24 March 2023 , 16:01
1207
0
You can stay in a enchanting French town believed to have inspired Beauty and the Beast for just £42 a night.
Eguisheim is located in France’s Alsace wine region and is just 15 minutes by car from Colmar, which is renowned for its Christmas market and Riquewihr, a cobbled village dotted with half-timbered wine merchants.
All three of these towns are said to be part of the inspiration for Beauty and the Beast, but Eguisheim is arguably the most beautiful.
The charming yet typical little Alsatian village is filled full of brightly coloured old houses with pointed roofs and timber-framed façades.
Eguisheim has been ranked as "One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France" each year since 2003 and won the title of "France's Favourite Village" in 2013.
'I gave my baby an extravagant Disney name - cruel trolls mocked me for it'
The medieval village is renowned for its wine (Getty Images) It is modestly sized with a population of just 2,000 and has unique, almost cartoonishly built homes which seems to hang over the streets as you walk along them.
In the spring and summer great profusions of flowers burst out off window boxes that hang over the higgledy-piggledy streets.
It is built around a castle in the centre and this medieval city unfolds in concentric circles.
Among them are fountains, tiny courtyards and a church sheltering a 13th century statue of the Virgin Mary.
What is particularly charming about Eguisheim is that, despite its beauty, it is relatively free from the hustle and bustle of people that other points on the tourist map contend with.
The village is home to just 2,000 people (Getty Images/iStockphoto)This is partly due to it being in the north-east of France, which struggles to match the pull of the southern and eastern coasts.
Among those who do make the trip are hikers and cyclists making the most of the nearby mountains, and white storks which nest in one of the village's park.
April Every Day, a travel blogger, was transported to a film she loved during a childhood on a visit to Eguisheim.
"As we arrived and started exploring the small village, I instantly knew what my mum meant when she said it’s like a real life Beauty and the Beast town," she wrote.
"As we arrived in the main square with the fountain, flowerboxes and cobblestone streets, I could just imagine Belle strolling through the village with a book in hand, ready to burst out in song."
If you fancy a visit the village, then the good news is that it won't cost the Earth.
Disney's longest serving employee, animator and producer Burny Mattinson dies
A central and highly-rated hotel in Eguisheim has rooms from £42 per night, which are listed on HolidayPirates along with similarly bargain places to stay.
There are currently plenty of flights from London to Basel - the nearest airport and a 40 minute drive away - going for £50 return.
Alternatively, a Eurostar from London to Paris or Lille can be linked up with the local train network to get to Eguisheim without too much fuss.