A day trip to Wissembourg, France

My husband’s Aunt and Uncle live in Germany, near the border of France. Luckily for us, this meant we could stay with them as a base as we traveled Europe, and they treated us to their company on some great day trips, as well!  This particular day they invited us on a day trip with them to Wissembourg, France, which is located on the Northeast corner of France. Here we are, leaving Germany…

…and entering France!  No border patrols in most of Europe. Lovely!!

Since the town we were visiting was on the German border, most shop owners and people spoke German as a second language (whereas in Southern France business owners we met spoke Spanish—so I could at least communicate with them in one of the languages!). Is it bad if I admit that one of our first stops in France was at a bakery?

Most desserts in a bakery hold very little interest for me, but Jared’s and the kids’ eyes certainly got big (and the price tags were big, too).

However, the French eclairs with a custard filling DID fit the bill, and I must admit that we were all in heaven. Now this is a dessert I can get behind! This is NOT like an American maple bar donut. It’s like having a full-sized cream puff made to perfection!

We stayed away from establishments with signs depicting food we don’t eat and names that left us questioning our safety.

Fortunately there was a small street market with a few vendors that struck our interest.

I found myself drooling over endless choices of olives and other pickled treats. Where would you begin?!

I picked out a handful of choices, including some pickled mushrooms. This was not a budget snack—these beautiful delicacies came with a hefty price tag. However, it simply seemed fitting to indulge on French olives to top off the experience.

I also admired some of the fancy handmade soaps for less than $2 USD and laughed to myself thinking about how a French handmade soap in the US could easily fetch $6. We love “real” soap like this, but I wasn’t about to lug any around on our travels.

We walked the streets admiring the half timber homes that have withstood the test of time and surely have some interesting tales to tell.

Little river canals run through the town like streets or little alleyways—lending themselves to a lot of photos.

Before long we came across yet another little bakery (no surprise—they seemed to be around every corner). We decided we were obligated to try an itty-bitty French macaron (different from a macaroon, mind you). There were so many flavors to choose from, which made it a bit tricky to decide. Also, they were ridiculously expensive! The one I tried was the green and chocolate one pictured at the back of this photo (it was chocolate with a VERY fresh mint flavor—as in—it tasted like I was eating a fresh mint leaf!).

Maiya opted for a little fruit-topped dessert, instead.

With our goodies in tow, we located a small plaza and munched away some time.

Macarons?  Not nearly as good as I expected for such a high price (from $2-$5 each…I can’t even remember what we paid)!

The kids and Jared had their sweets, and I indulged in my box of delicious olives with the only other interested party—Maiya (at least one kid has her mother’s taste buds)!

We continued to wander town and admire some of the buildings and views.

We soon found ourselves on the outside rim of the city center. It is encircled by very old fortress walls used to protect the city back in centuries past. I may or may not have been seriously worried about my little boy falling in this photo.

The girls loooooove spending time with their great Aunt and Uncle!

And…we actually got a family photo!  Too bad this was a year and a half ago (and is now seriously out of date).

Maiya wasn’t particularly willing to take photos (as seen above), and also decided to shut down and refuse to walk with us, too. Oh, you gotta love this age…right? Forget Terrible Twos!  I think 4 is one of the roughest ages!

Ethan smiling funny and reminding me of a frog. The face? Or the green?

The town of Wissembourg dates back to the 7th century, and many of the timber-frame houses date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

In case you can’t see it…the date on the above building says 1550. 15 freakin’ 50!!!!

I also loved the Gothic-style St. Peter and St. Paul’s church with its 11th century bell tower.

I admired the huge sloped roof of the Salt House, built in the 1400’s.

A closer look to admire the rises and falls of this wavy roof!! And still standing!  Wow!

Geesh. France. I think I like you!!  (Okay, I know I do!)

My name is Alisa, and I love traveling the world with my adventurous husband and rambunctious 4 small children. I am passionate about gorgeous scenery, meeting new people, and I’m obsessed with vegetables. Most of all, I love making memories with my family, and I enjoy sharing our travels with others!