Day 6 – Exploring Riquewihr, France

We were parked alongside a larger cruise ship

Early this morning, we docked Breisach, Germany. Of the available shore excursions, we selected the walking tour through nearby Riquewihr, in the Alsace region of France. Because another cruise ship was already docked, we parked alongside and walked across their ship to make it to shore.

This region has alternated between German and French control over the centuries and reflects a mix of those cultures. Breisach is on the border between Germany and France, and we were soon in Neuf Brisach (new Breisach). The French built a fortified star-shaped town to protect themselves against the Romain Empire.

Vineyards along the highway

Our tour leader, Anne, explained that many of the towns have German-sounding names, e.g., Kaysersberg, and many end in wihr (meaning settlement) or heim (meaning home). She added that this extends to given names and makes for unusual full names. 

Statue of Liberty in Colmar. Photo Credit: Tripadvisor

We passed thru nearby Colmar. Big companies like Peugeot, Novartis, and Mars are located here. Surprisingly, they are also known for statues such as the Statue of Liberty. 

Alsace is best known for its wine. Many grapes from this region are grown at the base of Vosges Mountain. This area also has approximately 450 medieval castles. Most of their silhouettes remain, but unfortunately, they are in ruin.

Our bus stopped in one of the Alsatian villages, Riquewihr. Anne stated that this is one of the smaller villages (with approximately 1,000 residents). Nevertheless, it attracted more than two million visitors yearly before COVID, yet the village remains authentic in its character.

Freshly baked macarons

Anne walked us up the main street, commenting on the history and architecture of the buildings we passed. Many were built in the 1600s, and the dates were printed on the front of the buildings. We noticed several wine tasting rooms, specialty shops for macarons, munster cheese, and souvenir shops.

After the tour, we made our way down the hill and visited many of the shops. While we purchased a few souvenirs, I was more interested in eating some local food instead of eating lunch back on the ship. I look forward to experiencing food from the local area. 

An Alsatian Riesling

We stopped at a wine cave that doubled as a tasting room. The clement is a sparkling wine from this region and can’t be labeled as champagne because it isn’t from that region. Nevertheless, it was excellent, and we also tasted a riesling and purchased both to enjoy later. 

I was thrilled when we found an open tavern that served food. I was about to try the Alsatian specialty, Tarte flambe. Toasted flatbread is topped with lardon (bacon), oignon (onion), and cheese. The crust was crisp, and the bacon included julienned bacon strips, onion, and melted cheese.

Unfortunately, we had to return to the ship as it was leaving port at 12:30 p.m.