The day started cloudy and overcast with rain forecast but up to now, no rain. Back to Hotel Les Vosges for breakfast, brought the suitcases down for transport to Riquewihr, and out the front door of Hotel des Deux Clefs early. Left Turckheim through the Brand Gate per instructions, and up the hill through the many, many vineyards to Niedermorschwihf. (We never even attempted to pronounce most of these towns…impossible for us.) From there to Ammerschwihr, a picturesque village dating from the 16th century but badly damaged towards the end of World War II between 1944-45.

Onwards and upwards until Kayserburg, putting on rain jackets…taking off rain jackets…each time the drizzle became hard enough. Took off the backpacks, pulled the jackets from the large trash bags inside the pack (keeps everything dry), and put them on, threw the backpacks on..and….the drizzle stopped again…drove us nuts.

The vineyards were a vivid green, completely symetrical with the rows of grapes climbing every hill and dominating the landscape. Walking through the little villages, there would be signs and/or displays on most houses advertising a regional wine for sale. From this point forward, we’ll show a little more respect when drinking wine now that we recognize how extremely labor-intensive the wine growing business is.

walking through the vineyards with Turckheim in the distance, Francevineyards everywhere in Alsace, France 

a small producer advertising his wines in Alsace, France
Kayserberg is considered one of the most beautiful cities on the wine route with a high fortress dominating the city and is one of the premier wine-growing areas in Alsace. It was built on the Weiss River, surrounded by famous vineyards, and Albert Schweitzer was born here.

arriving in Kayserberg on the Alsace wine route, France 

Kayserberg houses, Alsace, France
Kayserberg is a superb fortified village with more stone-paved streets, gothic houses and wells dating back to the Renaissance. …View image… Kayserberg was first mentioned in 1227, the year Henry VII bought the castle to control the valley. Other than its craft and trade industries, Kayserberg exported its wines across the Rhine. This town was also badly damaged during the liberation, December, 1944 but has been reconstructed.

Kayserberg map, France 

Chateau above Kayserberg, France
This town was incredibly picturesque and we took our time walking through the streets following the map from the Tourist Information Office listing the important sites.

Emperor Constantine’s fountain in Kayserberg, Alsace, France
A few of the most important sites: the square with Constantine’s fountain (the emperor’s statue carved in 1521); house with carved woodwork; the parish church begun in 1230. With all the gloom and off-again-on-again drizzle, we stayed around the street by the Information Office since the walk would continue out from there.

heading up to the Chateau with Kayserberg below