Guinguettes and biergartens are convivial, festive places where people gather to drink, eat and be merry. Although they come from different backgrounds, what they have in common is the idea of enjoying the outdoors while sharing good times with friends and family.
Guinguettes are entertainment venues in France, sometimes located along rivers or streams. They were very popular from the 19th to the early 20th century, offering city dwellers a country getaway in picturesque, pleasant surroundings. The guinguettes featured music, dancing, food, drink and games.
They were renowned for their cheerful atmosphere and festive ambience.
Modern guinguettes continue this tradition, with live music, outdoor areas for relaxing and often typical French dishes.
It’s in the guinguette that you find musette! Initially associated with the Parisian working class of the early 20th century, musette music and associated dances were commonplace in guinguettes all over France, and much appreciated by the working classes.
As our ancestors remember, bals musette were occasions to meet and dance, where people could relax, have fun and share convivial moments.
Although the golden age of these balls is over, their cultural heritage lives on today, as they are mixed and modernized.
At JAZZ’N BRUCHE, on July 6, 2023, starting at 6pm, Ecuadorian singer Maria Tejada, accompanied by Donald Régnier on guitar and Stéphane Escoms on accordion, will present an encounter between Ecuadorian music and traditional French chanson, influenced by waltz and musette.
The Guinguettes Alsaciennes are one of the summer’s must-see events, delighting both tourists who can discover Alsatian folklore and locals who can enjoy the festive atmosphere.
For the summer of 2024, the Val d’Argent Tourist Office invites you to discover or rediscover the traditional Guinguettes Alsaciennes, which will take place on Thursday evenings during the summer period from July 11 to August 22, 2024.
We look forward to seeing you from 7pm for the catering.
Musical entertainment will be provided by the Holatrio Hop’sasa group from 7.30pm.
Snacks and refreshments will be available on site to liven up the evening.
Thursday, July 11: Auberge les Bagenelles
Thursday July 18: Argentinian farm
Thursday July 25: Parc Jules Simon with the Vélo Club
Thursday, August 1: Restaurant Elisabeth
Thursday, August 8: Place des fêtes Rombach-le-Franc
Thursday, August 15: Les Reflets campsite
Thursday, August 22: Auberge du Petit Haut
The brewery opens the doors to its Villa garden. During the summer, she invites us to Hochfelden, to discover a free ephemeral biergarten…
The perfect opportunity to sample his new beer recipes.
An invitation to visit the Meteor family home, dating from the 17th century, the greenhouse housing the 19th and 21st century laboratories, as well as the courtyard of honour and the magnificent brewhouse.
This summer, the garden will be transformed with beautifully decorated ephemeral biergartens.
To celebrate and enjoy the warm weather, weekly biergartens will be held in the garden of Villa Meteor throughout the summer.
Every Thursday and Friday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, between May and September, you can enjoy a musical toast in a bucolic setting.
Worth knowing:
Bar and snacks in the Villa Meteor garden
Every Thursday and Friday, from 6.30 to 9.30 pm, May 17 to September 6
Villa Meteor
4 rue du Général-Lebocq, Hochfelden
More info?
The Facebook event
A guinguette spirit for a convivial atmosphere
As in Jean Becker’s Les Enfants du Marais (1999), guinguette scenes are an integral part of our heritage, highlighting a festive, communal atmosphere.
The guinguette is a timeless trend that can be recreated at home using specific lighting fixtures such as lighted guir- landes, lanterns, lanterns and candles.
Festive lights and retro charm
With the arrival of fine weather, the guinguette inspires a festive, convivial atmosphere, with specific lighting fixtures to create the perfect ambience. These are often garlands of lights, reminiscent of the lighting of yesteryear, and are hung above the table or in the trees. We love the charm of their globe-shaped bulbs and their rainbow hues.
Pavillon Puebla, Paris, ph : Studio Cuicui
©La Case de Cousin Paul
The history of the Biergarten
On the other side of the Rhine, open-air beer gardens have traditionally developed. These have become veritable institutions in Germany, and are strongly associated with beer culture.
Indeed, in the 19th century, a decree from Louis 1st imposed the production of beer during the winter months to prevent summer fires in wooden houses. Brewers then need to stock up for the summer. They built shallow cellars along the Isar, a tributary of the Danube, to keep them cool. They covered the roofs with gravel and planted chestnut trees to protect the cellars from the sun.
Enjoying a pleasant, unspoilt setting, the cellars were soon transformed into open-air sales and dining areas. Historically, a decree prohibited the sale of food in beer gardens, as restaurant owners had complained about the competition. However, customers have always been allowed to bring their own food, and legislation has now evolved to give Biergartens the right to serve food. The menu features traditional dishes such as sausage, pretzels, Obazda and Leberkäse.
A deep-rooted tradition
Munich currently boasts around 100 beer gardens, of which the Hirschgarten is the largest with 8,000 seats, followed by the Augustiner-Keller (5,000 seats) and the Paulaneram-Nockherberg (4,000 seats). In these typical Munich beer gardens, visitors bring charcuterie, cheese, gherkins and black bread, which they enjoy with a good beer.
Alsatian beers and open-air relaxation
Biergartens are particularly popular during the summer months, when people gather to enjoy the sun, nature and lively atmosphere.
In Alsace, the tradition isn’t as widespread, but there are a few establishments that take their inspiration from the concept, offering a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where you can enjoy locally brewed beer in the open air.
In the charming village of Riquewihr, near Colmar, you’ll find the Brasserie du Vignoble (La Bra’V), which offers a peaceful setting on the edge of the vineyard for tasting their craft beers.
On the Muttersholtz side, the Brasseurs du Ried open their Biergarten in the heart of the brewery during the summer season.
And further north, Brasserie Michel Debus in Schiltigheim offers an urban Biergarten ideal for lively afterwork parties.
(Alcohol is dangerous to your health. Consume in moderation)
