ITINERARY | HIGHLIGHTS | WEATHER | ACCOMMODATION & ADDITIONAL INFO

Alsace 2008

A Walk through the Kaysersberg Valley

Alsace the beautiful border region that has been the pawn of French and German politics for centuries is resolutely French but with unique Germanic influences. This area is the cross-roads between France and Germany famous for its beautiful scenery and excellent wines. This walking route is circular and takes in some of the most beautiful medieval wine towns and villages of the region. You walk along way-marked routes from village to village through woods, rolling hills, sunny valleys full of wild flowers and vineyard after vineyard where you can stop and taste the wine.

PRICE

£475.00 Per person. Single supplement £75.00

INCLUDED

accommodation for 6 nights in hotels of 2 and 3 stars in double rooms with bath or shower and private W.C., 5 evening meals (drinks not included) and breakfasts, packed lunch each walking day, transport of baggage between each overnight and route instructions/maps.

• Accommodation for 6 nights in hotels of 2 and 3 stars in double rooms with bath or shower and private W.C.
• 5 evening meals (drinks not included) and breakfasts.
• Packed lunch each walking day
• Transport of baggage between each overnight.
• Route instructions/maps

NOT INCLUDED

Flights, drinks, gratuities, anything not specified in itinerary

Departure dates 2008: daily from May to October

To book email: walking@star.co.uk
T: (44) (0)1242 254353

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ITINERARY

 

Day 1: Arrive in Kayserberg. This lovely medieval town with its ruined 13th century imperial castle and fortified towers was once a free city and its former importance is evident in 12th century church with its renowned altarpiece dating from the 16th Century, its fortified bridge and renaissance town hall and beautiful crooked half-timbered houses.

Day 2: Our walk takes us through the hills and valleys of the Vosges. We walk through green valleys, vineyards until we arrive in Lapoutroie, a pretty village in the heart of this valley - famous for its Munster cheese and wine brandies.

Day 3: We continue our walk from the green valley to the hilltown of Le Bonhomme. We walk up to the top of Le Brezourard, which marks the northern boundary of the Upper-Vosges. From the summit (1229 m) there are beautiful panoramic views to be enjoyed: to the north lies the Champ du Feu; to the northeast Strasbourg and on a clear day Mont Blanc appears from far away on the south. Le Bonhomme (The Good Man) is a pleasant village of dairy farms.

Day 4: Our walk today follows wooden paths past former glacier lakes that are now peatbogs containing a great variet of flower and fauna including carnivorous plants which swallow insects. We walk past the observation post called The Crow's Rock - this was used during to the First World War to observe the battle below and today one can see the Cimetiere Duschene where the soldiers who lost their lives during the battles of the Tete des Faux - Christmas Eve 1915. Our walk takes us past two great lakes until we reach our destination Orbey. Orbey is composed of five typical hamlets and the valley has been important since the formation of the Abbey of Pairis in the 12th Century. The local Muster cheese comes from this valley (munster coming from the word for monastery "Monastere").

Day 5: The beginning of today's walk takes us to the pagan site of the Trembling Stones - a site used by Druids. The large slabs on the site are a mixture of sandstone pebbles of the Vosges mountains and flint stones.

Later our walk takes us across the battle fields of the First World War - the Linge of Lindkopf is one of the battlefields of this war: The Germans had forces high up along the ridge Vosges and the deep trenches and machine gun stations were installed there.Lower down the French trenches in loose soil can be seen. The battles along this area were called the War of the Trenches and the Linge Memorial Museum can be visited along the way. We also pass the Wettstein - the military cemetery of the soldiers of the infantry where 2, 146 French soldiers fell and were buried between 1914 and 1918.

Tonight we stay at La Baroche where the dialect is more French than German.

Day 6: Our last day's walks takes us back to the vineyards that produce the great wines of Alsace. We walk through charming towns, such as Turkheim, an old walled-in city, with many houses dating from the 16th century before arriving in Niedermorschwihr, a pretty village in the middle of vineyards with medieval house decorated with bow windows and balconies with colourful flower boxes.

Day 7: After breakfast return to the railway station or your car.

     

 

DIFFICULTY OF WALK

This is a moderate walk. You walk between 7 and 12 miles a day along way-marked paths. Some paths are flat along the valleys and vineyards but generally they are hilly with an altitude gain between 450 and 800 metres (1350 ft - 2400 ft). You walk between 4 and 6 hours a day.

GROUP SIZE

one or more

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HIGHLIGHTS

Surprisingly good food (a blend of French and German) and excellent wines and beers. Unspoilt villages and comfortable accommodation.

If you have done this walk before, we would like to hear of your personal highlights. Mail Us

WEATHER

Click here to view the weather forecast Link courtesy of uk met office

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ACCOMMODATION & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ACCOMMODATION

Comfortable small hotels (2* and 3*) with local dishes.

GETTING THERE

By air: Strasbourg is the nearest Airport but connections are easy from Frankfurt in Germany.

By train: There are regular trains from Strasbourg to Colmar - journey time 45 minutes.

WHAT TO TAKE:

Comfortable, well aerated clothes in keeping with the season. Always bring a pullover, good walking boots (already worn-in) and several pairs of cotton or wool socks. For your daily needs, you are advised to have a plastic bag to line your day-pack (to protect the contents from rain), rainwear, a sun-hat, sun glasses, sun block, a water bottle, plastic picnic boxes (for transporting your lunches), first-aid kit , camera and film, torch/flashlight.

WHEN TO GO

May - to October inclusive.

INSURANCE

We recommend that you take out appropriate holiday insurance covering you against illness, injury, and loss or damage to luggage. This insurance should also cover the possibility of your having to cancel your holiday for whatever reason.

To book, contact worldwalks  at:
email:walking@star.co.uk
T: (44) (0)1242 254353

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