Drinking and driving is always a no-no..... but driving route des vins sober is tricky
Did I mention that Alsace is famous for it's white wines???
The main attraction of Alsace is the famous wine route (“route des vins d'Alsace) a 170 km winding country road that takes you through many small Alsacian villages and crosses undulating green hills of endless picturesque vineyards.
We spent our last day in Alsace driving a long part of this wine route. Since we were vacationing here in shoulder season, we had no problems with traffic. However, in the summer months, this narrow country road becomes heavily congested. I understand that there is a bike trail as well which runs in parallel to the road which would be even more amazing!
During our scenic drive, we stopped in quite a few villages to sample wines and walk around the quaint villages. However, one village that stood out from all the others, was picture perfect Riquewihr, nestled amongst hills of beautiful vineyards. To visit this village, you need to park your car outside the town walls and then walk through a series of old medieval town gates.
Wherever you look, in the distance you see vineyards – truly spectacular! The old half-timber houses, dating back from the 16th and 17th centuries, are painted in bright colours and adorned with geranium flowers cascading down from the window boxes. Charming water fountains can be found in the old town's squares. Riquewihr feels like an open-air museum. The cobble-stone lanes are lined with quaint restaurants & cafes, wine shops, delicatessens selling local produce and galleries….
Riquewihr is officially listed as one of the "Plus Beaux Villages de France" (Most Beautiful Villages of France) as well as a "Village Fleuris" (Flowering Village), so it really should not be missed.
When planning this trip, I thought of basing ourselves in Riquewihr. I am so glad that we chose Eguisheim and Obernai, which were also incredibly charming and although still touristy, much more laid back and less busy than Riquewihr.
Tip about the food - Meat is the main ingredient of the Alsacian menu, as is sauerkraut. Husband and I are not meat eaters and so we struggled to find restaurants that served fish or vegetarian dishes during our vacation here… so for all the carnivores out there, Alsacian food is for you!!! For us pescatarians and vegetarians… we will stick to the delicious white wine and beer!!!
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