In the early fall (before Covid) we followed the Wine Route through Alsace. The grapes hung in thick bunches from the vines on the beautifully colored slopes. In the wine towns, everywhere smelled of the fermenting grapes that were pressed in the wine cellars.
After a week in which we were served delicious Alsatian dishes and tasted the wines, we lost the excess kilos again by walking in the green Jura. The route we are now describing takes us past colorful wine towns in Alsace to some surprisingly beautiful places in the French Jura.
The Alsace of Wissembourg to Eguisheim
Of all French wine regions, Alsace is without a doubt the most picturesque. Villages and towns with colorful half-timbered houses are surrounded by vineyards on all sides. In the west you see the mountains of the Vosges and in the east is the Rijndal, with places such as Colmar and Strasbourg. Colmar is the capital of wine, while Strasbourg is the second capital of Europe. The mixing of French and German culture is visible everywhere here, not least in the kitchen. You therefore regularly wonder whether you are in France or in Germany. But the sauerkraut tastes a little more French here and the Riesling tastes a bit more playful than on the other side of the border. We had ten days to find out to the bottom (from the bottle) why Alsace is so nice and so delicious!
We were helped enormously by the weather. Because Alsace has one of the finest climates in France. Protected by the mountains of the Vosges, which catch most of the rain, it is often dry and pleasantly warm here. September and October are the most beautiful months to travel around Alsace, because then the wine flushes through the streets, as it were. In short: this is an area for lovers of the good life.
The French Jura
Many skip the Jura when traveling to the south. We understand why. At first glance, the area has no large and special attractions. Landscapes seem rather uniform, maybe even boring. And here is the necessary rain, especially in the valleys along the plateau of the Jura.
But if you take the trouble to get to know the area better, you will make surprising discoveries. The city of Besançon is a beautiful place, with a huge citadel and a handy motorhome stop on the outskirts of the city. In Arbois you discover that the Jura also produces very special wines, although they are not such all-way friends as those of Alsace. Poligny, a little further away, is the capital of the Comté, one of the tastiest cheeses in France. Yet the Jura is mainly the area where you can lose the surplus kilos that you have eaten and drunk in Alsace in a sporting way. Because it is really a region for walkers and sometimes also for cyclists. With the route that we have set out, you can possibly quickly move to the start of the Napoléon route, or to beautiful areas in Switzerland and Italy.
The total Route through Alsace and the Jura is approximately 600 km long, but has so much to offer that you can make short relaxed stages. This way you travel in about 15 days through a surprisingly beautiful part of France.
We wish all users of this motorhome route a very nice trip and we keep us recommended for tips and improvements.
With enthusiastic greeting,
Mike and Loes Bisschops
The motorhome route costs: € 14.99
PRO users will pay: € 12.99
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Disclaimer
This route has been prepared and elaborated by the experienced travel journalists of Camperroutes.nl. We have made every effort to display correct information. Data is checked annually and updated if necessary. However, data can change, motorhome stops or campsites can be closed etc.
The publisher Camperroutes.nl cannot accept any liability for the consequences of using this route through Alsace and the Jura.
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