Exploring Mulhouse in 2023: Alsace’s Unique Crossroads of History and Innovation
Geography says it’s in the department of Haut-Rhin in the French region of Alsace, but the name of the city is definitely German: Mulhouse, the name of the 110.000-person Alsatian town on the Ill, means “house of the mill” in German and makes you think of an old story.
The Historical Saga of Mulhouse
In 58 BC, the Latin troops beat the German army of King Ariovistus in a bloody fight in these lands, forcing the Germans to quickly flee. Young, defeated troops were wandering around these areas. One hurt boy found shelter at a mill and quickly fell in love with the miller’s beautiful daughter.
Their happy marriage and love story quickly spread to other runaways, who didn’t think twice about marrying other sweet girls from the area. Soon, there were many new families living around the mill. This small town was home to the Mulhousiens, and the name of the village, Mulhouse, means “house of the mill.”
There is a lot more to see in Mulhouse than just a simple watermill these days. The French city is full of historical sites, starting with the beautiful Town Hall building from the 1600s. The town hall was built in 1553 in the style of the Renaissance. The writer Montaigne later called it a “magnificent and all-gilded palace.”
Today, he is best known for his beautiful trompe l’oeil drawings that use human flaws and strengths as metaphors.
Automobile City Museum: Celebrating Automotive Heritage
The city is best known for its famous Automobile City museum, which has the world’s biggest collection of Bugatti cars and a number of cars from the Schlumpf collection. As of now, the French government has nominated the exhibition as a National Heritage Site. The 520 vehicles are split into three parts that are organized in chronological order.
As soon as tourists walk into the magical car museum, they are given an audio guide that speaks their language and takes them on an interesting trip. The exhibition is fun with movies, driving simulators, mechanical automatons, and multimedia shows that will interest even people who don’t think they have anything to do with engines.
If you want to keep talking about ways to get around, you can go to the City of the Train, which is the French national museum of rail transport.
Last but not least, once you’ve had your fill of mechanical ideas and heroic stories of pilots from the past, you might want to get lost in the trees and take in the fresh air of Alsace.
Embrace Nature at the Zoological and Botanical Park
There is the Zoological and Botanical Park of Mulhouse for nature fans. It covers 12 hectares and is full of beautiful plants and animals. The park was built in 1868 by wealthy industrialists as a beautiful lookout point. It was home to many exotic animals, such as kangaroos, deer, and many types of birds.
After taking a lot of damage during the Second World War, the park reopened in 1950. To this day, it holds more than 1200 animals from 190 different kinds. Many of these are rare or even endangered. Dahlias and other plants can also be seen from far away in a lot of different colors and sizes.
A special area in the park called the “garden of the senses” is set aside for blind people. In this unique section, the park’s smart leaders have chosen to put writings in the Braille alphabet and choose plant species for their strong smell and strange, soft, or surprising shapes to touch.
The workers’ quarter was based on the industrial areas of Manchester, the Stock Exchange Square, and the offices of the Industrial Society of Mulhouse.
There are public events in this city that honor the car like a queen that you should not miss. In fact, during the Automobile Festival in July, a huge number of old cars flood the city streets. These cars have been carefully pulled apart and polished for the event, and they are shown off in parades and special displays.
People dressed up in bright masks and riding on colorful floats parade through the streets and parks during the Carnival (late February to early March) and the Jazz Festival (August).
Accessibility and Connectivity: Getting to Mulhouse
There are several ways to get to Mulhouse. If you want to take the train, you can count on a stop that works well and is served by many trips every day. With the TGV Européen, you can get to Mulhouse in just three hours from Paris.
People who need to fly can land at Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport, which is only a 30-minute drive from the city center. People who drive can get where they need to go by taking the A35 or A36 highways.
