It’s wonderful to spend a few hours or an entire day in this quaint medieval Alsacian villages. In the late afternoon we pulled into Kayserberg. Fantastic place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere.
Emperor Constantin fountain
Historical little church in the middle of the old Kaysersberg. Inside you can see a combinations of Romanesque and Gothic, the atmosphere was very calm.
Dinner at Inca
Strasbourg is known for many things. First of all, Strasbourg is the chief city of the historic wine-growing region Alsace. Located close to the border with Germany and Switzerland, Alsatian culture is a unique mix of French and German influences. Furthermore, the first Christmas Market was held in 1570, making Strasbourg Christmas Market one of the world’s oldest Christmas markets. Finally, it is the seat of a number of European institutions and bodies including the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights.
“La Petite France” is a historic quarter in the center of Strasbourg. It’s a well maintained area with lots of little lane ways and timber clad houses. We spent the whole afternoon walking around Strasbourg, mostly in this area. You really need to walk around to really enjoy. It was nice to just stroll casually and admire all the beautiful buildings. Great atmosphere and vibe to the place.
Lunch at La Corde à Linge
We stopped here on a hot day for lunch and were all pleased with our meals. Very busy restaurant in a fantastic location by the river.
We felt like we deserved ice cream after lunch 🙂
Construction started in 1176 and completed in 1275. The pink stone and single spire make this cathedral unique. The Cathedral has wonderful stained glass windows dating back hundreds of years, a beautiful interior in perfect Gothic style with a historical astronomical clock.
Climbed 332 steps to the top of the bell tower.
If your legs are up to it, climb to the top (and back down) of the cathedral tower for a spectacular view of the city. There is no elevator, so be sure you’re up for it before you start. Also depending on your timing, you may get to hear the bells chiming the hour.
The castle sits atop an imposing hill with great views over the entire area. It is around 700 years old and was destroyed in wars and abandoned but at the end of the 19th century the German emperor Wilhelm II had it renovated. Worth to take a visit as it gives you an idea how people used to live.
Beautiful castle up in the hills of Alsace
You can’t miss the Chateau when driving through the Alsace, it dominates a position high up on a mountain looking over the valley.
Established in 1743 by Claude Moët. We chose the tour with 2 champagnes at the end, the Imperial and the rose. Our well versed guide took us on an very informative tour. She showed us around the caves and explained their manufacture process. You will amazed at the caves holding rows and rows of bottles. Nearly a billion at this date.
These Champagnes are blends of the grape trio Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
The taste is smooth, very easy to drink. Quite minerally with citrus and soda water flavors.
There are many Chateaux vineyards to visit in the Bordeaux region, and Château d-Yquem is one of the very best. It produces the most highly esteemed sweet wine in the world.
Sauternes is made from a combination of the big three Bordeaux white grapes: Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle grapes. It is very expensive due largely to the very high cost of production.
Guiraud is also the oldest and one of the largest in Sauternes with over 100 hectares of vines. The grounds of this facility are beautiful, very calm and forested, with trees right along the main walkway.
The Chateau Filhot was founded in 1709. Their vines are planted with 60% of Sémillon, 34% of Sauvignon blanc, and 6% of Muscadelle.
Chateau Rieussec 2001 was selected as Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 2004.
We spent one night at the Chateau d’Arche. It’s a beautiful building fully updated in the middle of the vineyards with fabulous views all around. There are restaurants in walking distance, but almost everything closes after lunch on Sunday.
Breakfast at Relais du Chateau d’Arche
Baguette vending machine
Arcachon basin is one of the two places (Marennes-Oléron) in France where oysters reproduce naturally. This small museum provides all the information and history in the work of the oyster farming. You will see a video about how the oyster larvas are collected and grown and learn about the variety of oysters.
This was a very interesting visit and made us appreciate the local oysters even more!
Bordeaux is a world heritage location. The Place de la Bourse has a grand fountain in the center. Just watch the world go by surrounded by beautiful buildings. Relax and soak up the atmosphere.
It was a sunny day and lots of people were having fun playing in the thin layer of water.
The Pont de Pierre is a historic bridge that spans the River Garonne. It connects the left bank of the Garonne to the right bank quartier de la Bastid. A quick photo stop.
Lunch at Cafe Tupina
The whole area was stuffed full of history. The old town beyond the flower market area was a maze of interesting and winding streets. We walked everywhere and enjoyed winding through the narrow streets and finding cafes, shops, designer boutiques, and restaurants. Great to wander in and to eat and drink.
Lunch
The beach scene was a people watchers paradise. It reminded me of Santa Monica in LA. We came here around sunset and it was fantastic just walking up and down the promenade with the beach and water on one side and rows of interesting buildings on the other.
Dinner
