Vineyards and fortifications

We had enjoyed our day cycling to Colmar along the Veloroute du Vignoble and decided to explore a little more of the area rather than spend a day in Strasbourg as originally planned.  We boarded the Strasbourg train with our bikes, finding them a nice spot in first class, where we lifted them onto the bike hooks, and stood with them for the 11-minute journey to Selestat. As soon as we took them down, two conductors needed to squeeze past and then the guard helped us lift them down to the platform.  It’s so easy to travel with bikes on the regional trains.

There was a good cycle route directly in front of the train station and we soon spotted the first of many castle ruins and fortifications we would see throughout the day.  The Chateau de Kintzheim stood to the left above its namesake town. The route then took us through vineyards and we passed a cross on the edge of the road, a common feature on the outskirts of Alsace villages.  

We were soon on the edge of Bergheim with its impressive West Gate Tower, built in the 14th century and later modified to include a passage into the town.  Then we reached Ribeauvillé, and its inviting toy shop. We had a quick stop in the park for our morning coffee, and could see the ruins of the Chateau of Saint Ulrich as we cycled along the main street.   

Just out of town we could see two more fortified ruins on the hillside with another on top of the hill. We soon reached Riquewihr, entering the town through the La Porte Haute – part of the 16th century city walls and emerged onto a street lined with lovely half-timbered houses decorated with flowers and full of restaurants as well as shops selling wines and tourist tat.  We knew it must be a popular town as we had spotted the trackless tourist train making its circuit.  

It was approaching lunch time and we decided to try a restaurant in Kintzheim, a much quieter town that was virtually deserted.  The restaurant, Cote Vigne, offered a menu du jour that we thought would make a nice ending to our time in France.  Lunch didn’t disappoint, and we tried everything on the menu by sharing each dish, accompanied by a half bottle of local reisling.  

The delicious reisling inspired us to try a local wine tasting, so we headed round the corner, to Andre Blanck Vignerons where we watched a French couple taste and buy multiple cases of wine.  We tried a few and weren’t very impressed but settled on purchasing a bottle of Pinot Gris as the pick of the wines.  

Back on the cycle route we detoured into Kaysersberg with its Chateau right next to the town and then climbed up to Niedermorschwihr and were rewarded with lovely views across the valley. As we took a break we watched some mountain bikers follow some trails then turn and race straight down between the vines.  

It was a pleasant downhill ride to Turckheim and from there we followed a series of bike paths back to our accommodation in Colmar.

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