Subprefecture and commune in Grand Est, France
Photo: Jipéto, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Mulhouse is an industrial city in Alsace, France west of the Rhine near the border to Germany. Thanks to its history, cultural heritage, geographic location, and a plethora of investments made to gentrify neighbourhoods, rehabilitate public transportation, and new stores, the city is slowly but surely getting out of its dark ages.
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The main square of the old town of Mulhouse. Major buildings include the Temple (Protestant Church) of St. Etienne, popularly nicknamed the "cathedral", and the old town hall. The Temple was constructed in the 19th century, although it looks much older, and incorporates stained glass and furnishings from the medieval building that it replaced. The former town hall, which houses the city historical museum (free entry), is notable for its elaborate mock-marble trompe d'oeil painted decoration.
Centred on the Place de la Republique, the New Quarter was constructed between the old town and the canal (and later railway) in the early 19th century to house important business institutions and the homes of newly wealthy industrial families.
A skyscraper with a restaurant on the top floor. Acts as a landmark within the city centre if you get lost.
Museum of traditional Alsatian rural life featuring 74 original buildings, agricultural lands, and craft demonstrations.
The museum of wallpaper manufacturing.
National Auto Museum - Schlumpf Collection
France's largest motor museum and one of the largest in Europe, built around the collection of the industrialist Schlumpf brothers, seized by the nation in 1981 in lieu of unpaid taxes following the bankruptcy of the company. The museum is known in particular for its collection of Bugattis, including two of the six legendary Type 41 "Royale" super-luxury cars. The collection also includes a wide range of other French and European road and racing cars. Two specialised collections are a collection of official and unofficial radiator cap mascots, and the Jammet Collection of children's pedal cars, some items from which are displayed adjacent to the full-size cars that they represented. On weekends and bank holidays in high summer, live historic car shows occur in the neighbouring "Autodrome", with collection vehicles in motion.
City of the Train - National Railway Museum
France's national railway museum and one of the largest in Europe. The museum is divided into three display areas: the "Spectacle Trail", a thematic display with some impressive and controversial scenic and lighting effects; the "Platforms of History", a more traditional chronological display of vehicles; and the open air "Railway Panorama", housing additional vehicles and a few very large architectural and technical items. There are generally no train rides available, although in the "Platforms of History" area the huge Nord 4-6-4 232U1 is used hourly for demonstrations of a steam engine's motion, electrically powered, and in high season two miniature railways operate indoors and outdoors.
Electricity museum, with dioramas showing the development of electricity in France, displays of scientific and industrial electric equipment from the earliest development of electricity, and an extensive collection of domestic electrical appliances covering the entire 20th century. Also a massive, restored steam-powered generator.
Traditional Alsatian restaurant in the old town with gigantic portions.
French cuisine
Seafood
Alsace restaurant
Restaurant and bar serving beers, excellent burgers, salads.
Very good upmarket Italian restaurant.
French cuisine.
An Irish-themed bar downtown.
103-bed youth hostel next the university campus and its sports facilities. Breakfast (€4) available.
A hypermarket near the motorway where you can buy all you need for the trip.
Smaller, centrally-located supermarket.
By bus
By car
The city is at the crossroads of the Paris-Germany and Strasbourg-Basel motorways, so you can easily arrive by car.
By plane
The closest airport, EuroAirport (MLH) is some 25 km south and serves Mulhouse, Basel and Freiburg.50). The train only runs hourly outside of business hours.
The city centre and major suburbs are linked by a three-line tram system. Other parts of the city are served by a bus network, although bus routes may be less frequent and have more limited operating hours.
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Bâle / Mulhouse · International · BSL
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