Do you drive on the French roads or autoroutes? Have you noticed road signs with words that don’t really mean much to you?
Most road signs are iconic and easily understood in any language, but every now and then the French will throw one at you and the meaning is really not very clear. Many of these road signs are temporary (with a yellow background and setup because of unusual circumstances.
The small city of Kayserberg is a must-see in the region. Located in the Kayserberg valley between the Vosges and the Alsatian plain, this medieval city with a population of 2,700 inhabitants is typical of the local architecture.
Alsace is a famous region of Eastern France, having been a buffer between France and Germany for several centuries. As such, the region has a lot to offer about historical tourism. Interested in medieval architecture? Alsace abounds castles and old towns. Interested in World War One? Like during the previous war of 1870, France and Germany fought for almost every square kilometer of the land. Interested in the Second World War? It was the theater of bitter fighting between the Allies and Nazi Germany. But Alsace is also famous for its wine and vineyards, for its urban architecture, its vernacular languages, its cultural identity(ies) and its storks.
In May 2017, six history students made a trip to Alsace, visiting towns, castles and old battlefields. Here is a glimpse of what they visited.
Fort Douaumont is a symbol of the bloody battle of Verdun that took place from February 1916 to December of the same year during the First World War.
Verdun is a small city in the French North-East. Its location, in a valley close to the Belgian, Luxembourgian and German borders, makes the city an important strategic place. Furthermore, it is one of the passage points to cross the Meuse river. As such, Verdun has throughout history been a battlefield in the numerous conflicts opposing France to its neighbours.
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