German?
French? Alsace is like visiting two countries at once. Fortunately
though, for everyone's sake, you won't see locals wearing berets with
lederhosen but instead some of the most picturesque scenery in all of
Europe. The city of Strasbourg, with its cobblestone streets,
half-timbered homes and Gothic architecture glows with such ancient
perfection it almost looks movie-set fake. Equally as impressive, but
on a smaller scale, is the city of Colmar. More Old World than New,
it's the perfect stopping ground for testing the region's most
championed wines--Riesling and Gewurztraminer--while also inquiring
about the area's fascination with storks, seemingly symbolyzed on every
building.
The Vosges Mountains, France's last great pristine
wilderness, also add to Alsace's wow status. Staggering views of
glacier-cleaved valleys ornamented with Medieval castles are the norm
rather than the exception.
But nothing captures the true
essence of Alsace more than "La Route du Vin." This famed thoroughfare
hugs the Vosges foothills while winding through an endless string of
impossibly idyllic wine villages for 112 miles. |
