The Alsace Wine Route is 170 kilometres long and was inaugurated in 1953. It criss-crosses through the Alsatian vineyards from north to south and is undoubtedly France’s most beautiful tourist route, featuring charming villages and countryside

HUNAWIHR

Between two touristic centres Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé you can visit all the area from Hunawihr. From Hunawihr, it takes 15 minutes to go to Colmar

and 45 minutes to go to Strasbourg, Bâle, Fribourg, Mulhouse or the Grand Ballon.

20 minutes to go the Ht Koenigsbourg, “La montagne des Singes” and  “la Volerie des aigles”.

Hunawihr, a very well flowered village (a three flower labelled village) belongs to what we call “The most beautiful villages in France” and “the Green Holiday resorts”. The name of this traditional wine grower architectural village come from Sainte Hune who was the wife of a lord who was said to be settled in the 7th century in a very old Galo-Roman villa. There are very nice and interesting sites to visit such as the fortified church surrounded by a wall flanked by 6 bastions and where you have been able to attend either Protestant or Catholic service for 3 centuries. A parchment of the 14 Th. century says that the Monks of St Dié (Vosges), the owners of the church were paid for the rent only with white wine.

The fountain and wash-house located at the entrance of the village provides a fine view of the fortified church above and the three castles of Ribeauvillé in the distance

Our house is located near he stork and sea - otter reintroduction centre and the exotic live butterfly garden.

Ribeauvillé

A major tourist hub along the Alsace Wine Route, the town of Ribeauvillé is framed by fantastic scenery of vineyards and rolling hills lying on the edge of the Vosges. The mountain flanking the town is crowned by three ruined feudal castles, giving this site an enchanting touch.

Renowned for its Riesling and Gewurztraminer white wines, the vineyards of Ribeauvillé produce local Grands Crus Kirchberg, Osterberg and Geisberg.

The semi-pedestrianised street of Grand’Rue acts as the spinal cord of the town. Most of Ribeauvillé’s finest houses and monuments are found along the narrow main street, including the 13th century Butchers’ Tower (Tour des Bouchers) which separates the lower to the higher parts of town. Other houses of interest are the Pfifferhüs (former house of the fife-playing minstrels), the Halle au Blé (covered corn exchange hall), the Elephant Inn from 1522, the 18th century Town-Hall and its small museum with a prestigious collection of silver and gold items.

Ribeauvillé and its vicinity were the possession of the powerful Lords of Ribeaupierre, a local dynasty who built the three castles which still dominate the town. The ruins are accessible by hiking footpaths from the town.

The Saint-Ulrich castle is by far the most impressive, although the smallest at 528 metres. Saint Ulrich is also the oldest: its construction started in the 11th century. The castle features three architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic and Early Renaissance.

The Girsberg castle, built in the 13th century by the Ribeaupierre, was given to house the knights of Girsberg in 1304.

The Haut-Ribeaupierre castle is the highest of the three at 642 metres. Only the circular keep stands today, on top of which there is a commanding view over the Alsace Plain and the Black Forest (Germany) in the distance.

Kaysersberg

the “Mountain of the Emperor”, certainly deserves its prestigious name. A tourist hotspot, the little city houses the most beautiful half-timbered houses of the Renaissance in Alsace in its entirely pedestrian centre.

The city of Kaysersberg and its viticulture are dominated by the castle ruins, which only consists now of a beautiful round tower. The view from its summit offers a panorama of the city, the valley of the Weiss, the vineyards and the Plain.

Text of Ribeauvillé and Kaysersberg from http://frenchmoments.com/Alsace_Wine_Route.html

Golf Ammerschwihr

7 km km from Hunawihr

among vineyards and forest,

an 18 hole course,

a 9 hole compact for everybody

a driving range

buggies