The Storybook Villages of Alsace, France

Every visit to France, the pleasant Alsace-Lorraine region draws us to wile away a few days with its delicious local wines, hearty meals (thanks to its Germanic past), friendly people (who will speak French or German with you), and beautifully preserved, pastel-painted medieval and Renaissance villages. Alsace-Lorraine is divided into five Départements, and our favorite is Haut-Rhin, bordered on the east by the Rhine River and Germany’s Black Forest.

Colmar, Haut-Rhin’s main town, is simple to navigate, with ample parking, and the Vieille Ville or historic city, predominantly a pedestrian zone, is easily traversed (the tourist office offers maps). Return to the 16th Century while meandering among the colorful half-timbered houses, shops, and restaurants, and be sure to see the wonderfully decorated façades of the Koifhüs, Maison des Têtes, and Maison Pfister. In Petite Vinise or Little Venice flow the canals once used by the wine merchants to transport their beverages and, for your most leisurely visit, boat trips are offered from the Quartier des Tanneurs.

A few miles south of Colmar is the tiny ancient village of Eguisheim, whose geranium-adorned half-timbered houses and cobblestone passages are laid out in three concentric circles around a unique octagonal feudal castle and Renaissance fountain. Eguisheim is very picturesque, especially in the evening when lit by street lanterns; in late spring, look for storks nesting on the rooftops. As “Alsace’s Wine Birthplace” (thanks to 4th Century Romans), vineyards surround Eguisheim, and you can sample the resultant grands crus or fine wine in several vintner-owned courtyards found about the village; signs stating “Caves” and “Dégustation” point the way. For a real meal, try the regional dish, Choucroute (a mixture of sauerkraut, boiled potatoes, sausage, and ham); it is always a much-anticipated part of our pilgrimage. A Wine Growers’ Festival is held the fourth weekend of August.

Nine miles northwest of Colmar is the beautiful walled village of Riquewihr, and where the wall ends, the flower-trimmed vineyards begin. With its cobblestone alleys, flower-bedecked half-timbered houses and quiet private courtyards, ancient watchtowers and ramparts, and manicured gardens, bring plenty of film or digital memory for your camera. Riquewihr is also a place to sample the local wines and cuisine. For history buffs, the village has a Postal History museum, and the Tour des Voleurs museum in the upper part of town features a medieval torture chamber.

Three miles northeast of Riquewihr poses the very pretty and photogenic half-timbered village of Ribeauvillé. Although wine is extremely important and opportunities abound to enjoy it, Ribeauvillé is the “Capital of Kougelhopf,” a regional almond flavored cake, and the restaurant within the Pfifferhüs is a good place to enjoy the Alsacienne specialties. On top of a hill, beyond the vineyards, three ruined 12th and 13th Century castles watch over the village and offer an excellent panorama. A Wine Festival is held the next to the last weekend of July, and a Minstrels’ Festival is held on the first Sunday of September.

Side Trips:

• Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg – An imposing, magnificently restored medieval fortified castle high atop a hill. Tours every day except January 1, May 1, and December 25. (19 miles from Colmar, north of Saint-Hippolyte: http://www.haut-koenigsbourg.com/)
• Jardins des Papillons – Wander among exotic butterflies in an enclosed environment. Open April through October. (Hunawihr, between Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé: http://www.jardinsdespapillons.fr/)
• Parc des Cigognes – Stork breeding park and wildlife preserve. Open March through mid-November. (Hunawihr, between Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé: http://www.cigogne-loutre.com/)

Lodging:

• Bed and Breakfast: Madame Dirringer, 11 Rue Riesling, Eguisheim – Telephone: (33) 03 89 41 71 67 (speaks French and German)
• Affordable: Hôtel Le Mandelberg (Mittelwihr: http://Monsite.Wanadoo.fr/HotelMandelberg.fr)
• Budget: Bonzai Hôtel (Colmar/Houssen: http://www.bonsai-hotel.tm.fr/), Hotel Formule 1 (Colmar: http://www.hotelformule1.com/)