Hamilton in France students had a weekend excursion to Alsace in November. Located in Eastern France, and close to the German border, the Alsatian region offered students the richness of its history and the pleasures of its gastronomy.
Our first stop was in Strasbourg, where we spent two days. We walked through the city with a guide who told us everything about the beautiful cathedral and the history of the city. The architecture is one of the finest high examples of Gothic architecture and one of the tallest churches in the world. The city has shifted from being in German territory to French several times over the centuries. Students enjoyed the holiday decorations and the markets. The city is usually thronged with visitors during winter as its Christmas market is world famous, but the market was still being set up and it was not too crowded.
The group had diner at the restaurant “Au Dauphin” located just in front of the cathedral. They tasted a typical regional dish, “choucroute” made of charcuterie, sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut (brined cabbage), and it is gluten free! Tasty vegetarian dishes were also served, like the “tarte flambée” with cream, onions and vegetables.
We departed on the next day to explore the “Alsace wine route” and discovered the beautiful city of Colmar. On our way, we saw the European Parliament, unfortunately closed on Sunday. While in Colmar, students visited the Unterlinden museum with majestic paintings of the Renaissance. They also had lunch in the cozy restaurant “La Brasserie des Tanneurs” where they all tried the traditional “tarte flambée”, which is another typical dish in the region. It is similar to a pizza, but it is flatter and made of cream, onions and “lardons” (small bacon bits).
We headed to Riquewihr in the afternoon, where students visited a wine maker at the “Zimmer” wine cellars, and three types of wines. The city is on a hill close to the Vosges mountains, and it was brightly decorated with holiday ornaments. Students strolled through the city and took a lot of pictures.
Testimony of Fred Guo (Williams ’19): “November 18, Hamilton in France brought us to Alsace and it was my very first time. I really enjoyed the trip as I have been looking forward to going to Alsace since arriving in Europe.”
“It was really nice to visit Strasbourg since I have also been taking a class on the EU parliament and to visit Strasbourg meant I would be closer to one of the seats of European democracy! Apart from that of course, Strasbourg was very charming. We have had the great fortune of at least seeing the decorations for the Christmas markets. The streets were filled with decorations, stuffed animals and lights that were ready to be lit up. We also had some pretty good food at an Alsatian restaurant that is just next to the main Cathedral of Strasbourg. It was magnificent! The structure was tall and red and definitely reminded me a little bit about Game of Thrones when I was there.”
“If you are ever in Strasbourg, you cannot miss it! (literally, because it is also very tall!). We then visited Colmar, and the whole experience was also very charming. Before even arriving in France, I read articles online recommending tourists to visit certain towns and cities in France apart from Paris, and Colmar was definitely on that list”.
“Even though it was winter, the colors of the architecture and the Alsatian atmosphere was palpable and enjoyable! Be sure to visit it too for Christmas if you ever find yourself in France! As a student from Tulsa, Oklahoma representing Williams College, it was definitely an eye-opening experience and one that I am very grateful for especially with the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up! Vive la France.”
After filling their heads with happy memories, the group returned to Paris by train that evening.
Watch the video of their trip:
Hamilton in France 