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.
This fun trail began easily enough in the center of the town of Eguisheim, a small town with an impressively long history. Celtic and Roman remains have been found in the area. As to its ample medieval history, history with a small “h” is commemorated in the guild carvings above the doors of homes. Among them, many coopers markings, indicating an abundant need for casks, as wine was a prevalent town concern even then! And no wonder: Eguisheim is home to two Grand Cru vineyards. Naturally, there are many wineries, mostly family-owned, and visiting the cellars and their old casks, and tasting their wine is possible (although not automatic) in several of them.
From the town center, the trail continued this wine theme, through vineyards to the edge of the vast forest covering the Vosges mountains. It is interesting to note the sharp delineation of land for grapes, abruptly ended by the tree-line, a dark green line wavering along the edge of the foothills. Although no grapes grow here, the forest provided some of its wood for casks in earlier eras.
The forest is mostly deciduous as the climb begins. The trail crosses or parallels creeks, as it moves up a narrow valley. A sharp turn onto a narrow track marks the start of a steep incline to the top of the hill. It also marks the rise of pines, tall, straight and the canopy high above, almost completely obliterating the sky, providing a peaceful, darkened sweet-smelling oasis for the ascent.
Coming out of the forest at the top of the hill, not one, but three, castles stand side-by-side on a cleared bit of land. Like the other castles of this area, they are made of red sandstone blocks, and take advantage of rock face whenever feasible. It is possible to wander around the castle ruins, and through and around some of the archways and entries. One of the other delights about castles are the distant views. From this vantage point, the concentric circles of houses define Eguisheim, far below; Colmar is just north of it; Germany and the Black Forest are clearly visible in the far distance, on the other side of the Rhine. Between the castle ruins and the views, the photographic opportunities were endless. After spending quite some time, I left reluctantly to finish the hike, which proceeded just as steeply downhill now.
The wooded part of this hike ended just outside the ancient Abbey of Marbach on the outskirts of Voegtlinshoffen. Of course they had vines, and in fact, vines continue to fill much of the space in front of the abbey even if the monastic establishment no longer exists. And so the hike continues through vineyards, following up and over the slopes that help provide such great drainage for the vines.
Once reaching the famed Grand Cru of Eichberg however, the picturesque little town of Eguisheim suddenly comes into view, as this wonderful trail draws to a close. A short viticulture trail leads off the path, but I chose to follow the trail back into Eguisheim to explore the casks in the town, experiencing the best from those as well!
