Hotel Le Pavillon 7

Saint Odile

by traveloturc

Saint Odile (or Odilia) (Obernai, Dept. Bas-Rhin, c. 662 A.D. - c. 720 at Mount Ste. Odile) was the daughter of Etichon (Athich), Duke of Alsace. She was born blind. As her father did not want her because she was a girl, her mother Bethswinda had her brought to Palma (perhaps present day Baume-les-Dames in Burgundy) where she was raised.
When she was twelve, the itinerant bishop Erhard of Regensburg was led, by an angel it was said, to Palma where he baptised her Odile (Sol Dei), whereupon she miraculously recovered her sight.
When Etichon fell ill, Odile returned to nurse him. He finally gave up resisting his headstrong daughter and founded the Augustine monastery of Mont Ste. Odile in the Hochwald (Hohwald), Bas-Rhin, where Odile became abbess and where Etichon was later buried.
Ste. Odile died about 720 at the convent of Niedermünster. She was buried at Ste. Odile.
Ste. Odile was made the Patron saint of Alsace in 1807 by pope Pius VII. Her feast day is 13 December. Odile is the patroness of ocular afflictions and ear diseases; her attribute is a pair of eyes. The larkspur is connected to St. Odile as well and is believed to cure eye diseases in popular medicine and superstition.

Église Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul, the baptistery

by JLBG

Sorry if the photo is not sharp but this part of the church is not well lit. The tank stands on a fourfold column. Both the tank and the columns are carved with stylized leaves. I have not found any data about the origin and the age of this baptistery. It seems rather old and should come from a previous church.

Place du Marché and Rue du Général Gouraud

by JLBG

Half timbered Alsatian houses are found in the whole old city of Obernai but if you wander along Place du Marché and Rue du Général Gouraud, you will see the most scenic and the most typical of them. This part of the old city is not allowed for cars. In the parts where carscan access, parking is expensive and difficult. Then you have better to park for free on the ramparts.

Back again . . .

by Beausoleil

"You simply can't resist returning to Obernai."

This lovely old well is beside Restaurant La Cloche, a Logis de France, in central Obernai.

"Some things never change . . ."

Thankfully.

"Eat on the terrace"

On this trip we ate at the Restaurant La Cloche, a Logis de France, on the opposite corner of the square. We'd seen it years before and decided to try the restaurant. It was excellent.

"Restaurant La Cloche"

"If you get tired . . ."

We've never done this, but it looks like such a nice way to see the beautiful old town.

"Fancy cars . . ."

Every time we've been in Obernai, there has been an exotic car parked on the town square. Sometimes a very expensive modern car and other times, an antique vehicle. If you look behind the car, you can see some ladies doing watercolors.

The square is always interesting.

"Shopping is always fun"

There are boulangeries, patisseries, fromageries and these lovely veggies as you walk through the streets. You can pick up dinner as you sightsee.

". . . and the church"

We always visit the local church or churches. There happens to be parking beside and behind this one if you need incentive.