Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

8 pretty painted façades and
the Gothic parish church
Riquewihr Did You Know? St­Grégoire­le­Grand. A path,
! G3 ⌂ Haut-Rhin @ n 2 which begins in this part of
town, leads into the vineyards.
rue de la 1ère Armée; www. Riquewihr‘s bright,
ribeauville-riquewihr.com cheery houses inspired The town is also known for
the “Little Town” in its festivals, among them
Vineyards run right up to the Disney’s Beauty and Pfifferdaj (Fiddlers’ Festival),
ramparts of Riquewihr, the
the oldest festival in Alsace.
the Beast.
EXPERIENCE Alsace and Lorraine matic, Riquewihr winemakers gateway is the cour des 10
prettiest village on the Route
des Vins (p230). Deeply prag­
plant roses at the end of each
Obernai
row of vines – both for their
Bergers, where gardens are
pretty effect and as early
laid out around the 16th­
! G3 ⌂ Bas-Rhin £ @
detectors of parasites. The
century ramparts.
n Pl du Beffroi; www.
village belonged to the counts
tourisme-obernai.fr
of Wurttemberg until the
Revolution and has grown rich
At the north end of the Route
on wine, from Tokay and Pinot
Ribeauvillé
Gris to Gewurztraminer and
flavour of authentic Alsace:
Riesling. Virtually an open­air
residents speak Alsatian,
! G3 ⌂ Haut-Rhin £ @
museum, Riquewihr abounds 9 des Vins, Obernai retains a
at festivities women wear
n 1 Grand’Rue; www.
in cobbled alleys, geranium­ ribeauville-riquewihr.com traditional costume, and
clad balconies, galleried court­ church services are well
yards, romantic double Overlooked by three ruined attended in the cavernous
ram parts and watchtowers. castles, the beautiful town Neo­Gothic Église St­Pierre­
From the Hôtel de Ville, rue of Ribeauvillé is a favoured et­St­Paul. Place du Marché is
du Général de Gaulle climbs stop on the Route des Vins. well preserved, and features
gently past medieval and This is in large part due to the the gabled Halle aux Blés, a
Renaissance houses, half­ ample oppor tu nities to taste 16th­century corn hall (now
timbered, stone­clad, or (and purchase) the grands crus a restaurant) above a former
corbelled. Oriel windows vie of Alsace, espe cially Riesling butcher’s shop, with a façade
with sculpted portals and at numer ous places partic­ adorned with cows’ and
medieval signboards. On the ularly near the park, in the dragons’ heads.
right lies the idyllic place des lower part of town. Place de la Chapelle, the
Trois Églises. A passageway Alleys wind past the steep­ adjoining square, has a
leads through the ramparts roofed houses of artisans and Renaissance fountain and
to the vineyards on the hill. vignerons in the upper part of the 16th­century Hôtel de
Further up lies the Dolder, a the town. Beyond these are Ville and the Kapellturm, the
13th­century belfry, followed Renaissance fountains, galleried Gothic belfry.
by the Tour des Voleurs (both
are museums, the latter with
a medieval torture chamber),
marking the second tier of
ramparts. Beyond the

226-227_EW_France.indd 226 22/02/2019 16:21

EW Catalogue template v3.0 – 12th July 2018
Fonts: Aptifer Sans LT Pro, Posterama Text, Soho Gothic
Pro, Soho Pro, ITC Caslon 224