We’ve been hosting groups in Alsace since 2016; we invite you to join us this year…
The Alsace Experience is based in the beautiful wine region between Colmar and Strasbourg, east of the Vosges mountains and west of the Rhine river and the German and Swiss borders.
The history of Alsace is a tumultuous one. The region shifted back and forth between Germany and France in three wars and has changed hands four times since 1870. You’ll definitely feel both French and German influences as we experience Alsace’s unique history, scenery, architecture, culture, and cuisine.
Wine production is one of Alsace’s major activities, and there are about 32,000 acres of vineyards. The region is best known for its white wines: Rieslings, Sylvaners, and Gewurtzraminers. These are wines not produced anywhere else in France. Alsace is also the major beer-producing area of France.
Alsatian cuisine reflects the strong Germanic influences. The most famous specialty is “choucroute,” a hearty dish featuring various kinds of pork and sausages, piled on a mound of sauerkraut and served with potatoes and carrots. Other traditional dishes include Bäckeoffe, Tarte Flambée and Coq au Riesling. Munster cheese is from this area. (Although the cuisine is “meat” oriented, we can support vegetarian diets.)
Our groups will base in the historic wine village of Kientzheim, a charming and colorful village on the “Route des Vins,” just one mile from the larger village of Kaysersberg, named the “Favorite Village of the French” in 2016. We will stay in a traditional, locally owned hotel in the center of the village.
This trip is a mixed group of women and men, and we always have solo women travelers.
The Alsace Experience Overview:
Including a variety of special activities and experiences unique to this area.
- Visits to colorful, flower-filled villages including Kaysersberg, Bergheim, Riquewihr, and Ribeauvillé.
- A walking tour in the famous town of Colmar, including its well preserved old town and “Petite Venise” quarter. The sculptor Bartholdi (creator of the Statue of Liberty) was from Colmar, and you can visit the Bartholdi museum or the famous Unterlinden museum during your free time in the town.
- Visits to the 12th-century Haut-Koenigsbourg castle and the 7th-century monastery/convent at Mont St. Odile, both with dramatic settings in the Vosges mountains.
- A day along the crest of the Vosges mountains, with expansive views of Alsace, the Black Forest, and the Alps. We’ll enjoy a special gastronomic lunch at a restaurant in a wine village and a traditional Alsatian meal at a ferme-auberge.
- Visits to World War I and World War II sites.
- Visits and tastings at small family-owned wineries to learn more about the famous Alsatian wines. In our own village of Kientzheim, we’ll visit the Museum of Vineyards and Wine and the Confrérie St Etienne. This is the association for Alsatian wine and one of the oldest wine brotherhoods in France.
- A visit to an outdoor heritage museum of Alsatian life, where we always see lots of storks.
- Memorable meals in a variety of settings featuring Alsatian specialties.
- Optional walks in the beautiful countryside.
- Time for relaxing and exploring on your own.
Our meeting/drop-off place for this trip is the train station in the nearby town of Colmar.
