The Towns of Alsace

Contents

Bergheim
Other Small Towns
Colmar
The Kaiser's Castle
War
The Character of Alsace
Vendange

A week in Paris, the city of lights and magic. A week in the dramatic countryside of Provence. Now, our grand French vacation ends with a week exploring the beautiful small towns of Alsace.

First we had to complete an 8 hour drive from Provence. The drive was largely unremarkable, although we noted at a rest stop something that might be adopted in the U.S. - exercise equipment to help drivers loosen up. (This rest stop was also the only place we ever had less than good French food).

We lodged just outside the town of Bergheim, in a lovely apartment that included a small deck where we could have lunch (cheese, pretzels, and wine) and enjoy the view. From the apartment we could watch the sun rise over the town, with the Black Forest in the background, and watch the sun set over the Vosges mountains.

Walking into town, the first thing we noticed was a very large lime tree, said to date back to the 1300s. Can that be true? Just past the lime tree is the main gate to the city, roughly as old as the tree is said to be.

In addition to the city gate, the town's walls and ramparts are also well preserved. These reflect the area's long troubled history. There are a number of towers along the walls, one of which is now used as a private residence.

Beyond the gate we were greeted with an impossibly cute set of homes right out of Hansel and Gretel. Most of the houses are built in the medieval half-timbered style we typically associate with Germany. The houses come in a cacaphony of colors, some in yellow, some in pink, others in various shades of blue.

It looked as if many of the houses had been fixed up fairly recently. A few were still in need of repair, but these give a good sense for the construction used in homes of this sort.

Most of the buildings were decorated with numerous flower boxes. In contrast to the variation in colors of the houses, it appeared that someone had decided to coordinate the flowers. "This year's colors: Red and fuschia". This fountain in the main square was a focal point for the floral arrangements.

Towns in this area of Alsace are within easy walking distance of each other. Ribeauvillé is roughly 3 kilometers south, sitting below a hill that is the site for three different castles. Ribeauvillé is larger than Bergheim, and the main street boasts a greater variety of shops. The buildings are in the same half-timbered style, some even more elaborate.

There are many smaller towns that have a unique character of their own. Bebblenheim featured a 14th century fountain, and was also the location for one of our favorite restaurants in the area.

Kaysersberg seemed to take the "half-timbered houses and flowers" approach one step further than the others. Eguisheim is noteworthy for its hilly, winding streets, and has some of the most delightful old houses in the region.

The nearest big city is Colmar. The town was spared serious damage during the war, and the buildings are just as quaint as in the smaller towns. Some seem to be deliberately eccentric. Others are overwhelming just by virtue of the profusion of flowers. The buildings set off a beautiful fountain in the oldest part of town. Even buildings that are used as a working area have an unmistakeable charm. In one case the use of trompe l'oeil for further dramatic effect seemed a bit unnecessary.

The largest church in Colmar, referred to as a cathedral but in fact not the seat of a bishopric, was constructed in the 13th century. It is noted for its colored tile roof.

One area of town we enjoyed was Petit Venice (Little Venice). This was formerly a section for butchers and tanners that was served by a network of canals.

Near Little Venice is a covered market, which on the day of our visit was hosting a TV show that seemed to be an Alsatian version of the Iron Chef.

The highlight of Colmar, though, is the Unterlinden museum, housed in an old Dominican convent. The museum has an excellent collection devoted to 15th and 16th century painters. Examples of their work include Arrest of Christ by Gaspard Isenmann, and Saint George and the Dragon by Jost Haller. Paintings like these gave us an appreciation for the talent of these medieval painters.

The best known item in the museum is the Isenberg Altar, an astonishing work painted in the early 16th century by Mathias Grünewald. It consists of several panels that can be opened or closed like wings to present different effects to the viewer. (Here's a complete description - click on the "Open" banner if interested).

Almost every hill in Alsace is surmounted by a castle (three in the case of Ribeauvillé), most of them in ruins. The most obvious exception is Haut Koenigsberg, which dates to the 12th century. Because it commanded important trade routes, it was involved in warfare thoughout the middle ages, but like many others it was abandoned around 1600.

In 1900, Kaiser Wilhelm II arranged for a major restoration and rebuilding of the castle, as a symbol, first, of German rights over Alsace, and second, as a demonstration that the claim to Alsace was justified by 600 years of history.

Liberties were taken during the restoration with some parts of the interior. For example, the state rooms were enlarged, and the queen's chambers were probably more elegant than they had been originally.

Still, as a result of the restoration, Haut Koenigsberg is now a good example of a true medieval castle. For example, one apparent oddity, a windmill that tops an area that had been used for lodgings, reflects what had been there in the 16th century. After all, the place had to be self sufficient. A visitor gets a keen appreciation for the defensive measures that were incorporated into the design of the castle.

Kaiser Wilhelm II understood the strategic importance of Alsace. The region has seen far more than its fair share of warfare, well into the 20th century. Ever since the unification of Germany, Germany and France have fought over control of the region. The second world war was devastating in human terms, even though this part of Alsace did not experience the same destruction of its towns as did some other areas. The cost of the war is reflected by the German cemetery near Bergheim, where the remains of over 5000 soldiers are buried.

World War I was in many ways even worse. Altogether it destroyed much of a generation of young men from France, Germany, Britain, and elsewhere. Alsace did not escape the carnage, and a touching memorial to the war has been established at La Linge.

To reach the memorial one takes a deceptively scenic drive through the Vosges mountains, and in the most bucolic of settings is suddenly confronted with the signs of battle.

La Linge was the site of a four-month, bloody, largely pointless battle between French and German forces in 1915 - a harbinger of longer, even bloodier battles elsewhere. The original trenches have been reconstructed. Archeological excavations in the area have led to the recovery of the remains of soldiers on both sides. Walking through the area, looking through the slits of the machine gun emplacements, noticing that the French and German trenches were in places only 30 meters apart, one gets a keen appreciation for the horrors of trench warfare.

Alsace is in many ways more German than French. It seems more orderly than the rest of France. Consider parking. Streets are narrow, parking is everywhere at a premium, and all over France drivers will park on sidewalks ("If you don't like the way I park, get off the sidewalk!"). In Alsace things are no different, but instead of trying to fight it, Alsatians regulate the activity by defining the parking spaces.

Roads in Alsace are popular with cyclists. For us, however, the best way to see the countryside was to walk. We walked to Ribeauvillé, the neighboring town. Coming back we found small roads largely free from traffic, passing old farm buildings covered with vines, and enjoying the colorful fall berries.

We took a longer walk one day, climbing the hill behind Bergheim to obtain a great view of the moutains. A series of marked trails led us past the castle seen earlier, Chateau Reichenberg. Construction of this castle began in the 13th century. It has been at the center of many struggles for power in the region, but in the 20th century was turned into a private residence.

On the way back to Bergheim after our walk, we were delighted to see a stork land in a tree in front of us. Traditionally Alsace has always been known for its storks. Some small towns and villages are recognized as "stork villages" ("storka-dorfs"!). However, storks practically disappeared in the 1970s. In fact, the only other one we saw was perched on its nest on a tower in Ribeauvillé.

To see storks in large number, and up close, one must go to the Hunawihr stork park, near Ribeauvillé. The park has been responsible for reintroducing storks to the wild in Alsace, and they keep a large number on hand.

In the park one can view other animals, notably river otters and coypus, also known as nutria. The nutria seen here enjoying a carrot was part of a show given by the park each afternoon, which features most of the animals kept at the park, including a California sea lion (definitely not found in the wild in Alsace). The whole show was supervised by a pair of storks that flew in to keep an eye on the announcer.

Last but not least when describing Alsace, one must say something about the wine. The grape was ubiquitous. The towns we visited are all surrounded by vinyards, which often extend far up into the hills.

The week we were there was time for "vendange" , the grape harvest. The word goes out: "The grapes are ready". It seemed as if every available able-bodied person was pressed into helping out with the grape picking. On our walk to Hunawihr a farmer even invited JoAnn and I to grab a pair of pruning shears. Slow-moving tractors, pulling carts laden with grapes, took over all the roads.

Every town seemed to contain several wine makers. Louis Sipp is a prominent (suitable) name in Ribeauvillé. The yard outside a winery is packed with barrels, and necessary equipment is kept on standby. As the last step, the wineries all provide opportunities for tasting and purchasing their products.

As our favorite wine we settled on a Pinot Gris, which in Alsace tastes quite different from the California variety. So here's a toast to the architecture, the countryside, and the wines of Alsace!

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