Page 32 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

30 BACK ROADS FRANCE

Alsace Wine Route

According to French writer Victor Hugo (1802–85),
Europe’s history ran down the Rhine. The river is the
only thing separating Germany’s Black Forest from
the Plaine d’Alsace, and between 1871 and 1945 Ehn
Alsace changed nationality four times. This is
Natzwiller
reflected in the Alsatian dialect, which is a unique
Magelhof
hybrid of German and French. The region’s roots,
however, go back beyond the wars to deep Roman Belmont
Le Hohwald
and Frankish influences. France’s smallest region has a
penchant for the pastoral: between the vines, Vosges Eftermatten Andlau
mountains and hilltop castles, Alsace’s villages appear
BAS-
as colourful clusters of wood, stone and spires,
Breitenbach RHIN
fountains and flower boxes. Breitenbach
Albé
Steige
St-Martin
Villé
St-Maurice Thanvillé
Fouchy
Dieffenbach Giessen
Neubois

Lièpvre Bois
l’Abbesse
CHÂTEAU DE HAUT
KOENIGSBOURG
Schaentzel
Saint-Hippolyte
Thannenkirch
Rorschwihr
BERGHEIM
RIBEAUVILLÉ
HUNAWIHR
Zellenberg
Above Vineyards surrounding the Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg, see p34
Fréland RIQUEWIHR Beblenheim
Mittelwihr
KAYSERSBERG
ACTIVITIES KIENTZHEIM
Orbey Ammerschwihr
Visit ten medieval châteaux-forts in a 5-km (3-mile) Walbach Colmar
radius of Mont Sainte-Odile Labaroche Houssen
Katzenthal
Walk from Mont Sainte-Odile to the mur païen NIEDERMORSCHWIHR Ingersheim
megalithic wall built by Celtic tribes
Turckheim
Dine on choucroute (sauerkraut) in a village winstub
Colmar
(wine cellar) Wintzenheim
Walbach
Hike the Sentier des Espiègles in the vines near the Wettolsheim
Château d’Andlau KEY
Drive route EGUISHEIM
Sip gluhwein and eat pain d’épices (gingerbread) at a Lauch
Christmas market Husseren-
les-Château