Elsass

Elsass, in German Alsace, is a historical and cultural region in eastern France along the upper Rhine. The area lies in the Grand Est administrative region and comprises the former departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. Its major cities include Strasbourg, Colmar, and Mulhouse. The landscape blends the Vosges mountains in the west with fertile Rhine plains, and the climate is continental with warm summers and variable precipitation.

Historically part of the Holy Roman Empire for centuries, Alsace was ceded to France in 1648 by the Treaty of Westphalia. It was annexed by the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, then returned to France after World War I; it was occupied by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1944 before reverting to France. Since 2016, the region is part of the larger Grand Est.

The regional language is Alsatian, a Alemannic German dialect, with French as the official language and many place names bilingual. The culture is renowned for wine production along the Alsace wine route, producing white wines such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer, as well as distinctive cuisine and Christmas markets. Tourism, viticulture, and engineering industries are important economic sectors.

The population of the Alsace area is around 1.9 million. Strasbourg, the region’s capital, hosts the Council of Europe and the European Parliament (plenaries), while Colmar and Mulhouse are notable cultural and industrial centers. The region is also known for its picturesque towns, half-timbered houses, castles, and a strong regional identity reflected in bilingual signage and local traditions.