Saarland is Germany's smallest state (apart from the city-states), wedged into the southwest corner between France, Luxembourg, and the German regions of Rhineland-Palatinate and Palatinate. The River Saar winds through low, wooded hills past the industrial towns before meeting the Moselle near Trier.
The defining characteristic of Saarland is its French character. Centuries of dispute between France and Germany — the state was under French administration until 1957 — mean the food, wine, and general outlook are more Gallic than anything else in Germany. Croissants sit next to Brötchen in the bakeries; regional dishes lean heavily on French technique.
Saarbrücken, the capital, has excellent 18th-century baroque architecture by Friedrich Joachim Stengel, including the Ludwigskirche and Saarbrücken Castle. Nearby, the Völklinger Hütte — an intact 19th-century ironworks — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the finest industrial monument in Germany. France is minutes away; Metz is 70 km south and Luxembourg City is 90 km west.
