Alsace in February

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Alsace in February - 12/29/2019 11:42:03 AM

jvphoto

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My best friend lives in Lyon & with my Epic Pass I can get a week of free skiing in the 3 Valleys, so the past three years I've been going to France in Feb/March for about 10 days and we usually do a little skiing and then will drive up to Beaune for a few nights. I'm also there the last few Julys for my birthday and we have gone to Champagne and also did Beaune to Saint Marie de la Mer via the Rhone.

This year I am thinking of changing it up & thought about going to Alsace and maybe something besides Val Thorens or Courchevel to ski as well. I know winter vineyards are not fun and exciting so I am more interested if it's still viable to enjoy to go eat, drink & taste. The last trip in Beaune we actually did more going out to eat and drinking bottles at Ma Cuisine, Bistro du Hotel, La Bout du Monde than we did visiting cellars and I'm totally okay with something like that in/around Strasbourg but cellar/tasting visit would still be enjoyable I just don't know the way they do it in Alsace (aka do they have regular hour shops or is it the winemaker's wife or grandma who you have to call up an see if they're available).

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RE: Alsace in February - 12/30/2019 7:07:34 AM

hankj

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Regarding tasting at wineries in Alsace, there's a mix of types, but a high proportion are small family owned. In summer they have signs out by the roadside along the wine trail to draw people in. My assumption is that in the dead of winter you'll need to call most places.

Strasbourg is an attractive city, but Colmar is absolute magic, particularly after dark. Colmar is closer to the more beautiful villages and to the best vineyards. I wouldn't hesitate to visit in winter, would hope for a thin coat of snow.

Skiing-wise, Alsace is not too far from the stretch of Arlberg from St. Anton to Lech to Warth, most snow-sure part of the Alps. Warth is a quiet working ag village, Lech where the British royals ski, St. Anton invented dancing on tables in ski boots at 4pm. So I suppose you could find your jam.

Or around Schruns in Vorarlberg is close too, less busy, cozy charming in the unique Austrian way and likewise snowier than most other parts of the Alps. This is the atmospheric valley where Hemingway chose the hole up for winters, skiing and writing (and drinking). I've never been to either in winter, but have in summer, would return to either to ski, particularly if I was booking way ahead with no idea of the snow conditions I might encounter.

German speaking Switzerland is of course right there as well.

< Message edited by hankj -- 12/30/2019 10:02:32 AM >

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RE: Alsace in February - 12/30/2019 7:17:47 AM

hankj

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.

< Message edited by hankj -- 12/30/2019 7:18:10 AM >

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RE: Alsace in February - 12/30/2019 4:40:37 PM

greenmachine

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You'll really like it and won't want to come back.

We stayed in Kayserberg. If you look in the Turckheim - Kientzheim - Kayserberg area there are lots of wineries and places to eat. But also make sure to drive around further north and south. Do go into Colmar for sure but it's much bigger than the other villages so it depends what kind of feel you want to stay at.

Visiting the wineries is easy but definitely call ahead in low season as some may be closed or on holiday.

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RE: Alsace in February - 12/30/2019 5:12:30 PM

jvphoto

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So I realized that I actually have 4.5 more days than I originally thought I had on this trip. Talking to my Lyonaisse best friend/translator* I think we will save it for when I come in July for my birthday. It gives me time to plan/organize/try more Alsatian wines at home and I can see it with the greenery in a better season. I think this trip we are just going to do repeats and probably after skiing just head to Beaune for a bit, see some people we met previously or didn't get a chance to last time and then continue to Champagne & do the same before heading to Paris.

In the summer I think we will go through Jura to Alsace before we head to his family home in Brittany (which will be my first time there) or vv.

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RE: Alsace in February - 12/31/2019 8:19:29 AM

hankj

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Alsace is a nice summer trip, particularly if you like riding bikes and/or countryside walking. There's a well worn cycle the vines route, and every village TI gives maps to regularly signposted scenic walks out in the fields and countryside.

Villages mentioned above are lovely and right in the grand cru vineyard zone. Ribeauville and Eguishiem are likewise good picks in the area, the former being grand and the latter painfully quaint. Obernai in the north is also attractive and has a glut of very good traditional Alsacian restaurants.

Will note that Colmar isn't a village but rather a small medieval city so rustically historically charming that it feels like Walt Disney designed it. To me it fits in a set of similar European small cities like Bruges and Dubrovnik (but fewer foreign tourists).

Traditional Alsacian is hands down the heaviest cuisine I've ever encountered! I like it, but after a few days of nuclear gut bomb meals start dreaming of fruit salads.

< Message edited by hankj -- 1/1/2020 2:35:16 PM >

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RE: Alsace in February - 12/31/2019 8:33:51 AM

hankj

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Also JVphoto are you Carmel Valley central or southern California? Either way you live in a pleasant place!

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RE: Alsace in February - 1/1/2020 11:14:06 AM

greenmachine

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quote:

ORIGINAL: hankj

Traditional Alsacian is hands down the heaviest cuisine I've ever encountered! I like it, but after a few days of nuclear gut bomb meals start dreaming of fruit salads.

Haha. Have no fear there is plenty of regular French food around in all different styles, you don't need to eat pure Alsace for breakfast lunch and dinner. Our experience was you just couldn't go wrong, everywhere and everything was good and we did both. Only thing to know is that Alsace wines comes in so many different styles, be sure to go for lots of breadth early on to learn more and find out what you like. It is really a winemaker's region.

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RE: Alsace in February - 1/4/2020 7:27:51 AM

jonathanknowles

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quote:

ORIGINAL: greenmachine

quote:

ORIGINAL: hankj

Traditional Alsacian is hands down the heaviest cuisine I've ever encountered! I like it, but after a few days of nuclear gut bomb meals start dreaming of fruit salads.

Haha. Have no fear there is plenty of regular French food around in all different styles, you don't need to eat pure Alsace for breakfast lunch and dinner. Our experience was you just couldn't go wrong, everywhere and everything was good and we did both. Only thing to know is that Alsace wines comes in so many different styles, be sure to go for lots of breadth early on to learn more and find out what you like. It is really a winemaker's region.

Seconded about the food. The density of high quality restaurants (of almost all budgets) in the main wine growing area of Alsace is tremendous. You don't have to eat Choucroute Garni at every meal. But do eat it once.

We've been to Kayserberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé and briefly Colmar. I think February is as good a time as any to visit, you don't need hot weather. In summer there are tour busses stopping in the cute villages, hopefully not in winter.

(in reply to greenmachine)

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RE: Alsace in February - 1/4/2020 5:43:05 PM

greenmachine

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Do visit the big castle high on the hill at the north end of the wine area. That was nice as well.

Agreed the cute villages get loads of tourists, but I was there in September and it wasn't too bad as these things go. If you go a little earlier or later it might also help a bit.

(in reply to jonathanknowles)

Post #: 10