In the charming village of Eguisheim, located in the Haut-Rhin department of the Grand Est region in France

 Alsace is a region in northeastern France that borders Switzerland and Germany.

=======================================================================
(in the Haut-Rhin department in Grand Est in northeastern France, in the historical region of Alsace) Alsace is so close to Germany that you can travel by tram from the regional capital Strasbourg, to Kehl, the nearest German city, in just 15 minutes. Although Alsace is part of France, its borders have not always been clear. The region has been passed between French and German control several times since 1681, when Strasbourg was conquered by French forces -- making Alsatian culture a mix of French and German influences.

+ Featured here is Eguisheim, birthplace of the Alsatian vineyards; it has been listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France since 2003, and has been awarded the National Grand Prize winner for Flowers since 1989. (The historic village plunges the visitor into the Renaissance.) The village lies on the edge of the Ballons des Vosges Nature Park, where the Vosges meet the Upper Rhine Plain.
+ Located along the Alsace Wine Route, only 5 km (~3 mi.) from Colmar, Eguisheim is surrounded by a 339 hectare (~838 acre) vineyard, whose hills “Eichberg” and “Pfersigberg” are known as the “Grands Crus” of Alsace.

In the east of the country, it’s a medieval village built in concentric circles around Château de Sain-Léon-Pfalz, a 13th-century French castle. When looking at a photo of Éguisheim taken from above (as depicted here), it is easy to be amazed by the shape of this medieval city, The main street (Grand-Rue) crosses the village from East to West. It passes by the main square: Place du Château Saint-Leon. The circular streets should not be missed, particularly the rue du Rempart (North and South).Expect cobbled streets, colorful half-timbered houses with pointed roofs, flowers lining every windowsill, and cute local shops and restaurants.

The vineyards around Eguisheim produce Alsace wine of high quality. The village is ranked in the top 20 of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. In May 2013 it was voted the 'Village préféré des Français' (Favorite French Village), an annual distinction that passes from town to town throughout France.
+ Human presence in the area as early as the Paleolithic age is testified by archaeological excavations. In the early Middle Ages, the Dukes of Alsace built the castle here, around which the current settlement developed.

+ Eguisheim has two areas that produce wine of exceptional quality, Eichberg (in English: Oak Mountain) and Pfersigberg (in English: Peach Mountain), characterized by the very hard Muschelkalk.

+ The village is a popular tourist destination, in part because the Alsace "Wine Route" passes the village. (The area around Eguisheim is popular with hikers and cyclists.)

+ The village is also a Village Cigogne d'Alsace (in Alsatian: Elsässisches Storckadorf), meaning that there are storks in the village. Eguisheim has a park dedicated to the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) which is freely accessed.