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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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“Its very touristy and very well signposted, says my book - right...” |
The Route du Vin stretches through the Alsace region from somewhere near Strasbourg to somewhere near Mulhouse. It is, in case you didnt figure it out, a road going through lots of wineries. Its very touristy and very well signposted, says my book - right...
The French, as a rule, dont believe in maps. When you live here and see something advertised in a nearby town it will always say something like: 'Fete du Pain, Salle Polyvante, Drumettaz Clarafond'. No address, as if you are supposed to just know where it is. This is fine in Drumettaz where there is only one road, but they do this in major towns as well. We bought our camping car from a big expo in Saint Brieuc in Brittany - a town of around 1-200,000 people Id say - 'Camping Car Expo, Exhibition Centre, Saint Brieuc'. After a while you figure out the system. Signs. Everywhere for everything. To find anything you look for the signs, so its amazing anyone at all has found the Route du Vin.
In any case my two good mates Tom and Tom found the right road we seemed to stay roughly on track. I think.
The road we followed went through went through countless small and medium sized towns full of beautiful old buildings and Christmas decorations in that unmistakable German style you expect in France. It really does fell like Germany in the Alsace.
We stayed our first night in Obernai and went, of course, small and quite quaint Christmas markets for the now obligitory Gluhwein (not bad, but not great). Obernai is a very pretty town with original medieval buildings and original ramparts.
Next day we went to the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle which is perched high on a hill with great views all around the Castle was built in the 10th Century and has been restored to its 15th Century glory. It doesnt gave the pomp and granduer of some of the better known Chateaus but is quite well done, in a fantastic forrest setting and without too many priceless treasures for Jay to destroy.
We stayed the night in Kaysersburg near Colmar, another beautiful town well worth a look. As mentioned the Route du Vin keeps going down to Mulhouse but we decided to head accross the border into the Black Forrest region of Germany.
Dave.
previous travel blog entry
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