Mature Flâneur

Obernai and the Legend of Saint Odile

A sacred presence watches over Alsace

Medieval Obernai. All photos by Tim Ward

We were utterly charmed by Obernai. The little town in the north of Alsace had us at “Buschur” (Alsatian German for “Hello”). Alsace is the northeast region of France that runs between upper Rhine Valley and the Vosges Massif. Obernai’s main attraction is its old town, filled with gaily-painted, half-timbered medieval houses. A stroll through town felt like walking around inside a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Teresa models Obernai in the rain, with her signature cherry-red umbrella.

Teresa (my beloved spouse) and I came to Obernai at the start of a two-week jaunt along the Alsace wine route. Neither of us have ever been to the region, and frankly we knew next to nothing about either the culture or the wines. Obernai proved an excellent starting point. We checked into a historic hotel in the center of town, with windows overlooking the medieval market square.

A pastry shop, a pharmacy, and a shoe store line the old market square of this workaday ancient town.

Now, we have seen plenty of medieval villages in other parts of France that are also hella cute. But…