Vineyards near Andlau

Undulating along the base of the Vosges Mountains, the Alsace Wine Road provides a unique opportunity to visit charming villages, taste splendid wines, enjoy beautiful scenery and savour a mélange of French and German cuisine.

The geographic location and historical context of Alsace make it a particularly unique region of France. Because it has strong ties to both France and Germany, the region has taken on characteristics of both those cultures.Alsace is situated in France’s northeast with the German border, defined by the Rhine, to the east and Switzerland to the south.  Along its western side are the Vosges Mountains create a natural barrier (and, at times in history, a border) from the rest of France.

Alsace has charming medieval castles, villages and towns along with farmlands, vineyards and more rugged mountain terrain further into the Vosges.  The area closest to the Rhine has fields of corn, tobacco and grains.  As you approach the foothills of the Vosges, the corn and wheat fields give way to vineyards that run all along the hillside from the north to the south. Throughout the entire region, there are charming villages and towns.

One of the best ways to experience the region is to follow the Alsace Wine Road which stretches 170 km from Marlenheim in the north to Thann in the south. As the name suggests, there is ample opportunity to stop and sample wines and food both in the villages and in the countryside. One just needs to follow the well-signed route to enjoy all enjoy all the pleasures of this very scenic area.  While there are about 100 villages, the prettiest and most visited villages lie between Obernai in the north to Eguisheim in the south.

Start in Obernai and follow the signs to “centre ville” where you can find a free public parking area just outside the old city walls.  Walking through the gate, you will find yourself in a pedestrian area with cobble-stoned streets and half-timbered colourful buildings typical of the region.  As in other towns and villages on the wine route, Obernai has lovely restaurants where you can sample regional culinary delights including tarte flambee, tarte a l’oignon, choucroute, jambonneau and quiche Lorraine.  There is also good souvenir shopping in Obernai at Dietrich’s, a combination hardware and souvenir store.

Continuing south,  other popular stops are Bergheim (a walled town with a gateway dating from the 13th century), Ribeauville (with its cobble-stoned streets and three castles), Riquewihr (a well preserved village with fortifications, houses and courtyards dating from the 13th century), Kaysersburg (birthplace of Albert Schwitzer) and Eguisheim (one of the best-preserved and prettiest of the villages).  Along the way, be sure to look for storks, the tradtional bird of Alsace, flying in the sky and for

Wine Road near St. Hippolyte

While you can enjoy Alsace at any time of the year, the best time is in September or early October during the “vendange”, the grape harvest.  Not only will you get to see the grapes being picked and transported, you will have the opportunity to participate in the “fetes” that each village holds during those months.

If you visit the Alsace wine road, plan to spend more time and visit the region’s other delights.Strasbourg is a fantastic and beautiful city where one can wander for days; Colmar is another absolutely charming town with its own unique character, and the Vosges mountains provide lots of hiking, skiing and other outdoor experiences.