Alsace Wine Route

May 3, 2018

A Magical Day of Riding

Sometimes it is hard to capture in pictures or words the exceptional days you are lucky enough to have on the road. We had a crazy day of winds with heavy gusts and many climbs up to vineyards and hill towns, but the sheer joy we experienced, discovering historic picturesque villages while seeing and feeling the traditions of village life and winemaking which go back centuries made for a special day.

Each village offered a glimpse in to another time. The buildings and homes were most often, spectacular half timbered buildings, all photo worthy. The villages are so plentiful along this route, that often there is only a few km between them. Little has changed over the centuries. We frequently rode along narrow winding cobbled streets and you could feel what it must have been like several centuries before when horses were the mode of transportation. And the landscapes stretch forever with a patchwork of vineyards covering the hills as well as the towering, verdant Vosges range.

The Logis Hotel du Centre in Molsheim was good for us. It is well run, centrally located 50 m from the town and a number of cats live here, and for us, that always clinches the deal.

The villages often have the original fortified walls and gates. Some villages have been destroyed during the wars, but surprisingly, many have survived. This gate is in Molsheim where we have been staying.

Oh yes, the first of the many climbs and descents we will have today. They will be worth it, but the heavy headwind is making it a bit difficult to remember this on the way up.

We are in Rosheim and as you can see through the gate it is market day. Yeah!

Alsatian half timbered buildings have decorative touches that we like. Looking at this,balcony filled with laundry, you can image it looking the same, with different clothing, centuries ago.

No, the dog is not for sale, but he was open to affection and cuddles. I have a feeling he has been coming to, the market for some years with his family who are selling honey.

The butchers have remarkable handmade offerings for sale.

This bakery has certainly got it right after over 400 years in business. We have said this before, but it was a most remarkable bakery.

So tempting - and hard to believe, but we didn’t buy anything as we had just made our lunch and weren’t hungry. No problem, it is just another reason to return some day.

Rosheim - passing through another gate. We really liked it here.

We met this woman from Utah. Who was travelling solo with an itinerary demo Eurobike, she is on her way back to Frankfurt.

The church in Rosheim was covered with unusual animals and characters. St Peter and Paul church burned down in 1132 with the rest of the village and was rebuilt between 1150 & 1286.

Alsatian pottery, Obernai town square with a watch tower/belfry and we wondered if this woman knew she had a companion beside her.

There’s is something endearing about a built that has no square corners or level surfaces.

Clearly we can’t get enough of these beautiful roofs. I have a feeling that we may be taking a detour to Dijon as we head south.

Vines are planted on any available surface, vertical and horizontal. Vineyards, villages and the Vosges range - so beautiful.

Gertwiller - gingerbread cookies are the claim to fame for this long established business.

Wicked climbs today - the hiker sure are suffering too. But the payoff is the view and the small undiscovered villages.

The statue of the Benddictine monk pays tribute to the fact that they were the first vintners here in the 11th century. He gets to stand above a most impressive valley of villages and vineyards as well as the hill where he stands.

We also learned about the veterans of the Royal Legions of Rome who planted Gewurztramier grapes in the Andlau region, making it one of the oldest wine areas in the Alsace.

Itterswiller is a very pretty village and we liked the old grape vine making its way across the road and on to the next building. As we said earlier, grapes grow wherever there is space.

The small village of Bergheim has many intact old homes and this impressive gate and fortification.

We found a mini market called Proxi and were able to get a few provisions. I caught Barry mid snack. We are pretty tired but have had an excellent day. Next stop is the campground on the edge of the village, a few blocks away.

We made it - this is Camping du Vignobles. It is a modest, small place with only 7 sites. There is a couple from the Netherlands and one from France. We’ll take the middle spot.

Today's ride: 56 km (35 miles)
Total: 648 km (402 miles)

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