October 9
We stayed two nights recently in a great little inn located in Gleiszellen, right on the border between the German wine country and the Alsace region of France. What better way to spend the afternoon than with a visit to a couple of colorful and charming villages along the Route du Vin? (French Wine Road)
Riquewihr is a walled hamlet crammed full of houses and public buildings dating back to well before the American Revolution. In fact, there is hardly a house there which was not already finished by 1600. The town is full of daytrippers, and we were three of them. We wandered and marveled at all of the colorful houses and the beautiful flowers.
Kaysersberg next door is lovely, and reached by a secret road through the vineyards even nicer. Our guests Jim and Denise walked for a mile or so through the rolling countryside until the panoramic view of Kientzheim and neighboring villages came into view. Two people on horseback clopped down the road, adding to the atmosphere of a silent sojourn in France.
A cemetery with Haut Koenigsberg castle in the distance
Attractive metal signs in Kaysersberg
A fountain in Kientzheim
A bakery on the main street in Riquewihr wins the unofficial decorating contest
This friendly dog watched the newcomers enter ‘his’ village
Door decoration for the season
Jim and Denise walk down a quiet lane in Riquewihr