Excursions and activities
We organize activities in Strasbourg and excursions to sites in the region throughout the semester, including a 3-day trip (usually to Paris, Lyon or Marseille) during one of the university breaks. Here are some of the excursions we regularly do.
Château du Haut Koenigsbourg
Perched on a cliff overlooking the Rhine Valley, this medieval castle is one of the most popular sites in Alsace. Kaiser Wilhelm II himself oversaw monumental renovations at the end of the 19th century.
Colmar
Home to Bartholidi, the sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty, Colmar has a beautifully preserved old town. The Musée Unterlinden, housed in a former monastery, contains the surreal Issenheim Altarpiece.
Nancy
On the other side of the Vosges mountains, Nancy was the capital of the Dukes of Lorraine. The magnificent Place Stanislace sits in the heart of the 18th century city. Nancy was also the center of the art nouveau mouvement.
Le Struthof
The only concentration camp built by the Nazis in France. Le Stuthof is a testament to the cruelty of the Nazi régime, and also the ambiguous place of Alsace in the struggle between France and Germany
Le Mont Sainte Odile
This monastery was founded by Odile, the patron saint of Alsace in the 8th century. Today it is a popular hiking destination and pilgrimage site.
La Ligne Maginot
The French built a series of huge underground bunkers in the 1930s designed to prevent Germany from invading. Miles of tunnels run under the mountains in Lembach.
Trier, Germany
This small town in Germany was once one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire. The massive Porta Negra still stands as it did 2000 years ago.
Basel, Switzerland
Just an hour south of Strasbourg, Basel is the gateway to Switzerland. Apart from the Beyeler art foundation, the old city and the Twingely museum, you can also take a ferry across the river.
Sélestat
The Bibliothèque Humaniste houses one of the best-preserved collections of Renaissance books in the world. It includes the first document to give the name "America" to the continents of the New World, and the 7th century prayer book Lexionnaire Mérovingien.
Ribeauvillé
One of the most beautiful towns in France, known for its vins d'Alsace. We hike on the trois châteaux trail through the vinyards and make a stop at a winery.
