Help with Alsace Itinerary and Base
 

Hello. Next spring my husband and I will be in France for about 15 nights. We plan to arrive on a Thursday morning from the US and take the train to Strasbourg. Knowing our limitations with jet lag, we will do the first night in Strasbourg before getting the car the next day and heading to our base. My husband's great+ grandfather was born in a village called Froeschwiller, appearing to be about 1.5 - 2 hours north from Colmar, so we know we'll want to go there. We'll probably plan the first full day in Strasbourg and a day (or part of) in Colmar.

Where would be a good base? We do not drink wine so I feel like our days will be spent driving back roads, taking in the villages and doing some tourist shopping and eating. And we'd like to stay in a smaller place that at least has a couple of good restaurants and a grocery store. Reading through the Rick Steve's book, it looks like Eguisheim might fit the bill, but it's at the southern part of our planned route. Any other suggestions? Suggestions for particular villages to visit that you loved?

Also, knowing our plans, how many nights do you think will be enough to get that done without feeling like we're just seeing the same villages over and over again? Do you think 3 additional nights (4 total) will be enough/too much? Then, I'm considering driving from Alsace through Verdun and ending up in Reims to turn in the car and train to Paris. We've been to Reims before but I'm sure my DH would enjoy a second visit to the WWII museum there. If we took 2 nights to do that, it would leave us 9 nights in Paris (our 4th visit).

Any help would be appreciated!
Melody

Obernai is my favorite village in Alsace. For me, 4 nights would be barely adequate to see Strasbourg, Colmar, and the many lovely villages on the Route du Vin and the Routes des Crêtes.

Obernai has good access to the highway but still has a village feeling although a larger one. I was there last month. Eguisheim is too small to make it an extended base also considering it is at the south end of the region of your interest. Obernai also has a decent train access for trips you don't care to drive.
You only mentioned villages. Are you visiting Chateau du Haut-Kœnigsbourg? It is a trivial trip from Obernai.
You interest seems to be on both sides of Strasbourg. Keep in mind that the traffic around Strasbourg is pretty bad during commuting hours.

Certainly I'd try for to nights in Strasbourg plus more if you want to visit Froeschwiller. Strasbourg is terrible for cars so the Froeschwiller visit should be when you leave rather during your stay.

If you don't drink wine all you get to do is eat cheese and local products (which can be wonderful)

I'd look at the top of the Vosges, where there are ridge roads and long walking paths with the odd castle all the way to the Ballon d'alsace with great views of the Alps. The castles are fantastic and you will also find a concentration camp up there. Then hikes in the vinyards can be very pretty. Cycling is also an option along the bike paths. Very safe.

Colmar is a bit depressing for me, lots of shops etc but very much tourist town. Eguisheim is a lovely place but it is special for the wine. I'd certainly think about staying there (it is where I like to stay) as an option but in smaller hotels, if you want more international hotels then this is not your place you need to look at outskirts of towns to modified country houses etc (there are plenty)

Some of the towns are more mining towns and each town has its own website to attract you in so I think you may have to read more.

I'd look at two nights in Strasbourg and 4 nights in the southern area around Colmar but not in Colmar

I love Obernai too, but you won't need a car for as long as you think you might if you stay in Strasbourg for a few days. It is the main transportation hub for the region and you can get to a lot of places on the regional trains in about 30-40 minutes without the hassle of driving a car. I love having a car when I am in Alsace, but it isn't necessary or even adivisable for every destination.

We visited this region twice using public transport and once with a friend (and car).
So visiting Colmar, Selestat, Haut Koenigsbourg, Mulhouse (car museum...fantastic!), we did by train and bus, and we had a day tour to see the villages (obviously we therefore only got to the crazy busy touristed places, but it is totally gorgeous).
With my friend, we stayed near Wissembourg, which is only a short distance from Froeschwiller. Wissembourg is so lovely and we drove through nearby villages, and walked to a castle ruin through a forest (not sure where we were!) Totally delightful area.
Some photos here
https://flickr.com/photos/[email protected]

book your Paris CDG or Paris - Strasbourg trains at www.oui.sncf - nice discounts if book far enough in advance but that's for a specific train and cheapest ones non-changeable non-refundable so if plane to train leave plenty of time for plane to be late and getting into Paris as I think few or no trains from CDG to Strasbourg. Trains in Colmar area are regional trains and just buy as needed if using - Strasbourg to me deserves two nights at least - nice city at night and lots to see and do. check www.seat61.com for sage advice booking own trains online - general info trains and Alsace area check BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

Sounds like you'll love those small towns on the Alsace Wine Road more than Colmar - a really nice larger town - check out the copy of The Statue ofn Liberty on edge of Colmar when driving - sculptor did original here and was shipped in pieces to New York Harbour but a scale-copy put upon edge of Colmar and can tour original studios.