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Start and finish: Breisach/Rhine
Kilometer: app. 1000
Favorable season: spring until autumn
The region between Rhine and Vosges is the ideal area to combine the pleasure of riding with culinary delights. On endlessly winding roads the biker and their motorcycles await picturesque vine villages with its half-timbered houses, tree-covered hills toped by ancient castles, canyons and mountain passes. And one will certainly have plenty of opportunities to try culinary specialties.
To the wine land and its famous cuisine — the Alsace
The starting signal for this culinary adventure through the smallest French province comes from the German side of the Rhine, from Breisach. From here the route follows the green road the so-called “bond of friendship” until Colmar. At the metropolis of wines from the Alsace the people of fine tastes will get their money worth. The culinary tour through the gourmet restaurants of the Alsace starts at the center of the town, the “Les Tétes.”
The kitchen of this first eating palace is bound to serve Alsace cookery including typical dishes like Baeckeoffe, Gänsetopfleber, Zanderfilet or Choucroute. It proves a worthy opener for the tour. After a thorough feast one gets back on his bike and with it back on the vine road of Alsace. Passing dreamy vine villages along this famous road one rides towards Marlenheim, the finish of the first feasting stage. And if you’ve got some time left and like to go to the only KTM-dealer in the region you should ride to Eckbolsheim near Strasbourg (Wolff Moto Products; 4, rue Jean Monnet).
This region shaped by its history and the vine yards invites the traveler almost behind each corner to the next stop. One time it is for a walk along the vine yards, another time it is to visit a historical castle. And there are a variety of fine restaurants, for example the “Auberge d’Ill” hosted by the Haeberlins at Illhäusern. It is supposed to be a byword for French cuisine and gourmets from around the globe have been guests here.
There is much to be discovered. That is also true for the three-stars-accommodation “Le Cerf” at Marlenheimer. For several decades the kitchen of Maítre Michael Husser belongs to the best of Alsace cooking. (Further accommodation: Hostellerie “Reeb”)
To the castle land and the nature part of North Vosges
On the second day the route leads towards the northern Vosges. The first stop — it couldn’t be different, since it’s a feasting tour — is a restaurant. At Brumath, a small village north of Strasbourg, the restaurant “Hostellerie L’Ecrevisse” has open for its customers.
As guest at Patron Michel Orth’s house one has to make a decision: Either one enters the gourmet restaurant “L’Ecrevisse” or the “Krebs Stebel” with its home cooking or one tries the specialties at the delicatessen shop. Maybe the last possibility will agree best with the time of the day. And since there are so many choices one will surely find something agreeable for ones taste. Leaving the “L’Ecrevisse” one heads towards the direction of the nature park at the North Vosges; always looking for further gourmet restaurants.
The first one is the “Au Cerf” at Oberhoffen-sur-Moder. It offers a combination of home cooking, Alsace and light, modern cuisine. It is followed by the “Auberge du Cheval Blanc” at Lembach and the “Anthon” at Obersteinbach. The “Anthon” belongs supposedly to the best restaurants in the northern Alsace and is in any case worth a visit. Leaving Obersteinbach and riding past ancient castles the next entries in the road book are the restaurant “Le Cygne” at Gundershoffen and La Petite Pierre as well as Saverne in the Middle Vosges. Saverne attracts its visitors with the Haut Barr.
The ancient castle is also called “Eye of the Alsace” and seems to guard the plain of the Alsace, the Col de Saverne and the Valleé de la Zorn. On this elevated spot one quickly finds the right overview about how the feasting tour might go on. It leads via Lutzelbourg, Chatèaux de Nideck, Schirmeck and St-Blaise-la-Roche until Colroy-la-Roche the finish of this second stage of the feasting tour through the Alsace.
For the night we like to recommend the most beautiful hotel in the region, the “La Cheneaudiére.” It is known for its excellent cookery. For supper: What about lobster fricassee with basil, fine lamb filet and some wine from the Alsace?
Across the Route des Crétes, the peak road of the Vosges
At St. Marie-aux-Mines the about 90 kilometer long peak road of the Vosges officially begins. In serpentines the route to Crétes steeply climbs towards the south. Parking places along the way signify beautiful views into the Oberrhinetal towards Lothringen and the Black Forest.
They are certainly worth a stop. Across the Col de La Schlucht (1135 m) the tour leads towards Grand Ballon. With its 1423 m it is the highest elevation along the Routes des Crétes. The mountain next to the road is a well liked look out point and therefore unfortunately very crowded, too. However, it guarantees a fantastic look out. When the weather is clear one can see almost the whole range peaks in the Alps. Absolutely worth the effort! On this panorama road in the Alsace everyone should take its time. Same is true for the “Fermes Auberges” who can be found left and right of this high route.
If you are bothered by hunger you should definitely stop at one of the mountain farms. On their tables you will find a Melkermahlzeit or Muenster cheese. It is served with wine from the vine yards of the Oberrhinetal. Strong, solid — typical original cookery from the Alsace. At Cernay, after about 90 kilometers “look & ride” the bikers on their KTM’s return to the vine road. From Cernay the tour goes along the route of the vins d’ Alsace and passes vine villages like Wuenheim, Guebwiller and Soultzmatt towards Rouffach, which is about 35 kilometers away. Here again the motor biker has to make decisions again. Either he places his worn behind at the “Chàteau d’Isenbourg” in the middle of a vine yard or he moves into a cozy room at the “Hostellerie a la ville de Lyon.”
The last one also provides a restaurant which belongs to the top address here. At this gourmet restaurant anyone who thoroughly enjoys his food will be delighted. Here Philippe Bohrer, a former student of the famous cook Paul Bocuse, creates culinary masterpieces for his guests. One example is pork chops filled with Gänsetopfenleber.
The kitchen of the “Chàteau d’Isenbourg” is also worth mentioning. It too creates culinary specialties for its guest. The restaurant of the castle displays a view of rural elegance and a trace of Middle-Age. (Further accommodations: Hostellerie “Le Relais d’ Alsace”)
Through the Vosges towards the Sundgau
No matter if you slept like a king or just like a peasant; this day belongs to bike riding again. The first part of today’s stage leads along the vine road. Up until Turckheim it is the vine which shapes the landscape and the villages along the way. At Eguisheim, one of the birthplaces of Alsace’s wine, is located below the “Trois chàteaux.” Gourmets should definitely stop at the “Caveau d’Eguisheim.” The restaurant of Maítre Jean-Christophe Perrin is situated in the center of town.
Anyone who isn’t longing for culinary tastes like Jacobs’s mussels or plum cake just keeps on going. Great food can certainly be found throughout the Alsace. At Turckheim the Routes des vin d’Alsace meets back with the green road. Along the “bond of friendship” one rides via Munster, Soultzeren and the Col de la Schlucht right across the Vosges towards Gerardmér.
If you feel hungry you should park your motorbike in front of the restaurant “Jamagne” and ask for mountain pie with goose liver or salmon with bacon — specialties of the house. The guests are offered a choice of home cooking and regional dishes here. After a solid meal the route leads across a few mountain passes (Col de Grosse, Col d’Oderen, Col de Bussang, Col du Ballon) and along the Rue du Ballon d’Allance towards the green and hilly Sundgau.
As today’s finish one finds Carspach near Altkirch entered into the road book. After finishing more than 200 kilometers the hotel “Auberge Sundgovienne” offers its bed to the riders. The attached restaurant tempts the travelers with its variety of roasted goose liver on black salsify, Rotbarbe or St. Pierre (St. Peter fish).
From the cheese at Sundgau to the engineering at Mulhouse
After riding only a few kilometers one already has to get off the bike again. The reason is that the cheese-guru Bernard Antony awaits the fans of his dairy products at Vieux-Ferrette. Trying his untreated milk cheese and his wine is a paradise and a must for cheese lovers.
After a few tastes of cheese and hopefully only a few drops of wine the tour leads continuously along the border to Switzerland — wonderful. The next gourmet destination is Sierentz, close to Mulhouse, in the south of Alsace. The village attracts gourmets due to the Auberge “St. Laurent.” The house looks rather average from the outside, but the inside is a true gourmet palace. It is especially known for its dessert cookery. After all that food for lunch there might be some time for technically interested freaks to visit the car museum at Mulhouse only half an hour away from Sierentz.
Who doesn’t feel like it can just keep on going towards Neuf Brisach. Here the gourmet has to make his choice again. Either he decides to finish the tour and rides towards Breisach on the Rhine or he enjoys Alsace cooking for one last time. If you decide for the latter you are in a perfect spot here at Colmar. At the oldest part of town, at “Little Venice,” the hotel “Le Marechal” is located. It is one of the best looking buildings in town with a very stylish interior.
At the restaurant “A L’Echevin” the spoiled taste buds get to sample another great taste. After enjoying a meal from either goose liver, pike-perch, doves or lobster one can simply lie down onto the soft beds of the four-star-hotel. (Further accommodations: hotel “Les Tétes, hotel “Europe”) |
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