The charming French town that brought us somewhere quite German
One Big Mistake and 7 Things I Wouldn’t Change
Our first winter in Europe
December 2025 was our first winter in Europe. We thought it would make for a memorable holiday to travel to France and visit the picturesque Christmas markets in the Alsace region. Foolishly, when we began planning our trip in November, we realized that all the hotels and airbnbs for a family of five had been booked. Our rookie mistake of waiting far too long to find a hotel ended up being a gift in disguise. Without it, we never would have experienced Sélestat and the wonder around it.
Rather than curating a perfectly optimized Alsace itinerary, we found something quieter. More human. And in the end far more memorable.
Here is what I learned and what I wouldn’t change.
Choosing Sélestat instead of the headline towns
It sounds dreamy to stay in Strasbourg or Colmar. One is crowned the Capital of Christmas. The other is often linked to Beauty and the Beast. But the quieter town of Sélestat, sitting right between them, made everything feel more doable. Less rushed. Less performative. More like real life.
Letting Sélestat be our anchor
Staying in Sélestat meant easier access to both larger markets and a nearby castle, without the pressure or price tag of the bigger cities. It also surprised us with a lovely Christmas market of its own. Intimate, walkable, and calm enough to actually enjoy with kids. My regret is that we missed the exhibitions that celebrate Sélestat as the capital of the Christmas tree, complete with an account from the oldest known written reference to the Christmas tree in 1521, artistic displays of Christmas trees including a chandelier with Meisenthal baubles, and displays with the evolution of Christmas decorations.
The drive into the foothills
Driving into the foothills toward Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg was an experience all on its own. The eight-year old in me regrets not playing the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack through the foggy climb, because it genuinely felt like leaving a provincial town and heading somewhere mysterious. A different kind of beauty.
The fog that changed everything
Visiting the castle on a foggy day felt like a possible disappointment at first. No sweeping views. No dramatic overlooks. But it turned out to be perfect. The fog slowed everyone down. It shifted the focus inward, to stone walls, quiet courtyards, and imagination filling in what we could not see. and as the blue sky came into view later in the morning, the fog made the view.
A geography lesson we did not plan
Listening to our oldest ask over and over whether this was a French castle or a German one, and realizing that in this region the answer is often both, opened the door to conversations about borders, history, and identity that no museum placard could have offered.
A moment that mattered more than the view
Watching another parent lift his child up to the keyhole windows and whisper “magic” was the moment that stayed with me. It was a reminder that sometimes the memory is not about what you see. It is about how it is shared.
Letting plans unravel just enough
We did not see everything. We did not maximize every hour. Letting the plan fall apart just enough helped us notice where we actually were instead of chasing what we thought we should be experiencing.
This entire experience has been gently loosening my grip on the A type part of my personality. It is teaching me that the biggest travel mistakes often turn into the stories my family carries forward. The ones they remember long after the checklists fade.
Sélestat, France
Do you have a favorite spot in Alsace
Asking for a friend who already cannot wait to go back 🤍
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