The Alsace Wine Cycle Route

I had wanted to cycle some of this route, hence our detour to Colmar.  The skies were a little ominous as we departed, so we had our fingers crossed that the rain would not eventuate.

The first boulangerie we stopped at was very ordinary, but we bought some bread in case we couldn’t find anywhere else en route.  Then we passed the most beautiful patisserie so picked up two tarts for morning tea. 

We were soon making our way through wine country and towards distant hills.  We had mapped our route to take us through the prettiest villages and our morning tea stop in the church yard of Saint-Nicholas in Orschwihr didn’t disappoint.  Whilst Si made the coffee I wandered the nearby streets with their half timbered houses and flower-filled wine presses.  

The undulating path meandered through vineyards with little villages nestled in the valleys. We took our time in Rouffach to explore the Main Street and Our Lady of Assumption Church. The Chateau d’Isenbourg hotel above the town looked like it would be a lovely place to stay.  

As we cycled towards Eguisheim, we could see the castle keeps perched high on Schlossberg hill that dated from the 11th to 12th centuries.  Eguisheim was a beautiful town, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France and former winner of the ‘Favourite Village of the French’. 

We enjoyed our picnic lunch in the town square with its timber houses, overlooking the Fountain of Saint Leon, with its statue of Saint Leo IX who was crowned Pope in 1049, and the Chateau de Saint Leon surrounded by an octagonal shaped wall. Leaving town we spotted yet another tribute to Leo IX - the Statue des Helligen.  Unsurprisingly, we discovered that Leo IX was born in Eguisheim. He was renowned for his work in reforming the church, including eliminating the practice of buying and selling offices and reinforcing priestly celibacy.

We were soon winding our way through the streets of Colmar to find our apartment on the outskirts of the old town. Once checked in, we retraced our route through pedestrian streets and past pretty, coloured timber houses to explore Little Venice, where houses and restaurants lined the river.  The area was very busy with people enjoying the late afternoon sun, and we were pleased to find a quiet spot for a local beer then picked up some icecream for dessert on our way back to the apartment.  

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