Free walking tours in Mulhouse and what to see

Must-sees

Mulhouse is in southern Alsace, very close to Switzerland and Germany, and grew into a major textile industry town. Its heart is Place de la Réunion, surrounded by narrow, colourful houses. Here stands the old town hall, Renaissance in style with a painted façade, which now houses the history museum. Next to it, the Protestant Temple Saint-Étienne keeps 14th-century stained glass. As you walk around you will also see many façades decorated with murals, a tradition the town has kept for centuries.

Above all, Mulhouse is a city of technical museums. The Cité de l’Automobile grew out of the Schlumpf collection, with some five hundred vehicles, including a huge number of Bugattis. The Cité du Train displays around a hundred locomotives and carriages from different eras. The line-up is completed by the Museum of Printed Textiles, which recalls the textile past, and Electropolis, devoted to electricity. For some time outdoors there is the zoo and botanical garden, and nearby, the Écomusée d’Alsace in Ungersheim.

Free tours and guided visits

Civitatis has no free walking tours or dedicated tours of Mulhouse. The only thing listed is a tourist card for the whole of Alsace giving access to museums and visits around the region, useful if you are combining Mulhouse with Colmar, Strasbourg or the wine route. The city’s big museums are easy to visit on your own, and the centre is small and walkable.

How long to spend

A couple of hours is enough for Place de la Réunion and the centre. What really takes time are the museums: the Cité de l’Automobile and the Cité du Train can easily take half a day each. With two days you can see both, stroll around the centre and add the zoo or the textile museum. If you have a third day, the Écomusée d’Alsace is a good trip, especially with children.

Where to stay

The most practical option is to stay in the centre, near Place de la Réunion, or by the station, where there are chain hotels with good train and tram links. From there you reach the museums by public transport. The residential Rebberg district, on the hill, is quieter and close to the zoo. If you are flying into Basel-Mulhouse airport, Saint-Louis is another option.