Off to Alsace! Happy days

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
This was startling to me on the weekend: also that some murals on the farmhouses had text in a German dialect.

I also visited a tiny Commonwealth/French war cemetery and was struck by how many soldiers who, as the plaque stated: "Died for their love of France" had German names.

It was pretty nice there though. I just rode a short distance over the border to Neuf-Brisach, which was fantastic but I'd advise you to go earlier in the morning, before the tourists turn up. I'd also recommend going to its twin of Breisach, about 5 km away on the German side of the river:

View attachment 535764

Very beautiful but less famous so has fewer tourists.
The hosts we stayed with told us that his father had been conscripted into the Wehrmacht, no choice in the matter, you are now German, you live in Germany, get on with it, they also said that a lot of these conscripts did their training then took everything they learned away with them by going AWOL and joining the resistance.
There are a lot of murals on old buildings with the script in the old German style, written in German, yes the locals surnames are German too.
 
OP
OP
Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
Whereabouts will you be going?

Going to be staying in Riquewihr
 
OP
OP
Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
This was startling to me on the weekend: also that some murals on the farmhouses had text in a German dialect.

I also visited a tiny Commonwealth/French war cemetery and was struck by how many soldiers who, as the plaque stated: "Died for their love of France" had German names.

It was pretty nice there though. I just rode a short distance over the border to Neuf-Brisach, which was fantastic but I'd advise you to go earlier in the morning, before the tourists turn up. I'd also recommend going to its twin of Breisach, about 5 km away on the German side of the river:

View attachment 535764

Very beautiful but less famous so has fewer tourists.
Thats good to to know, thanks. Yes we might go to the concentration camp! if it is open, i don't think many of the castles are open, or you need to book. I think we may spend 3 nights over in the Black Forest.
 
OP
OP
Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
The hosts we stayed with told us that his father had been conscripted into the Wehrmacht, no choice in the matter, you are now German, you live in Germany, get on with it, they also said that a lot of these conscripts did their training then took everything they learned away with them by going AWOL and joining the resistance.
There are a lot of murals on old buildings with the script in the old German style, written in German, yes the locals surnames are German too.
wow amazing stuff, love my history, so all this will be interesting
 

Once a Wheeler

…always a wheeler
I also visited a tiny Commonwealth/French war cemetery and was struck by how many soldiers who, as the plaque stated: "Died for their love of France" had German names.
Eastern Belgium is also great cycling country with similarities to the Vosges and Alsace. In the village of Raeren there is this war memorial:
1594714027262.png

(Photo © Kaiser Christian) Beside the central figure are the usual inscriptions to honour the glorious dead. The interesting thing is that this is an allied war memorial commemorating the sacrifice of the Western allies — and all the inscriptions are entirely in German.
 
Going to be staying in Riquewihr
Lovely, archetypal Alsace town.

Hugel makes superb wines and you cannot miss them as they are in the middle of town. Dopff& Irion and Dopff au Moulin are 2 other good producers in town, a smaller producer is Frederick Engel. I am not familiar with their products yet are well regarded for a visit.
And if you are into serious quality Alsace kit, then do try Josmeyer in Wintzenheim and/or Weinbach in Kaysersberg - both are superb and nearby. You are spoiled for choice!

This may or may not be of help, if you do not already have it.
 

DRM

Guru
Location
West Yorks
wow amazing stuff, love my history, so all this will be interesting
If you like history there is the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp, it’s in very good condition physically and it’s as if the Nazi’s have left it yesterday, but it’s a tough visit as the operating theatre for experiments,the prison cells , and the ovens are there to see as is the gas chamber and officers HQ down the road, I think Josef Kramer was in command at one point, there’s also the Siegfried line fortresses as well which are worth a visit too
 
OP
OP
Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
Lovely, archetypal Alsace town.

Hugel makes superb wines and you cannot miss them as they are in the middle of town. Dopff& Irion and Dopff au Moulin are 2 other good producers in town, a smaller producer is Frederick Engel. I am not familiar with their products yet are well regarded for a visit.
And if you are into serious quality Alsace kit, then do try Josmeyer in Wintzenheim and/or Weinbach in Kaysersberg - both are superb and nearby. You are spoiled for choice!

This may or may not be of help, if you do not already have it.

thanks, yep need wine info and recommendations. Got good knowledge of Chablis, Beaujolais and champagne, some nice growers in the Loire too.

yep had a look at the cycling alsace, but found it more for touring, with off road gravely tracks which are no good for my bike. I have made some nice routes though using google earth, street view, garmin basecamp, with my notes of nice places in France and good climbs :smile:
 
OP
OP
Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
If you like history there is the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp, it’s in very good condition physically and it’s as if the Nazi’s have left it yesterday, but it’s a tough visit as the operating theatre for experiments,the prison cells , and the ovens are there to see as is the gas chamber and officers HQ down the road, I think Josef Kramer was in command at one point, there’s also the Siegfried line fortresses as well which are worth a visit too

thanks, yep we might go visit that, would be "interesting". Done some "good" cemeteries from WW1 while driving back from the South. https://www.verdun-douaumont.com/en/ and some of the trenches around there. Was meant to go through the Somme on our C2C trip, but postponed to next year. Would have seen some more of the Siegfried too down near Langres.

Thanks for all the info
 
Top Bottom