimed its turf. Until 1940, when Hitler snatched it back and reinstated German textbooks in the primary schools. Until 1945, when France once again triumphantly raised the bleu-blanc-rouge over Strasbourg. Today, the regions remain both officially and proudly French.

TOP REASONS TO GO

The Wine Road: Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr are at the heart of the Alsatian wine route—two medieval villages filled with Hansel and Gretel houses, cellars bursting with bottles, and wine festivities.

Reborn Colmar: Although hit by two world wars, Colmar rebuilt itself, and the atmospheric maze of cobblestone streets and Petite Venise waterways of the Vieille Ville are pure enchantment.

Nancy’s Art Nouveau: The Art Nouveau capital of France as well as home to Place Stanislas—the most beautiful royal square in Europe—make the hub city of Lorraine an art lover’s paradise.

Joan of Arc Country: If you’re a fan of Jeanne d’Arc, then a pilgrimage to her birthplace in Domrémy-la-Pucelle is a must.

Strasbourg, Capital of Alsace: The symbolic capital of Europe is a cosmopolitan French city rivaled only by Paris in its medieval charms, history, and haute cuisine.

GETTING ORIENTED

Bordered by Germany, Alsace-Lorraine has often changed hands between the two countries in the last 350 years. This back-and-forth has left a mark—you’ll find that Germanic half-timber houses sometimes clash with a very French café scene. Art also pays homage to both nations, as you can see in the museums of Strasbourg, Alsace’s main hub. Eastward lies Lorraine, birthplace of Joan of Arc (and the famous quiche). Due west of Strasbourg on the other side of the Vosges Mountains, the main city of Nancy allures with Art Nouveau and elegant 18th-century architecture.

Nancy. When Stanislas Leszczynski, ex-king of Poland, succeeded in marrying his daughter to Louis XIV, he paid homage to the Sun King by transforming Nancy into another Versailles, embellishing the city with elegant showstoppers like Place Stanislas. Elsewhere in the city, you can sate your appetite for the best Art Nouveau at the Musée École de Nancy and the Villa Majorelle—after all, the style was born here.

Lorraine. In long-neglected Lorraine, many make the historical pilgrimage to Joan of Arc Country. France’s patron saint was born in Domrémy in 1411 and in nearby Vaucouleurs, the Maid of Orléans arrived to ask the help of the governor. If you listen carefully, you might hear the church bells in which Joan discerned voices challenging her to save France.

Strasbourg. An appealing combination of medieval alleys, international think tanks, and the European Parliament, this central hub of Alsace is best loved for the villagelike atmosphere of La Petite France, the looming presence of the Cathédrale de Notre-Dame, the rich museums, and the pints of beer sloshing around in the winstubs (wine-bistros).

Alsace. Tinged with a German flavor, Alsace is a never-ending procession of colorful towns