Barr is one of those places where I would go to live if my budget allowed it. Located in the Alsace region, Barr is one of the villages that make up the wine route, and a place almost unknown to tourists.
📍Location of Barr
Barr is situated in the Lower Rhine, 30 min from Strasbourg and 40 min from Colmar. Some nearby villages are Andlau, Gertwiller (where the Maison du Pain d’epices is located), Obernai or Sélestat.
The only way to reach Bar by public transport is by train from Strasbourg or Sélestat. Since this line is the only one operating in Barr.
🇫🇷 Things to do and see in Barr
Alsace was a destination that had been on my list for some time. And with the excuse of having a holiday and wanting to visit somewhere at Christmas time, I organised a 12-day drive through Alsace, Switzerland and Germany.
Barr was a town I had included on the list by chance. It is not like Colmar, Eguisheim, Ribeauvillé, Kayserberg or Riquewihr, which are not missing on any list.
Bar was (almost) nowhere to be found. But as I had more days than usual, I decided to write down as many villages as possible and be more objective when deciding which were my most beautiful villages in Alsace.
But Barr turned out to be a real treasure trove.
The best way to discover it is to lose yourself in its streets. The houses maintain the Alsatian style – although only in the more central parts of the village.
The streets are paved with cobblestones, which gives it a picturesque feel. Barr has become one of my favourite villages in Alsace. I can’t really explain what makes this place so special?
Maybe it’s its tranquillity, the fact that there are no tourists and you have the village almost to yourself, or the essence that I see in it.
Walking through its narrow streets, we found a café – to which we returned a couple of days later – where we tried Mannala with chocolate shavings, a typical Alsatian sweet that is only eaten at Christmas time.
When I travel, I love to try the typical food of each place, and if it’s sweet, all the better.
The Mannala is a little milk bread man. They are sold in most places in the region and you can find them plain, with sultanas or with chocolate shavings.
I had already tasted this sweet a few days before in Bergheim – but without chocolate – and its taste reminded me a lot of the potato coca from Valldemossa. Have you had something similar?
The café in question is the one in the picture. If you stroll through its streets, you’re sure to find it before long.
Be warned. You’ll be tempted by many of its sweets, cakes and other treats… Be careful! The café is nothing special, but it has its charm.
It’s a place I could get used to, and where I would take refuge to pass the time while it’s raining in Barr – yes, I know, I like this town too much.
Continuing along the road, we come to the Catholic Church, the cemetery and a street with a nice view of Barr.
The centre of the village is located at the Town Hall square (L’hotel de Ville). This is where the Christmas market is located, and, just opposite, is Restaurant Le Brochet, a landmark building dating from the 16th century.
When I went the first time, the Christmas market was closed. It is only held on the first three weekends of December.
This was the reason why I went back to Barr. However, it is not a market I would recommend visiting.
What I liked most were the trees on display. The school children had created the different ornaments for the tree, and each tree belonged to a different class.
From here, we headed to the Protestant Church in Barr.
St. Martin’s Church is located near the starting point of the wine route, and just a short walk from the town hall square. The church dates back to 1180, and still preserves the 4 levels of its Romanesque tower. It is notable for its Stiehr organ.
From the steps, from the front or from a more distant angle… I found the church so beautiful that I decided to take home an album of it alone.
🛌 Where to sleep in Barr
Barr is an unnoticed village, so you won’t find many hotels in the area. 5 Terres Hôtel & Spa Barr – MGallery by Sofitel and LE H – Hôtel & Restaurant are the best places to stay in Barr.
