France Trip | Alsace Strasbourg Colmar Riquewihr Eguisheim

Hello, This is Mong Travel.

Lately, I’ve been totally swept up in the Studio Ghibli craze too. Watching Howl’s Moving Castle really reminded me of the Alsace region in eastern France—it turns out that’s where some of the inspiration came from! I’ve always loved that area, so maybe that’s why I was naturally drawn to the Ghibli aesthetic. Honestly, when I compare it to the photos I’ve taken there, I feel like the Ghibli version looks even better… makes me wonder if I even need to take photos anymore!

alsace strasbourg colmar riquewihr eguisheim map

Great stopover spots when traveling from 🇫🇷 Paris to Switzerland 🇨🇭

There’s a direct TGV train line from Paris to Strasbourg, and it’s also easy to get to Colmar by train. Riquewihr and Eguisheim are a bit trickier since you’ll need to take a bus, so unless you’re traveling by rental car, they’re a little harder to recommend.

1. Strasbourg

Strasbourg is probably the best spot to make a quick stop when heading from Paris to Switzerland. It’s the largest city in the area and the most convenient to access. The TGV train from Paris to Strasbourg only takes about two hours, so some travelers even do it as a day trip—though that’s pretty rare.

Just walking around the city center is such a pleasant experience.

The whole place feels like something straight out of a fairytale.

2. Colmar

Personally, I prefer Colmar over Strasbourg. The only downside is that the town center is a bit of a walk from the train station. Still, a lot of people prefer Colmar to Strasbourg, and some even say Riquewihr is nicer than Colmar. But I think that’s partly because it gets progressively harder to access each spot 😄 Wherever you go, you really can’t go wrong!

3. Riquewihr

They say Riquewihr was the inspiration for Howl’s Moving Castle, and it really is the prettiest of them all. There are charming little wineries you can stop into, and while it doesn’t have a lake like Strasbourg or Colmar, the village itself is absolutely gorgeous.

If you're coming out to Riquewihr, you’re probably renting a car—just plug “Riquewihr” into your GPS and head out. The village is small, so you can casually stroll around and see everything at your own pace.

4. Eguisheim

A lot of people driving through the region visit not just Colmar and Riquewihr, but also Eguisheim. Riquewihr and Eguisheim have similar vibes, but each has its own charm, so it’s hard to say which is better. One unique thing about Eguisheim is that you can walk the circular path that wraps around the whole village—very cool!