Are Alsatians Ethnically French Or German?
Alsatians are French citizens with a Germanic regional culture: the honest answer to one of Alsace's oldest identity questions, explained from Strasbourg.
Clear answers to practical questions about Strasbourg: cathedral opening hours, river cruises on the Ill, wine day trips into Alsace, and how the Christmas market season works. Every answer points to a fuller guide.

Alsatians are French citizens with a Germanic regional culture: the honest answer to one of Alsace's oldest identity questions, explained from Strasbourg.
Day or night at the Strasbourg Christmas markets in Alsace, France: what daylight gives you, why the evening lights are the signature experience, and how to plan both in one visit.
No nonstop transatlantic flights serve Strasbourg. Here is how American travellers actually reach the Alsatian capital: European connections, the Paris TGV option, and the 8-minute airport shuttle.
Yes, tap water in Strasbourg is safe to drink. A practical answer for travellers, with notes on refilling bottles, ordering water in restaurants and day trips into Germany.
The honest answer to which language you will hear and need in Strasbourg, in Alsace, north-eastern France: French is the language of daily life, German is close at hand, and English covers the visitor trail.
Yes, Strasbourg in north-eastern France is served by Strasbourg Airport (SXB) at Entzheim, with a shuttle train link, Volotea and EasyJet routes, and new Jet2 winter services.
Colmar sits south of Strasbourg in the Alsace plain, close enough for an easy day trip. Here is how the two cities relate and how to plan a visit to both.
How to reach Strasbourg, in Alsace, north-eastern France, from the United States: hub choices, Strasbourg Airport (SXB), the airport train shuttle, local fares and seasonal timing.
How long the Alsace wine route takes to drive from Strasbourg, what shapes the time, and how many days to give it, with planning advice from the Strasbourg Travel Guide editors.
Two days is the minimum for Strasbourg's Christmas markets, three is comfortable. A practical day-by-day plan with verified costs, hours and weather figures for a December visit.
How many days does Colmar need? A practical answer for travellers basing themselves in Strasbourg, Alsace, north-eastern France, with one-day and two-day plans.
A practical answer to how many days Strasbourg needs, with one-day, two-day and three-day plans, entry prices and day-trip options.
An honest look at whether a Christmas market river cruise is worth the fare, with Strasbourg's own market, boat and transport prices as the comparison point.
An honest look at whether Colmar, the half-timbered wine town in Alsace, north-eastern France, is a tourist trap, and how to visit it well from Strasbourg.
An honest comparison of Crémant d'Alsace and champagne for visitors to Strasbourg, in Alsace, France: how the two sparkling wines differ, when each one wins, and how to taste crémant on a day trip from the city.
December in Strasbourg means the Christmas market, cold semi-continental weather and short days. An honest look at whether the crowds, costs and climate are worth it.
A plain comparison of two Alsatian bases: which city suits your trip length, your Christmas plans and your day-trip list, with verified Strasbourg figures and honest advice on both.
There are two famous Notre-Dame cathedrals in France, one in Paris and one in Strasbourg. Here is how to tell them apart, and what each one is actually like.
Riesling is not a cheap wine by nature. Around Strasbourg in Alsace, France, it runs from everyday winstub bottles to vineyard-designated Grand Cru, and price follows tier, not the grape.
Yes, Strasbourg is one of France's easiest cities to explore on foot: a compact UNESCO-listed island core, pedestrianised squares and a tram network for the longer hops. Here is what walkers should know before lacing up.
Is Strasbourg Cathedral free to enter? The cathedral's own access page lists no admission price for the nave, while the platform at 66 m and the astronomical clock show carry separate tickets. Here is what each part costs and when it opens.
Strasbourg sits on the French side of the Rhine but wears its German past openly. An honest look at the language, food, architecture and daily life of Alsace's capital.
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Strasbourg, France, is a Roman Catholic church today, though it spent a long stretch of its history in Protestant hands. Here is the full story and what it means for a visit.
An honest assessment of Strasbourg's Christmas market in Alsace, France: what it costs, what the crowds and December weather are like, and when a different plan serves you better.
A plain comparison of Rhine and Danube Christmas market cruises, starting from Strasbourg in Alsace, France, with what each river does best in December.
No, the Strasbourg Cathedral in Alsace, France, is not the tallest in the world, but its single Gothic spire and 66 m viewing platform make it one of the great church towers of Europe. Here is what the record actually says.
A plain answer to whether Strasbourg, in north-eastern France, was bombed in the Second World War, which districts were hit, why the old island survived, and where the legacy shows today.
The four wonders of Alsace explained: Strasbourg Cathedral, Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, Mont Sainte-Odile and the Alsace Wine Route, with how to plan them from Strasbourg.
The 2026 Strasbourg Christmas market dates are not published yet. The 2025 edition ran 26 November to 24 December and drew 3.05 million visitors; the usual pattern is late November to 24 December.
Strasbourg, Vienna and Nuremberg top Europe's Christmas market list. A research-led comparison of the three, with verified Strasbourg figures and advice on timing.
Which cities reach Strasbourg in north-eastern France by direct train, how the Paris TGV route works, the airport shuttle rail link, and how to check every other direct connection.
The dessert Strasbourg in France is known for is the kougelhopf, an Alsatian ring-shaped brioche with almonds and raisins. Here is where to eat it and what else to try.
Strasbourg, in north-eastern France, is famous for Alsace wine, above all Riesling, plus Crémant d'Alsace, amber beer and fruit eaux-de-vie. Here is what to order and where.
From half-timbered wine villages and Strasbourg's Gothic cathedral to Christmas markets and choucroute, discover what makes Alsace one of France's most distinctive regions.
Choosing the best Black Forest town for a Strasbourg day trip or overnight stay: compare Freiburg, Triberg, and Baden-Baden for scenery, activities, and ease of access.
The simplest ways to reach Strasbourg in north-eastern France: the airport shuttle train, the TGV from Paris, driving across the Rhine from Germany, and the local transport tickets that finish the journey.
Strasbourg, in north-eastern France, is the largest city in Alsace-Lorraine. Here is how it compares with Metz, Nancy and Mulhouse, and what its size means for a visit.
Strasbourg, in Alsace, is the most Christmassy town in France: 3.05 million visitors at the 2025 Christmas market, a single-spired cathedral and a World Heritage old town full of chalets.
The most famous Christmas market in France is Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik-style market in Alsace, which drew 3.05 million visitors in its 2025 edition. Here is why it holds the crown and how it compares with Colmar.
Strasbourg Cathedral in Alsace is the answer most travellers give to the question of France's nicest cathedral: here is why, plus hours, tickets and how to visit.
Alsace, reached from Strasbourg, makes the strongest case for the prettiest wine region in France: half-timbered wine villages, the Route des Vins, and Riesling slopes between the Vosges and the Rhine.
The decorated Christmas tree began as an Alsatian custom, and Strasbourg in north-eastern France turned it into a city tradition; the real story, the ornaments' meanings and how to see the tree today.
The signature dish of Strasbourg is choucroute garnie, Alsatian sauerkraut heaped with charcuterie and potatoes, served in the city's winstubs. Here is what it is, where to eat it, and what else belongs on the table.
The honest list of things to avoid in Strasbourg, France: overpriced terraces, transport mistakes, closed museums and timing errors, with better alternatives for each.
A practical answer to where you can travel by train from Strasbourg, in Alsace, north-eastern France: direct French cities, German neighbours across the Rhine, and cross-border day trips.
Where people in Strasbourg actually eat: the winstubs and neighbourhood tables locals keep to themselves, in Alsace, north-eastern France.
The European Parliament's official seat is in Strasbourg, France, in the European Quarter east of the city centre. Here is what that means, and how to visit it.
The case for Strasbourg, France, as the prettiest Christmas market in Europe, with how it compares with Colmar and the Alsace villages, and when the city looks its best.
A practical answer to where to stay in Petite France, Strasbourg: what the quarter is like, which streets suit which traveller, when to book elsewhere, and easier nearby bases.
A side by side comparison of the Strasbourg and Colmar Christmas markets in Alsace, France: scale, atmosphere, food, cost of entry sights and which one suits which traveller.
The cities you can reach from Strasbourg in under two hours, in France, Germany and beyond, with what each one is for and how to plan the day.
Kehl is the German city closest to Strasbourg, sitting directly across the Rhine in north-eastern France. This guide explains the border, the crossing, and which German towns are worth the trip.
A square-by-square comparison of the Strasbourg Christmas market in Alsace, France, with sight prices, hours, transport fares and December weather figures to help you pick where to start.
Why Strasbourg Cathedral is famous: its single Gothic spire, the 66 m platform, the astronomical clock show at 12:30, and the hours and ticket prices to plan a visit.
Why December prices in Strasbourg climb: Christmas market demand, 3.05 million visitors, and which costs stay flat all season.
Why Strasbourg, in Alsace in north-eastern France, is famous: its World Heritage old town, its cathedral, its Christmas market, its European institutions and its food and wine.
The French national anthem was born as a war song in Strasbourg, then picked up the name of Marseille on the streets of Paris. Here is how that happened, and where to see the story in the city today.
Why the Paris to Strasbourg TGV costs what it does: yield-managed high-speed pricing, seasonal demand from the Christmas market, and the ways travellers soften the fare.