Barr

Visit Barr, Alsace

Barr is located 10 km south of Obernai, in the Bas-Rhin department. Barr is rather the overlooked village of the Alsace - while neighbour Obernai gets visitors by the coachload, Barr sits quietly by.

Yet the town deserves your visit when you are touring Alsace - although there are no particular individual highlights, there are lots of picturesque cobbled streets lined with traditional Alsace houses, yet without the overcrowding of its northern neighbour.

Call in to the tourist office to get a map with the circuit touristique otherwise you will almost certainly miss some of the sights. Indeed my favourite part of the town, the Grand Rue, the main shopping street, would bizarrly be very easy to miss altogether. For some reason the tourist circuit takes you on to the road and almost immediately back off it again. It does though merit the short walk up and down before continuing on the marked route. The houses on this street are smarter than other parts of the town where they sometimes have a slightly shabby air.

Places to see in Barr

- Rue Neuve is the oldest street in town. It is a narrow street with painted columbage houses down both sides. It is called Rue Neuve (New Street) because it was rebuilt after a big fire in 1678 which destroyed much of the town.

- The hotel de ville is an attractive building built in 1640-41. It was originally home to the bailif representing Strasbourg but after the revolution became the Mairie.

- Next to the town hall is the  Greffe Seigneurial, an attractive half-timber building with a wonderful cupola on the roof.

- There are a couple of places in the town where the architecture of the 'Belle Epoque' is well represented. On Rue du College there is a house with a lovely balcony in the Belle Epoque style and there is another on the Rue du Dr Sultzer.

- La Folie Marco. This is an elegant 18th century house which has a garden which has been restaured to show what a noblemans garden would have looked like at the time. The house is now a museum showing Alsacian furniture of the 17 and 18th century. There is a restaurant in the lovely vaulted cellar of the Folie Marco which sells good food at very reasonable prices.

The town is brought to life especially during the summer by the flowers that are all around, and the Sunday wine market.

Barr is on the Alsace Wine Route

Photos of Barr (click any picture to start the gallery)

Tourist classifications for Barr: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 3*;

Suggested places to visit near Barr, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Obernai 7km; Rosheim 10km; Ebersmunster 12km; Le Struthof 15km; Molsheim 15km; Selestat 16km; Kintzheim 17km; Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg 19km; Bergheim 23km; Ribeauville 25km; Wasselonne 26km; Hunawihr 27km; Riquewihr 29km; Strasbourg 29km; Marmoutier 32km; Kaysersberg 33km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Barr

Barr tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Itterswiller - ville fleurie 4* (5km) : Domaine du Windeck - remarkable garden (6km) : Parc du château de Kintzheim - remarkable garden (18km) : Jardin du chateau de Kolbsheim - remarkable garden (20km) : Diebolsheim - ville fleurie 4* (21km) : Le jardin de Marguerite - remarkable garden (22km) : Marckolsheim - ville fleurie 4* (28km) : Jardin botanique de l'université de Strasbourg - remarkable garden (29km) :

French version: see Barr (Francais)