Sélestat: in the footsteps of a giant

Discover Alsace’s little-known heritage on a 2-hour guided tour led by a passionate local guide. With its sacred architecture, ancient legends and humanist heritage, Sélestat will surprise you at every turn.

You’ll go back to the town’s mythical origins with the story of the giant Sleto, legendary protector of the forest, before plunging into the golden centuries of Rhenish humanism. Facing the UNESCO-listed Humanist Library, you’ll understand the central role played by Sélestat in the dissemination of knowledge during the Renaissance, notably through figures such as Beatus Rhenanus.

The tour will then take you past the town’s two major churches: Sainte-Foy, a Romanesque jewel, and Saint-Georges, a Gothic masterpiece. You’ll also discover the town’s mansions, sculpted bourgeois houses and old shopping districts, all of which bear witness to the town’s trading and scholarly history.

But Sélestat is also a town of popular traditions: the witches’ tower, the brotherhoods, the legends of the dreaded Hans Trapp, and above all the very first written mention of a Christmas tree, dated 1521 and preserved here in the municipal archives.

Through stories of daily life – craftsmen, students, Jewish families – your guide will reveal a face of this little-known city that is at once erudite, mysterious and profoundly human. Reserve your place and let yourself be surprised by the discreet but fascinating soul of Sélestat!