When we started planning this trip, we hoped to find lodging in all three countries as the itinerary unfolded, but it was quickly apparent that staying in Switzerland was going to challenge our budget. So, when it was time to visit Switzerland, we opted to stay about 15 minutes west of Basel in the southernmost corner of the Grand Est region of France.
Hésingue ended up being the cutest, quietest, cleanest little town that felt more like a studio set than an actual village. This was our three-bedroom house with a full attic that could accommodate eight people comfortably:
Like so much of eastern France, the architecture feels a German and a little Swiss — straight out of a fairy tale.
We had everything we needed here: free parking, a little grocery store, an ATM, kind people, and proximity to Switzerland.
There was no litter or obscene graffiti in Hésingue. The entire town was walkable, so it seemed like you could get from one end to the other in about 30 minutes on foot if you needed to. There were also plenty of French cats!
After settling into the AirBNB, we left Jackson to rest (he was having some tummy troubles) and drove to Basel. This would mark the beginning of the biggest frustration of the trip. Basel was not an easy city to navigate. Construction, trams, and confusing intersections were the main culprits, so it took Herculean effort for Chuck to keep his cool.
It was better once we found a parking garage and could get out to walk around, but I’m not sure Chuck will be returning to Basel anytime soon!
Basel is in northernmost Switzerland on the Rhine River, with Germany and France on its shoulders.
Since we only had the evening, we opted to walk up one side of the river (towards the old town), cross a bridge, and walk back on the other side. The area wasn’t overly crowded on foot, so it made for a nice evening stroll.
We spent a little bit of time in Münsterplatz, a historic city square, where food trucks and a street performer were set up for the night.
We crossed the Middle Bridge (Mittlere Brücke) and walked down the other side of the Rhine.
I always take the opportunity to feed local ducks. It’s a whole thing I enjoy.
We didn’t spend too long in Basel since we were tired and needed to store up energy for our day in the Alps. I’m sure there are worthy sites to see in Basel, but a nice walk around town on a cool night was just enough for us.