Mulhouse is a large town in the Haut-Rhin department of the Alsace region, very close to the French border with Germany and Switzerland.
The town doesn't play a large part in the Alsace tourist circuit, being better known as an industrial centre, but you will discover an interesting historic centre and some very impressive museums if you take the time to visit.
Exploring Mulhouse
The centre of the town is quite compact and easily explored on foot. Start your visit in the historic centre of Mulhouse at Place de la Reunion. In and around this attractive square you can see:
- the protestant Temple of Saint-Etienne, a large neo-gothic style church built in the 19th century - inside the church you can see the stained glass windows from the 12th century church that previously stood in the same location.
- the 16th century Town Hall, landmark site of the town with its decorative facade and now home to the history museum
- the Mieg House, a 15th century townhouse that was for a long time the home to one of the wealthiest families in Mulhouse
- the pharmacy on the Place de la Réunion was built in the 15th century and has been a pharmacy since the middle of the 17th century, which must be some kind of record for a successful business! Go inside to take a look at the painted ceiling.
Among other notable monuments in the centre of Mulhouse you can see a fine 18th century townhouse called the Loewenfels House; the picturesque little Chapel of Saint John (13th century; and another impressive 18th century house called Villa Steinbach (the villa Steinbach now houses the Mulhouse Museum of Fine Arts).
While little remains of the medieval Mulhouse and the original fortifications have long since disappeared you can still see the four stone gateways that once gave access to the city centre.
Mulhouse Museums
It is the highly renowned museums that attract many visitors to Mulhouse (the town claims to be the most important centre for museums in Europe), and the town has several that cover a wide range of interests. The most popular include:
- Cité de l'automobile: the National Car Museum of France contains several hundred exceptional cars from across the last century, and various exhibits that help bring the history of cars and motor racing to life. The collection of bugattis alone makes the museum worth a visit.
Featuring everything from childrens cars to racing cars, and everything motor related in between, it is generally considered to be the best car museum in the world - Cité du Train: every trainspotters dream, this extensive museum has a very large collection of trains covering the entire period from when they were first introduced in France around 150 years ago
- History Museum: discover the history of Mulhouse throught the exhibits in the museum based in the elegant Town Hall
- Musée de l'impression sur étoffes: the original wealth of the town was in part due to the textile industry, which is celebrated in this museum. It is an interior designers dream, with the largest collection of printed materials you can imagine, drawn from all periods of history and all cultures
- Museum of Fine Arts: this museum has works of art by a wide range of painters and artists from the last few centuries
There are also several smaller museums in Mulhouse, including museums dedicated to wallpapers and electrical energy.
Other Mulhouse highlights
As you explore Mulhouse you will see several buildings painted using 'trompe l'oeil', and the town also contains several parks and gardens including the Zoo and Botanical Gardens, the most popular tourist destination in Alsace.
You can find more travel ideas in the Haut-Rhin guide and the Alsace guide.
Arrange a visit to Mulhouse
Reserve excursions
Book hotels, car hire and flights
Hotels in Mulhouse
Booking.com: best prices
For great prices on car hire throughout France and Corsica please visit our recommended partner at RentalCars.com
Map of Mulhouse and places nearby
Visit near Mulhouse with France This Way reviews
Ottmarsheim
The Abbey church of Ottmarsheim is said to be the oldest church in Alsace, and is very unusual in having an octagonal plan
Ottmarsheim guide
Ungersheim
The Ecomuseum at Ungershim is a fascinating reconstruction of an entire medieval Alsace village using buildings from across the region
Ungersheim guide
Altkirch
In the oldest part of Altkirch you can still see part of the defensive walls and a medieval gateway into the town
Altkirch guide
Soultz-Haut-Rhin
In Soultz-Haut-Rhin an unusual characteristic is that many of the old houses are in stone rather than half-timbered as is common in the region
Soultz-Haut-Rhin guide
Guebwiller
In Guebwilller it is the part of the town along the canal and also the churches that are the highlight for visitors
Guebwiller guide
Rouffach
Perhaps less exceptional than some Alsace towns we still enjoyed exploring the centre of Rouffach
Rouffach guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Haut-Rhin
Tourist classifications for Mulhouse
Mulhouse has received the following tourist classifications: listed town of Art and History ;
Address: Mulhouse, Alsace, 68100, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 47.7495, longitude 7.33994
Plan your visit to Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Parc botanique de Mulhouse : remarkable garden
- Parc zoologique et botanique de Mulhouse: zoo or wildlife park
- Parc Alfred-Wallach: remarkable garden (2 km)
- Sausheim: ville fleurie 4* (5 km)
- Thann: recommended detour (19 km)
- Parc de la Marseillaise: remarkable garden (20 km)
- Hirtzbach: ville fleurie 4* (20 km)
- Guebwiller: town of art and history (20 km)
- Soultzmatt: ville fleurie 4* (25 km)
- Huningue: ville fleurie 4* (25 km)
- Masevaux: ville fleurie 4* (26 km)
- Parc de Wesserling: remarkable garden (30 km)
Market days in Mulhouse, France
Regular market(s) are held in Mulhouse each Tuesday all day & Thursday all day & Saturday & Friday. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)
The French version of this page is at Mulhouse (Francais)