Four Beautiful Towns of France & Germany----a photo essay

- March 04, 2025

Four Lovely neighbours of Heidelberg

Four lovely neighbours of Heidelberg

A pictorial journey

Wyssembourg, France

Wyssembourg is a small town in France. It is on the border with Germany and not far from Heidelberg, Germany's university town. We had taken a train that touched Mannheim and Landau on the way. When the train pulled up at Wyssembourg station, an almost empty platform soaked by drizzles preceding our arrival greeted us. An absolute beauty! Right from there it was a comfortable saunter through a picturesque, pretty, clean and graceful little town. I was so awed that even this potpourri of adjectives is not enough to describe the photogenic French town. A little river Lauter flows through the town. It is so small and so narrow that on first view it gives an impression of a narrow canal flowing through the town. Not far from its larger counterpart Strasbourg, this cute town is rich in history. Born in the seventh century, the town grew up around an abbey. The abbey church of Saint Pierre et Paul came up in the 13th century. The town faced two battles and a great fire about two to three centuries back. Despite such ravages, the vestiges of fortifications, old buildings, and survivors like 15th and 16th-century timber-framed houses, churches, and roads from the medieval era have been well protected and preserved. For lunch, we took bites of some delicious French cuisine at La Mirabelle restaurant.

Lorsch, Germany

This historic town lies very close to Bensheim. For historical and architectural importance, the Imperial Abbey of Lorsch was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Although in ruins, this was one of the most important monasteries of the Carolingian Empire. The Lorsch Abbey came up during the rule of Charlemagne in the eighth century. Charlemagne ( Charles the Great). Sometimes referred to as the 'father of Europe', he brought about a cultural and intellectual revival known as the Carolingian Renaissance during the medieval period. The remains are strewn over a lush green expanse of undulating land. The 9th-century Torhalle (gatehouse), part of the abbey church, some of the walls around the abbey, and a reconstructed granary are pieces that have stood the ravages of time. A few minutes walk brought us to Lauresham. a reconstructed Iron Age village that displays life in the 8th century.

Bensheim, Germany

Bensheim lies very close to the city of Darmstadt in Germany, on the edge of the Odenwald mountains. This little town has a medieval origin, as its history stretches back to the early Ages. This place's beauty is how the old part of the town has been preserved despite significant damages during World War II. The architectural features reflected by the half-timbered houses, the pathways, the historic market square, the nearby Auerbach castle, and remnants of town walls and towers provide a medieval feel. While strolling down the paths we stole glimpses of a German town as it was six to seven hundred years ago.

Walldorf, Germany

We had taken a bus from outside Heidelberg station to visit Walldorf. The very first sight presents an impression of a picture-postcard town, comfortably placed on an idyllic square. Established in the 8th century, the city suffered two wars: a thirty-year war in the 17th century and a French invasion in 1689, which wiped out the town. The town, however, gained a lot of importance and prominence when it became home to software giant SAP.

Photo Credit: Arundhati Sengupta

Wyssembourg 👇