Just a short distance from Strasbourg’s historic center is the easygoing residential suburb of Montagne Verde. Take a break from the city’s must-see museums and landmarks to experience life as the Montagnards do. Montagne Verte sits southwest of the city center and stretches along a branch of the River Ill.

Learn about the history of the town. A settlement was first established here in the 6th century and it later became the site of the hermitage of St. Arbogast. Watchtowers were erected in the 1400s, which served to protect the fortified city of Strasbourg. Around the same time, the German blacksmith and printer Johannes Gutenberg moved to the neighborhood. He is famous for pioneering Europe’s first typographical printing mechanisms.

Of architectural interest is the early 20th-century Saint Arbogast Church, believed to be the only half-timbered religious building in the Alsace region. It has a triple nave design and a statue of St. Arbogast standing above the main entrance. The half-timbering style was chosen so that it could be dismantled quickly in the event of attacks on the walled city. Enjoy fresh air and greenery at the tree-lined Parc Eugene-Imbs.

Rent a bike from the city center and explore sections of the Bruche Canal Cycle Route. It follows a canal designed by military engineer Vauban in 1681, which served to ferry sandstone for the city walls from the Vosges Mountains. At the route’s western end is Soultz-les-Bains, where you can visit the German-built Mutzig Fort. Soultz-les-Bains connects with the Alsatian Wine Route.

Getting to Montagne Verte is quick and easy via public buses and trams. It’s also less than a 30-minute walk from the Quartier de la Gare neighborhood. Here trains arrive at the impressive Strasbourg Station from major cities across France and Germany. The region also has a collection of interesting attractions, including the MAMCS Modern Art Museum and Voodoo Museum.