Notre Dame de Bonne Fontaine

Phalsbourg

Phalsbourg in north-eastern France, once a town of great military importance, is today a pleasant small town of about 5,000 inhabitants and well worth a visit on a driving holiday. The town is a cultural centre and hosts several festivals each year, including a foie-gras festival, an agricultural festival and a theatre festival. There are several restaurants, historical monuments and a historical museum.

The surrounding forest area has a somewhat special history. In the early 18th century, an epidemic of dysentery broke out among the soldiers of Phalsbourg. After finding a new spring and a statue of the Virgin Mary in an oak tree, the soldiers recovered. In gratitude, they built a wooden chapel, which was replaced by a stone church in 1741. The well and the church became a destination for pilgrims. At the end of the 19th century a small monastery was built and the monks looked after the church and the spring. Today there is a cemetery around the church, where the monks are buried.

Seal Museum

Visit the small but very special museum, which exhibits seals, coats of arms and a fascinating historical testimony from antiquity up through many centuries. Bishops, popes, nobles, knights and the many different orders that ruled the Roman-German Empire used these seals in their coats of arms and they were first and foremost a matter of establishing the identity of the person or the family.

From ancient times, sails and coats of arms have been mainly about authority and ownership, but also to spread knowledge and respect for the holders of the seal, and have been used to certify both private and public deeds.

An interesting museum where the imagination can roam free and be inspired by the many beautiful objects on display in the Musée du Sceau or the Sailing Museum.

Rocher de la Grenouille

There are plenty of great hiking routes in the Vosges National Park. Ask for the routes at the hotel or research the wonderful walks around the area from home. Rocher de la Grenouille is one of the many excursion destinations that are also close to La Petite Pierre

Bouxwiller

Drive to Bouxwiller in France, which is also one of the most beautiful towns in northern Alsace, known for its architectural and historical treasures. The town has retained its charm with its half-timbered houses and narrow streets and around the castle park you can still admire the buildings that were once part of the Cathedral.

Bouxwiller is an active town that also attracts many tourists, especially in summer, but the famous Christmas market is certainly an experience too, and starts in early December. Bouxwiller is also known for its big hill, Bastberg, from where there is a great view over the whole area, which by the way is also known for its many witches!

Bouxwiller dates back to Roman times and was already mentioned in a document in the year 725. There are a number of museums in the town, Pays de Hanau and Musee Judeo-Alsacien, and it's easy to spend days in the charming little town. Find a cheap weekend break for the whole family in Alsace with child-friendly hotels and plenty of exciting things to do in the area, including those for children.

Château Dietrich

Château Dietrich, also known as the Reichshoffen Castle, is a fantastic castle with a lot of interesting history attached to it. The lovely grounds are also surrounded by a beautiful park. The castle was originally founded and built for the Duke of Lorraine in 1232, but after wear and decay the beautiful pink sandstone castle was rebuilt and today belongs to the wealthy Jean de Dietrich family.

Christmas market in Strasbourg

Open 26th November to 24th December - You can visit the Christmas market's own website with current information

For many, the Christmas markets in Strasbourg are one of the greatest experiences of the festive season. There is a real magic in the air when Strasbourg's Christmas markets with Christmas trees, lights, wooden huts and traditional mulled wine open every year from the end of November.

In Strasbourg, the Christmas markets help to link the festive season with spiritual faith and culture, and it's not for nothing that the Christmas markets were voted the best Christmas destination in Europe in 2013.

It is almost 450 years since the first Christmas market called "Christkindelsmärik" became a tradition in Strasbourg, making it one of the oldest in Europe. Since then, the city has continued the tradition, providing visitors with a hospitable and authentic experience of a lifetime.

The Christmas markets in Strasbourg remain one of the places you simply have to visit at Christmas time.