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France, Hiking

Vineyards and Castles

Vineyards and Castles: Two of my absolute favorite European travel experiences, and I experienced them both on this delightful circuit trail in southern Alsace!

In France, it is more likely that you will find palaces and vineyards. But in Alsace, a famous wine region where for centuries French and German armies clashed, nobles built castles. Literally dozens remain to be seen today. Although most are in ruins, they powerfully evoke a sense of time and place for those visiting their often eerie haunts. This is especially true if you are willing to hike to some of the more remote ones, on distant hills, overlooking remote valleys, practically shrouded by vegetation.

Three Chateaux
Three Chateaux

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France, Wines

Wine Notes: Alsace Haut-Rhin

 

What I Learned

Alsace’s Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine) area’s interesting geological history resulted in some great terroirs. It was initially born of volcanic activity. Once spent, the volcanic mountains collapsed on themselves, and an ancient sea covered the area. Then two mountain chains arose (the Vosges in France, and the Black Forest range in Germany), and the ancient Rhine river poured through the resulting valley. As the river receded to its current banks, it exposed the slopes of the Vosges, on which the Alsatian vineyards currently lie. The soil here is incredibly complex, thanks to this geological history, and it results in minerally, and complex wines.

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France, Hiking, Nutshell

Alsace’s Vineyards and Castles: Trail in a Nutshell

Trail Name: Vignoble et Chateaux

Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit; varied surface types (paved, grass, dirt, rock), with some steps to climb; fairly well-maintained trail; the route itself is usually clearly marked, except in a couple of places.

Length: Total: 10.5 kilometers/6.5 miles

Convenient to: Colmar, France

Marking: Trail name “Vignoble et Chateaux” in purple letters on white background. (Another trail name also appears on these signs when trails overlap.)

Sign for Vignoble et Chateaux Trail
Sign for Vignoble et Chateaux Trail

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Biking, Germany

Wine for a Song

 

Rather than referring to the cost of the wine here (although some quality producers offer great Rheinterrassen wine at very reasonable prices), today’s post title refers to the Song of the Nibelungen, that epic poem of feasts with wine, hosted by powerful kings with brave knights, and a fearless slayer of dragons guarding vast treasures.

The poem (later adapted and set to music in Wagner’s Ring Cycle), tells of the life and death of the dragon-slaying hero Siegfried, and his relationship with the Burgundians. Much of the action takes place in and around the city of Worms “on the Rhine”, which is home to the court of the Burgundian king Gunther and his wife and queen Brunhild. (It is also now home to several sculptures of dragons, commemorating this facet of the poem.)

Here Be Dragons
Here Be Dragons

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Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Rheinhessen Rheinterrassen

What I Learned:

Off all the German states (or Laende), Rheinland Pfalz has the most wine regions. And of all the German wine regions, the Rheinhessen is the biggest. On the left/west bank of the Rhine, between roughly Worms and Mainz, it extends away from the river to as far west as Alzey-Weinheim, itself about 25 kilometers from the Rhine. In total, Rheinhessen vines cover approximately 26,000 hectares/65,000 acres.

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Germany, Nutshell

Rheinterrassen Route: Trail in a Nutshell

Trail Name: Rheinterrassen route

Trail Type: Long distance; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, but the route itself is not marked.

Length: total: 50.5 km/31.5 miles

Convenient to: Mainz or Worms, Germany

Marking: Dark green and lighter green lines, and silhouetted town skyline, on a white background.

 

Rheinterrassenroute Signage
Rheinterrassenroute Signage

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France, Hiking

Sailing through a Sea of Vouvray

Like the bow of a great ship, the plateau above Vernou sur Brenne separated the waters of the Brenne and the Cisse rivers. And like a ship, the deck was laden with goods: In this case the plateau was planted extensively with grapevines. Being within the Vouvray appellation, all these Chenin Blanc grapes were destined to become Vouvray wine – one of the best known white wines from France’s Loire Valley.

The vineyards are not apparent from the center of the little town of Vernou. The old center huddles between the banks of the little Brenne and Cisse Rivers and the tufa cliffs behind the town. This is where this short and easy hike begins. Following the shady embankment along the Brenne, a short segment of the trail leads steeply up the cliff and onto the plateau.

On the Trail on the Embankment
On the Trail on the Embankment

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France, Wines

Wine Notes: Vouvray

What I Learned

Vouvray is a village, and with 7 other small villages, the name of a wine appellation in the Loire Region. Vouvray’s small area, only about 200 hectares or 5000 acres, belies its huge renown.

Just east of Tours, France, on the right (north) bank of the Loire River, the vineyards here face mostly south, sitting atop a bedrock of tufa. The soils here are a mix of clay and either flint or chalk – particularly well suited for Chenin Blanc vines. Vintners attribute these physical characteristics to the unique expression given by its Appellation Vouvray Controllee wines.

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France, Nutshell

Entre Vignes et Patrimoine: Trail in a Nutshell

Trail Name: Entre Vignes et Patrimoine (Among Vines and Patrimony)

Trail Type: Short distance circuit; tarmac or hard-packed, well maintained, fairly well-marked, but a map will help. (Free brochure/maps available from regional tourist offices.)

Length: total: 6.5 kilometers or 8 kilometers/ 4 miles or 5 miles

Convenient to: Tours, France

Marking: Yellow lines, straight or bent to indicate direction

Yellow Rectangle Sign
Yellow Rectangle Sign

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