www.tourisme-oberbnai.fr. Immaculately preserved within its medieval ramparts, Obernai makes an excellent base for the region and is within easy reach of Strasbourg.

The central place du Marché is edged by lovely half-timbered and corbelled buildings, a Renaissance Hôtel de Ville and the 16thC Halle aux Blé, a winner with its unusual struts, stone balcony and roof-full of pigeon roosts. At one corner of the square, a pretty Renaissance well sports buckets of flowers and frilly dragon water spouts.

The tourist office provides free guided tours (French, German and English) at 10 am every Tuesday and Friday morning in July and August, and the cobbled streets are lined with vintners and gift shops bursting with every conceivable Alsacien souvenir.