Mulhouse is a French city located in the Haut-Rhin department, in the southern part of the Alsace region. Its population is around 280,000 people, accounting for 40% of the entire Haut-Rhin population. It is a very cosmopolitan city, with around 135 nationalities and also has the highest proportion of young people of any French city. Mulhouse is less than an hour from Germany and Switzerland, both of which have had a strong influence on its culture.

Legend has it that Mulhouse was built around a water mill. For a long time, it was a city-State, becoming the Republic of Mulhouse in 1347. Joining the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in 1746, it became part of France again in 1798. Mulhouse quickly became one of Europe's major industrial hubs, often referred to as the “French Manchester”. In the beginning of the 20th century, coal mining became a major part of the economy, most notably in the northern part of the city. In this same industrial spirit, Mulhouse’s university became the first to offer a course dedicated to apprenticeship, which, to this day, is still one of the greatest in France. The city is today the “Capital of technical museums”.

A two-day break:

Two days is a perfect amount of time to get a good feel for the city. There are two Campanile hotels to choose from near Mulhouse : Mulhouse Sud – Morschwiller and Mulhouse Nord – Illzach Ile Napoléon, both of which are about 5km from the city centre. Start your trip off with a visit to some of the great industrial sites. Mulhouse is the proud owner of one of the world’s largest automobile museums: the Cité de l’automobile, which holds the famous Sclumpf car collection. The EDF Electropolis museum is the largest in Europe dedicated to electric enegy. Also, the Cité du train is Europe’s largest railway museum. Other interesting places to visit include the Musée du papier paint (wallpaper manufacturing museum), the Zoological and botanical gardens and the Musée des beaux arts.

A week-long stay:

For a longer stay, you can further explore what the city has to offer. Visit the Mulhouse Cathedral and the beautiful Place de la Réunion which, situated in the centre of city, is named after the reuniting of the French and Mulhouse Republics. You should also spend some time wandering around the old town as well as visiting the town hall. The Tour d’Europe is a skyscraper with a restaurant on the top floor, from which you’ll have unparalleled views. You can venture out of the city and visit some of Alsace great vineyards. Also, the Peugeot car museum is located at the site of the PSA factories in Souchaux near Montbéliard, which is about 40km from Mulhouse.

A family holiday:

Your entire family will enjoy a trip to Mulhouse, for both its industrial history and its open spaces!

Transport:

You can easily reach Mulhouse by train, bus, car, plane or even boat. Once in the city, there is a well-developed network of trams which will take you where you need to go. Otherwise, you can easily rent a “vélib”, a bicycle which can be hired at an hourly or daily rate.

Gastronomy:

There are several foods that are particular to Mulhouse and its surrounding region. Mannala (meaning literally “little man”) is a sort of bread shaped to resemble a little man and is served with hot chocolate. The Schnackala is similar but is in the form of an “S”. Fleischschnacka is a mixture of pasta dough and ground beef which, when cooked in broth, resembles a snail. Sürlawerla is a slice of veal liver sautéed in shallots and red wine. Moricette is inspired by the pretzel but is used to make sandwiches. Melfor is a honey-flavoured vinegar used on salads and crudités. Lastly, Schankalas or Scharwas are small sugar donuts eaten during the Carnavalia period.

Events:

Mulhouse hosts various events all throughout the year. There is Carnavalia at the end of February, the Regional Camping Expo in spring, the Automobile festival in early July, the Festival of Street Art at the end of July, and The Great East Industrial Exposition and the Textile Printing Forum at the end of the year.

Interesting fact:

Kobe Bryant, the American basketball player, lived in Mulhouse for eight months in 1976 while his father was playing for the local FC Mulhouse Basket team.

Useful links:

http://www.mulhouse.fr/ (official city site)http://www.tourisme-mulhouse.com// (Tourist site)