The Circular Village Layout

Eguisheim is one of the most photographed villages in Alsace because of its shape. Streets curve around the village in concentric rings, so that the plan from above looks like a snail shell or a target with the old castle at its centre, and walking along the outer ring gives a gentle lap of the whole village in about fifteen minutes. It lies a few kilometres south-west of Colmar, at the foot of the vineyard slopes on the Alsace Wine Route, and it has been classified among the Plus Beaux Villages de France. In 2013 it was voted the favourite village of the French in a television competition, which brought a flood of new visitors.

The circular plan is a reminder of the village's origins. At the centre stands a small castle, built in the early Middle Ages for the counts of Eguisheim, a powerful family in Alsace in the eleventh century, whose members included Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsbourg, later Pope Leo IX. The houses were built around it, and when the village was fortified, a ring of walls followed the same curve. Over time, the walls were replaced by houses, and the lane that follows the old line of the ramparts is now the Rue du Rempart, with the houses that made up the defence now turned into homes, wine cellars and guesthouses. Inner streets run in a second and third ring, joined by narrow passages that lead to the central square.

The architecture is the main pleasure. Houses of the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, painted in ochre, pink, blue and green, are half-timbered, with carved beams, decorated doorways and balconies overflowing with geraniums. Many have courtyards, some with wells or outside staircases, and the doors of wine growers' houses often bear the date of construction and the owner's emblem. The wrought-iron signs of cafés and shops hang above the lanes. The central Place du Château Saint-Léon has a fountain and a statue of the pope, with a small chapel in the castle grounds, and the Place du Marché is the centre of village life.

Wine is everywhere. The Eguisheim vineyards, on the slopes above the village, include famous Grand Cru sites that produce Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris, and the village has numerous growers who offer tastings in their cellars. The Maison du Vin gives an introduction to the local wines, and marked trails lead from the edge of the village through the vines, with views over the plain towards the Black Forest. The ruins of three medieval castles, the Trois Châteaux, can be seen on a hill above the village, and a walk to them gives a view of the Rhine plain. The Musée de la Poupée, a doll museum, is a small diversion for children.

The village is busier than it once was, so timing matters. The mid-day crowds in summer and at weekends can make the narrow lanes feel packed, whereas early morning and evening are calmer. In December the village hosts a Christmas market with decorations and lights. The layout makes it easy to explore on foot, and the whole village is small enough for a half-day visit. It suits couples, families and wine lovers, and the Église Saint-Étienne, the village church, is on the route. Parking lies outside the ring, a few minutes' walk from the centre.