Traveling Europe with my 5-year-old daughter has been amazing so far. She’s up to date on her fairytales and can recognize a magical medieval village when she sees one. That’s why I planned a trip to the Alsace province of France (only two-and-a-half hours away from Kaiserslautern, a short drive my daughter can handle well).

Alsace’s quaint villages and castles inspired the story we all know and love: “Beauty and the Beast!” We watched the animated film the night prior to prepare for our trip. When we arrived the next day, we were taken aback by the animation’s accuracy compared to our hotel location in the village of Saint-Hippolyte.

“Sometimes, it can be hard to entertain a 5-year-old, as a trip to any restaurant can prove this true. But my daughter could not get enough of this quaint little village. It was bursting with magic! ”

There are lovely, crooked buildings, a flowerpot to be seen every five feet, medieval water fountains, grape vineyards, statues, churches, cobblestone roads and rustic, colorful French houses that would be fit for a princess like Belle.

One village theme was hearts and we played eye-spy with any heart-shaped things we could find. A gorgeous little stream runs through the village, home to two beautifully ginormous swans, who, without a doubt, make a heart shape when they greet one another.

What’s more interesting about this village is that it is authentic. This is a residential area, and people live in these amazing medieval houses! While several small, charming hotels were spread throughout, we could not spot other tourists anywhere. In fact, we had the entire village to ourselves as we wandered through the streets by foot, both day and night.

“Oh, how this experience with my daughter filled my heart! ”

As our feet hit the cobblestone roads and our eyes gazed up at the charming architecture all around, my daughter could not stop thanking me for taking her here. She expressed that she wanted to stay here forever, and I agreed.

Even more curious (regarding the lack of tourists) was that Saint-Hippolyte was at the foot of the best castle in the area, the kid and stroller-friendly Haut-Koenigsbourg. Every village in the area is nestled near a Vosges mountainside, and a castle sits above each on a hilltop. Seeing this set-up of castles and villages during the drive in was incredible! Most of these castles are in ruins, but they are still a site to be seen.

However, nearly 800 years after its first construction, Haut-Koenigsbourg was rebuilt in 1900, making it the most well-intact castle in the area. For a small entrance fee, you can tour the picturesque fortress. The rebuilders stayed true to medieval, rustic, French architecture when they remodeled. Thank goodness for that! It was breathtaking.

To my surprise, the castle rooms reminded me of Gaston’s tavern, filled with antler lighting and taxidermy! I was further impressed with Disney’s ability to capture the rustic culture of the French countryside. Unlike the village below, this castle had many tourists, but not so much that it was uncomfortable.

I always choose hotels that include breakfast in the price. When traveling with children, the easier it is to eat and navigate, the smoother the trip. Oh, my goodness, the French breakfast from Hotel Munsch did not disappoint.

A specialty from the Alsace region is Alsatian Kugelhopf, a slightly sweet, yeasted bread with raisins baked in a ring pan and almonds sprinkled on top. When traveling, I try very hard to eat specialties of the region. This bread was amazing. And when I paired it with the Brie cheese, my taste buds were exploding. Only in France can something as simple as bread and cheese be worthy of a Michelin star (in my book, anyway).

My daughter ate three croissants with jam, a feat unheard of for this picky eater! A lovely touch to this complimentary French breakfast was a local champagne. I don’t usually like alcohol, and I don’t drink much at all, but this champagne was absolutely delicious.

After breakfast, and to the dismay of my daughter, we left Saint-Hippolyte and headed to the village of Riquewihr (only a ten-minute drive away). I told my daughter not to fret; Riquewihr is the actual Alsace village that inspired Belle’s hometown from the animated film. When we arrived at Riquewihr, we discovered where all the tourists had been hiding! And for good reason, this village is world famous for its concentrated, well-preserved, quirky, medieval, unique Alsace esthetic.

Walking around, it’s hard to believe people lived in such vibrant beauty and that they still do! There’s something so special about touring these rich cultural hubs. They were built from a place of traditional spirit and cheer. You can still feel it as you walk the cobblestone roads that many feet have walked before, even the feet of young ladies hoping for more than this provincial life!