Obernai

Sunday
Today we did some exploring out of Strasbourg. We first visited the picturesque town of Obernai. It has many charming half-timbered medieval buildings lining the narrow streets, many painted in different colours typical of Alsace. My blip shows the wall above a patisserie/biscuiterie, decorated with plates and moulds. We walked around the town, and then followed the tree-lined walk which follows the line of the ramparts, much of which still remain. 
We then continued to nearby Mont Sainte Odile, the site of a former monastery situated on a hilltop in the Vosges. (I've included a picture in my extras). Some of the monastery buildings are now a hotel, but the chapel continues to be a popular place of pilgrimage. Besides the main chapel, there are two tiny chapels on the terrace, decorated with beautiful (20th c.) mosaics.
The story of Sainte Odile is an interesting one. She was born in the 7th century to Aldaric, Duke of Alsace. He had wanted a son, and when his sick, blind daughter was born, he ordered her to be killed. His wife, however, gave her to a nurse who hid her in a convent.
When she was 12, she was baptised and immediately recovered her sight. She was then renamed Odile, which means 'girl of the light'.Odile then decided she wanted to return home, and her brother Hugues came to fetch her. out of revenge for the deceit, their father killed Hugues, but soon repented and tried to marry Odile to a young prince. She refused the marriage and hid in the mountains. Just as her father was about to seize her the rock miraculously opened and hid her. 
Aldaric was amazed at the miracle, and Odile became a nun. Her father then gave her the Castle of Hohenbourg which she turned into a monastery. After her death in 720 her tomb became a popular pilgrimage site and Sainte Odile became patron saint of Alsace. 
We continued on to the village of Barr, which we found a little disappointing, not helped by the presence of a large crane in the centre! However, we had a stroll around and then had a drink in the sunshine before returning to Strasbourg