Castles, Forests & Wines of Alsace

We loved the trip.  All of the villages along the way were exceptionally picturesque, and the walks were a very nice mixture of woods, vineyards, and stunning views.

Food in the evening was an issue hence it is really important to know exactly which night food included if supplied by the hotel and to make any restaurant reservations in advance.  Many of the restaurants do not have websites hence need to phone which we did .. note that tables are not kept if you are a few minutes late.  Walk took longer than expected one day and we ended up with no food in the evening - shops in the towns shut early hence no option to buy anything.  Do not be tempted to visit the Stork/Otter 'sanctuary' at Hunawihr.  The Parc is more appropriate for children under the age of c 6 years old.  There were only information boards suitable for little children - nothing of worth to understand the life, habitat, breeding of the storks which is what we had expected.  Several of the habitats the animals were living in were stagnant and in honesty felt very unsatisfactory. The optional loop to the three ruined castles above Ribeauville was as documented: 'challenging but rewarding' ... perhaps one of our trip highlights. This is a stunningly beautiful area which is full of history and interest ... we had a lovely holiday.  

Use the map provided and you can create any walk you fancy. The cherry blossom and wildflowers were beautifu. Don't leave the wine tasting until the end as the caves might be closed, especially early in the season. 

A lovely walking holiday. Our weather was cooler and wetter than we anticipated so didn't enjoy much outside coffee, lunch spots!

Villages are all beautiful and clean.

Walking through oak and sweet chestnut woods was delightful as were the vineyards.  Lots of wine tasting opportunities.

As others have said restaurants are not always open and often fully booked and worth booking in advance. 

Likewise places to buy lunch or stop for coffee, are not always easy to come by.Make sure you have some  extra supplies just in case! 

We had lovely meal in Auberge du Brand in Turckheim. In Bergheim we ate in hotel both nights since very few places open. Food there was nice.

Food in general is very meat based and large portions. If you don't eat meat or prefer

alternative there isn't lot of choice. We did not enjoy dinner at Ferme du Pape. The 2 choices were traditional alsace dishes and consisted of very large unappetising plates of meat. We should have asked for alternative. 

Kayserberg was lovely village and enjoyed walk there from Turckheim and circular option following day. The small museum in Turckheim is worth visiting.

We opted to visit Colmar instead of walk on day 2 . Easy trip by bus and pretty town with beautiful buildings.

We enjoyed lots of wine tasting opportunities and managed to fit some bottles of the delicious Cremant in our cases!

We travelled by train from London which was easy and pleasant journey. We arrived in Eguisham with plenty time for stroll around village before dinner. 

We combined the walks Castles, Vines & Forests of the Alsace, 2 days in Colmar and A Walk in the Black Forest with Freiburg.  All of the hotels were delightful, the connections and luggage transfers worked beautifully.  As mentioned in other reviews, especially in the Alsace, we recommend making restaurant reservations in advance as these are small, intimate venues. We dined at several restaurants mentioned in previous reviews and enjoyed all of them.  Every meal was excellent, but often much more than we could eat.  The local wines were superb!

All of the walks were interesting and energetic but not exhausting.  The directions and notes were spot on and we were always confident of where we were.  We wish that we had added addtional days in those locations where there was a choice of walks so that we could have taken all of them. 

For us, one day in Colmar was enough, and so we  took the train to Strasbourg for the day.  If possible, schedule your itinerary so that you are in the larger towns on weekdays, as Sunday many of the interesting shops were closed.  In the cities, in addition to the walking notes that Inntravel provided, we downloaded walking tours from the internet for Strasbourg and Freiburg and those offered good information as well.   

Do check your document packet carefully, and if there is anything missing or you have questions, reach out to Inntravel immediately.  This was the first time I found myself frustrated with customer service.  However, I hope this is a passing problem, and I am already looking forward to our next trip with Inntravel.  

A delightful experience which we would thoroughly recommend.  The Inntravel 'package' (interesting walking routes, clear notes and great accommodation) was once again outstanding.  Highlights in Alcase included walking through the vineyards during the grape harvest up to spectacular castles and amazing views.  The Black Forest holiday gave us equally rewarding experiences and contrasting cultures (food, scenery, history etc).

An added bonus is meeting other likeminded Inntravelers and sharing experiences over meals.  (We have developed the habit of taking the Inntravel folder to breakfast as a conversation starter.  Perhaps Inntravel could come up with and supply some other suitable identifying accessory eg pin, scarf, cap etc) 

Our trip to Colmar was very good and we enJoyed lunch (which we shared with the ducks, swans anf fish) on a terrace at the municipal market.  Assume Alsace to be shut, book evening meals before traveling and have a contingency plan if the restaurant decides not to open,  always carry your own picnic.  Spend as much time as you can allow in Pattissier Carl in Turkheim.  If, as we do , choose not to eat pork, ham, veal or fois-gras then food choice is very limited.

Turkheim: L'Autrefoise - good: L'Auberge du Brand - Good: Pattissier Carl - excellent fo coffee and cake

Kaysersberg; La Veielle Forge - excellent; Bratschall Manal - decided to be closed found somewhere else.

Bergheim; La Cour du Bailli - meal included, generous but poor.  La Cour du Bailli the only restuarant open - very poor.  Find somewhere else if you can.

Don't expect to find anywhere to eat at Basel Airport if you are travelling out of season.

Stunning vistas from the high-points at Le Galtz & Les Trois Chateaux. Lovely walking through vineyards in early September where vines are heavy with fruit - & even better to sample so much excellent local wine! Pretty, pretty Alsace villages - though some can be touristy. 

Another excellent Inntravel holiday. Alsace is full of interest with plenty of local history to delve into as well as great scenery and good footpaths. Signage was generally good but some of the colours and symbols seem to have changed so be careful. We went up through low mist to the three castles at Egusheim on a different path but we found the route onward easily!

We noted previous restaurant recommendations and would endorse L'Autrefois and Auberge Du Brand at Turckheim. We were at Kaysersberg on a Sunday and choice was limited but fortunately we had walked up to St Alexis in heavy rain and had a hearty lunch at the Auberge St Alexis (it is small and soon filled up after we arrived at 1215!). 

We enjoyed Colmar but were left wondering if visiting from Turckheim using train or bus might have worked just as well. The Hotel Bristol is fine but impersonal and a bit noisy being opposite the train station. The free tourist bus starts from just outside and was most useful especially in the rain! Do visit the Bartholdi and the Hansi museums which were both full of interest and local history, we enjoyed these more than the Unterlinden. Restaurants were busy, we just got into Chez Hansi one night but booked the Bistro de Lavandieres and we needed to have done! Can recommend both; Hansi was very friendly with a good atmosphere and local fare, Bistro des Lavandieres offered a good series of daily specials. 

Overall a good holiday, we were there through harvest time and it was fascinating to see the fields still being worked by hand!

Lovely wooded walks, lovely villages.

Another very enjoyable holiday with Inntravel. We would highly recommend the optional extension on the Kaysersberg to Bergheim route. It was the best walk of the week. Eating out without reserving ahead is possible but our tip would be to go out early. Of the restaurants we went to the Du Chateau in Kayserberg, with good food and friendly staff, was probably our favourite. In Bergheim if everywhere else is booked try the Au Petit Bariga (out through the gate and turn right), it’s a bit more than the ‘snack restaurant’ mentioned in the notes. We had succulent steak and an excellent local (Cave de Ribeauville) Pinot Noir.

Beautiful countryside and varied walks to see castles, endless vineyards and picturesque villages. Always worth trying the local wines in the area itself - how they are going to hand-pick 80% of the grapes this harvest I am not sure. The Alsace villages have their own history, making them interesting. Worth booking in advance (email or by phone) your evening meals in village restaurants when not provided by hotel.  John  

Really varied and countryside with interesting villages and towns.  The forests were a lovely surprise - open canopies of mixed trees meant varied flowers, insects and birds - get a bird call app for your phone and stop and (let your phone) listen!

We had a wonderful week walking with well planned routes and good accommodation. Travel and luggage transfers were seamless. there is no need to get the Metro between Gare de Nord and Gare Est as it is only a 10 minute walk.

Food choices were somewhat limited in all venues except Colmar and a lot of restaurants/attractions were still closed 

A very different walking holiday to others we have done with Inntravel, although very hilly, the scenery and the Medieval villages were stunning - we should have realised that castles are usually built on the top of steep hills. The walking notes and information were very good and the hotels were ok too.

Walks: We thoroughly enjoyed the walks but omitted the Ricquewihr loop in order to have more time to visit. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the area in early June. Though the vines were not fully mature, the wildflowers and fresh green foliage were a delight. Other activities: Naturoparc in Huhnawihr was interesting for the baby storks as was the War Museum in Tuckheim. We loved the Isenheim altarpiece in the Unterlinden Museum at Colmar. Minor frustration: We would have liked to visit Haut Koenigsbourg castle but were unable to get a taxi as they were fully booked. If you wish to go there, do consider booking in advance. Food: We particularly enjoyed Schwendli in Colmar, Autrefois in Turckheim, and L'auberge de la Lavandière in Bergheim. These establishments coped well with gluten free provision. One tip is to go for an assiette de crudités if you find yourself overfaced with too much meat and cheese.

Nice varied walking with lots of charming villages and the trip certainly lived up to its name with the different castles and vineyards. We particularly liked the Caveau Restaurant Stewala in Turckheim. The Hotel Des Deux Clefs in Turckheim is a little like walking into a quirky museum. All the hotels on this trip were well sited for visiting restaurants. The La Cour Du Bailli in Bergheim has a spa although we never got round to using the facility, we did find their on site restaurant particulary nice and dined there for 2 evenings, the local wine was excellent. We would also highly recommend a trip to the Musée-mémorial des combats de la Poche de Colmar in Turckheim which helps bring into perspective the futility of war. It is well worth visiting the Naturoparc in Hunawihr which is a stork sanctuary but prepare yourselves for a long day as it also takes in 3 castles and the Pilgramage chapel as well. We went in May and it rained every day but one, but usually not for long. We really enjoyed this holiday.

A wonderful walk through wine country and forests, with nights spent at family-owned historical inns and opportunities to taste the regional specialties. We went in May, and despite quite a bit of rain, were enchanted by the surroundings, the people, the history, and the food and wine. Spring was not high tourist season, but we still were very glad we had made dinner reservations for many of the nights - the local restaurants are small, and we saw buses arrive from other areas with diners. It's worth doing the research up front! And, make sure you have rain gear - while much of the walks are through shaded areas, there are some open areas through the vineyards that are very exposed to the elements!

A few restaurant recommendations - Auberge Du Brand in Turkheim, La Winstub Du Chambard in Kayersberg, and Animus in Bergheim. All fantastic, with both regional specialties and unique items! And all with wonderful samplings of the local wine! Thank you, Inntravel, for another wonderful walk. We are already looking forward to next time!

Another very enjoyable walking trip with Inntravel. The various villages were very pretty but could be busy and noisy with tourists so it was nice to be able to get away from it all in the lovely woods and forests. The walks were well chosen and varied and we particularly enjoyed the visit to Monument du Galz on the route between Turckheim to Kaysersberg. As usual the Walk Notes were very comprehensive with few, if any, problems. We took a trip to Colmar on Day 2 using the local buses which were frequent and easy to use. We made an early start to avoid the crowds and found that a long half day was more than sufficient to see all the sights. We would also recommend the Combat Museum in Turkheim, the wine tasting at Koeberle Bleger in St Hippolyte, the German Military Cemetery near Bergheim and the Chateau du Hohlandsbourg which has a lovely cafe and covered space to eat a picnic lunch. We also took a taxi (arranged by the Hotel) to Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg which is spectacular and good for a 2 hour visit. Do go early, however, as it is, apparently, the 3rd most visited Chateau in France and gets very busy. Our only real problems were finding places to eat in the evenings and we would strongly reinforce the advice in the Inntravel Notes and Customer Reviews to book well in advance, preferably before the start of the holiday. In the smaller towns of Turckheim and Bergheim there are few restaurants and most close for a couple of days each week. For example on our last day in Bergheim there was only one restaurant open in the evening and we would have had nowhere to eat if we had not booked well in advance. Of the restaurants we visited we would recommend L'Autrefois in Turkheim and the Brasserie La Mosa in Bergheim which serves excellent lunches (closed in the evenings). The hotels were all comfortable and of a high standard and in the main we found the staff helpful and efficient. Madame Keller in Kaysersberg was very helpful in recommending and booking restaurants in advance of our arrival as it was a weekend and very busy.

A really wonderful week of walking in Alsace which exceeded our already high expectations.

We enjoyed excellent wine-tastings at the Caves de Turckheim, Hugel et Fils, which you walk right past in Riquewihr, and the Halbeisen Winery in Bergheim. The medieval villages were beautiful but usually full of tourists, so it was good to escape to the peace and quiet of the forests and vineyards. We would reinforce the advice to book meals ahead because most restaurants are closed for a couple of days each week and only have one sitting. In Turckheim we had delicious coffee and cake at the Patisserie Carl and good meals at L'Auberge du Brand and Autrefois, and also at L'Auberge des Lavandieres in Bergheim. On Mondays there is an interesting market near the hotel in Kaysersberg.

I have just finished two back to back walking trips, 'Castles, Vines, Forests of Alsace', and 'A Walk in the Black Forest with Freiburg', separated by two nights in Colmar, and I would encourage anyone thinking of walking in this part of Europe to consider this combination. Even though geographically the walks are close, they are complementary from a cultural, cuisine, and landscape perspective. On the French side the route goes from a series of ancient villages set amongst some of the most famous white wine vineyards in France through forests with many viewpoints over the Rhine Valley. On the German side the routes go from idyllic Black Forest pastoral landscapes, through deep forests to mountaintop lookouts, and one appreciates why many Germans consider themselves to be a "forest people" with a mythological link to the Schwarzwald, Black Forest. Colmar is a picture perfect traditional French Alsacian city with canals and half-timbered buildings lovingly preserved with a distinct legacy of its many Germanic roots.  

We discovered that Alsace has very low rainfall generally, which makes it a good choice for an out-of-high-season walking holiday! Wine seemed very good value for money. Villages very attractive, and calm, especially in the evenings when tourists disappear!

Both the Villages of the Dordogne and the Castles, Vines and Forests of Alsace walks exceeded our expectations, in every respect. While some aspects of both walks were somewhat challenging (eg climbing and descending steep hills on gravelly paths), this was offset, almost completely, by being 'in the moment' in the beauty of the forests - and, in Alsace especially, the grand majesty of the views ....

Generally an excellent trip. My main criticism, which is nothing to do with you, is the quality and lack of variety of food. Having lived and travelled extensively in France (mainly the south) I am used to eating well in that country. But restaurants, even in Colmar, mostly offered Germanic stodge. If you've had choucroute and tarte flamme once you don't want it again! But there was very little choice. The worst food I've had outside the UK.

Overall this was a very enjoyable walking holiday. We particularly liked the walking through woodland where we had the best sense of being away from the noise of our city life. It also provided much needed shade in the 30+degree temperatures during much of our holiday. The walking paths were mostly very good with very little time spent on main roads.

The towns and villages, stongly German influenced, were pretty with many well preserved properties. They became a "bit of a blur" after seeing a number of them due to the very similar nature of the preserved buildings.

The hotels were generally very good and the staff friendly and helpful. The wines were excellent, albeit only one type of local red (pinot noir). The food could be a bit more of a "challenge" unless you are very keen on big portions of meat/sausages/sauerkraut. However we did find there was usually at least one good fish option on the menu which we often chose. The quality overall was very good.

Making reservations for restaurants in advance is very important if at all possible. Some restaurants are fully booked ahead of your arrival and this can result in finding somewhere you like quite tricky. This was particularly the case in Bergheim which has fewer restaurants than most places we visited and, as is quite common, restaurants will be closed on a number of nights. On our visit to Bergheim we had not had a reply in advance from a restaurant we tried to book - and like several other Inntravel visitors all ended up in one of the few resturants open on the evening that fortunately the hotel receptionist was able to book for us on the same day. In circumstances like this it would probably make sense for Inntravel to include a restaurant booking in the holiday arrangements.

Definitely recommend a visit to the "Jardins des Papillons" (butterflies) in Hunawihr which is on your route on one of the day's walks. A lovely experience with large numbers of beautiful butterflies flying around,(and sometimes on), you in a large pavillion.

Also recommend a day in Colmar, with the walking notes route through the city, if you take the option of an extra day there as we did at the start of the holiday.

Finally - we did the whole journey there and back by train from London. There's a change in Paris from the Eurostar at Gare du Nord, with one stop on the metro to Paris Est and then one fast and comfortable journey on the TGV to Colmar. No airport queues, relatively speedy customs checks at St Pancras on the outward journey and Gare du Nord on the way back, no baggage to go in the "hold" nor reclaim at the end of the journey. And the benefit of views all the way there and back. We will definitely go by train again if at all possible.

A very good holiday (although not our best holiday with Inntravel - this was our 6th - as towns very touristy, no air conditioning and variable wifi in hotels, only 2 dinners provided, no outdoor pool). Beautiful (but at times more challenging than grade 2) walks and scenery. Highlights for us (family of 5) were Turckheim (very interesting war museum, great local wine tasting at Cave de Turckheim, fantastic meal at Auberge du Brand, beautiful hotel) and Kaysersburg (recommend the walk to St Alexi with reward of beautiful rustic lunch halfway). Very enjoyable holiday and we will look forward to doing our 7th next year! 

We thoroughly enjoyed the experiences in all the villages. The storks in Eguisheim, quirky hotel in Turckheim, history of Kaysersberg and quaintness of Bergheim. The whole trip gives you a real sense of experiencing the culture of a region in terms of food, people, history and geography. Colmar is definitely worth a trip.

This area of France is absolutely beautiful. Picturesque villages and towns, and breathtaking views. The villages that we stayed in, and the walks between them and around them were well chosen and varied. There were some challenging uphill walks - often early in the day - but well worth doing, for the views they gave us. The walking notes were generally very good, with just a couple of problems where signs have been changed or a junction was not quite as described. All the accommodation was of a very good standard and the staff at the hotels were friendly and helpful. Colmar is well worth visiting (we stayed there 2 nights before starting the walk) and we'd also recommend an overnight stop at Epernay on the way down, or the return journey, to break the drive (it's about 7 hours from Calais to Colmar without a stop).

The walking was well paced but the structure of the days with two nights at several hotels meant there were options to either miss a day or to do longer or shorter versions of the walks, which was great. We extended the Turkheim loop up to Auberge Obschel, the Kaysersberg loop to take in Koenigsstuhl and the Bergheim loop to include a (strenuous) walk up to Chateau Haut Koenigsbourg. The top of Koenigsstuhl (where you join the GR5 long distance path for a while) is a carpet of Myrtille and you can forage for the berries. The walk up to Galtz was also a highlight. Of the towns and villages, being in Bergheim for the Fete Nationale and the Bal de Pompiers was excellent. It is definitely worth booking ahead for restaurants as different places have different days when they are closed, so it would have been difficult to find dinner in Turckheim on Sunday and Monday had we not booked ahead, and was difficult in Bergheim when we didn't.

The restaurant recommendations in the itinerary were good with l'Alchemille in Kaysersberg being particularly interesting. L'Autrefois in Turckheim is worth adding. In Colmar we ate at L'Atelier du Peintre which was excellent and at A l'Echevin in the Hotel Le Marechal which has a terrace overlooking the river, which was perfect for Sunday lunch. We'd recommend both for the guide.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our walk Castles, Vines & Forests of Alsace with our Colmar add-on

This was such a lovely week in Alsace - vineyards, forests, crumbling castles, beautiful flower-filled villages and lots of delicious wine. The routes were clear and very well marked, and the walking was just right. We were there during a heat wave and had to shorten one day - we were very glad of the forest cover on other days. The hotels were great, all interesting places and friendly staff. We would highly recommend dinner at the Auberge du Brand in Turckheim, the food is fabulous. It is a small restaurant and only has one sitting so you are likely to need to book in advance. Flamme & Co in Kayserberg was also very good (lots of the other recommended restaurants there were closed for the holidays during our visit). We didn't ever have a problem finding places to eat, but we did always go early as restaurants shut quite early. We have to mention the taxi transfers at the start and midway through the trip as we got such fascinating insights into the region, local culture, wine and winemaking - and some really useful tips for our travels. We are already wondering where to go for our next Inntravel trip...

Lovely area to discover with incredibly pretty villages all festooned with flowers and beautifully preserved buildings. The wine and wineries are delightful and we only wished we had more time for wine tasting and room in the suitcase for purchases! We thoroughly enjoyed the walks which were varied and interesting. It was a very hot week and were grateful for the time spent walking in the woods and forests. The one disappointment was St Hippolyte which, unlike most of the other villages, has a busy road running through it. Our experience may have been influenced by the fact that only one restaurant/cafe was open with the others either on their day off or on holiday so there wasn't much buzz about the place. The best meal we had was at the Auberge du Brand in Turkheim which was really excellent but you do need to book ahead (they don't have on-line booking but responded to a pigeon french email!). This relates to a more general point about restaurants and cafes across all of the villages. Some are closed anywhere between 1 and 3 days per week (and sometimes at different meal times eg. open at lunch time then closed for dinner) and others were closed for their annual holiday (in early July). On our second night in Turkheim only 2 restaurants were open and one was fully booked and we were lucky to squeeze in to the other. Similar story in Bergheim on our second night where we only found one other place to eat other than the hotel. So our advice would be to plan ahead for meals including where you might get lunch stuff. The local bus service seems very reliable and we even managed to use the bus from Colmar to Eguisheim at the start of the walk and from Bergheim to Selestat at the end. That said, the system for getting bus tickets was pretty unfathomable- it was possible to pay in cash on one (from Colmar) but on the other (from Bergheim) there was no facility to buy tickets on the bus (an on-line purchase prior to travel was necessary).    

We feel that the service received from Inntravel has been excellent, efficient and well considered. Meals and packed lunches provided were first class and the accommodation very good. The information pack and route notes were concise and precise.

A great walking holiday through vineyards and the forested slopes of the Vosges mountains. We were grateful for the shade in the forests as it was very hot and sunny. Unfortunately the monument and viewing platform at Le Galz was closed for renovation. Our recommendations include the wine and tarte flambee at 'L'Ermitage Bar and Vin' in Turckheim, the stork sanctaury at Naturoparc in Hunawihr (be warned to check the opening hours as they vary significanlty over the week), and wine tasting at Domaine Halbeisen (owners of La Cour du Baiili in Bergheim). 

This was a splendid holiday offering excellent accommodation and enjoyable walking in a beautiful and historic part of France.

We really enjoyed each day's walk. All of the towns were beautiful and we enjoyed seeing the countryside, the vineyards and the Vosges mountains in the background. Some highlights of the trip included: seeing the ruined castles (les trois châteaux d'Eguisheim, Hohlandsbourg, the château de Giersberg, St-Ulrich and Haut Ribeaupierre), the beautiful panoramic views from the châteaux, and seeing the storks in the towns. The included dinners featured delicious regional cuisine and local specialties. The hotels were all very comfortable and of high standard. The daily walking was on a mixture of paths, including forest tracks, tarmac roads, through vineyards, etc., which we enjoyed. We took a day trip to Colmar and it is a beautiful, interesting town, well worth a visit. 

Castles, vines and forests - if it came in a tin, it would do what it said on it. Highlights - the vast landscape of vineyards, with its workers dotted here and there skilfully tending the crop on steep slopes with their specialised machinery, overseen by ancient castles jutting above the forested hilltops, the historic villages, each with its own character, as deeply rooted as the old vines which reach far down into the subsoil - you cannot pass through without gaining a respect for the craft and culture of the place. Walking is the best way to appreciate this area, and it's reassuring to know that, at the end of a long day on the trail, you can walk into the next village and find your hotel ready and waiting to welcome you.

Tips : Have GPX as an essential back up for walks.
Check beforehand the days of the week and corresponding opening times of restaurants especially in Bergheim. Unlike previous walking holidays with Inntravel when meals and picnics were already arranged, we had a few problems finding shops to buy food suitable for a picnic and restaurants in the evenings that were not already full.

The highlights of our holiday must include the absolutely beautiful villages, and the huge number of storks we saw flying overhead each day. Their precipitous nests adorned many steeples and rooftops especially in Eguisheim and we were excited to spot a hoopoe bird and a hare on our walks.

The wartime history of the area was fascinating and very moving.

The Unterlinden museum in Colmar is highly recommended, also their cafe!

Very pleased to have done this holiday.  The villages, Colmar, chateaux (and storks!) are very memorable. Glad to have taken: long, extremely lightweight trousers to protect from the heat, a few flies in the forests and some undergrowth in places; also used extemely thin long sleeve shirts to protect the upper arms; GPS since the walking notes were not reliable - unusual for Inntravel; walking poles since some of the descents were slippery with loose grit or gravel; a very high capacity memory card for the camera!

We enjoyed the Auberge du Brand Restaurant in Turckheim - worth booking ahead since restaurant options are limited. The Musee Memorial des Combats is worth visiting and the night watchman is amusing. Due to the heat we walked alternate days (the 'transfer' days) and did our own thing on the others - short walks or sight-seeing.  We opted to visit Colmar and were very pleased we did.  A long half-day was sufficient. The bus service was easy and frequent. On the walk to Kaysersberg, the statue and viewing platform (Monument to Galz) were being restored and not accessible. The povided gpx track deviates from the walking notes on the approach to the monument but meets up again just before the summit. Ammerschwihr was worth a detour and we found a very pleasant air-conditioned boulangerie / cafe there which was very welcome. Rather amused to see a vintage Rolls, Mini and MG out on a run here. The hotel in Kaysersberg, while clean and efficient, can best be described as serving a purpose. The day from Kaysersberg to Bergheim, including the three chateaux, tries to do too much - we would have preferred to stay in Ribeauville. We should have asked for the taxi to pick us up much earlier, at 7:30 or 8:00 rather than the scheduled 9:30. We had issues with the 'inclusive' meal at the Hôtel la Cour du Bailli but had a much better experience with a meal from the menu on the second night.  If taking this trip again we would require an arrangement without the inclusive meal. In the mornings the courtyard at the rear of the hotel, in which one can take breakfast, is a little gem.

The selected hotels and villages for accommodation and the walking routes showcased the beauty and history of Alsace wonderfully, and we very much enjoyed our first Inntravel holiday. We are already considering where to go for our next trip! Tip: in several of the villages visited it was difficult to get restaurant bookings, as it appears some establishments are open less frequently than previously. This was especially true of Inntravel recommended restaurants in Turkheim and Kaysersberg. Travellers might consider booking before starting the holiday.

Our experience lived up to the description of Castles, Vines and Forests of Alsace. There was great variety of terrain and scenery, villages and accommodations. It is a charming region with an almost fairy tale ambiance. The food is exceptional. Do your research ahead of time and make dinner reservations when possible.

Excellent organisation all round. Best hotel Les 2 Clefs. Also a bonus to have cooking facilities and a kettle!! in last 2 hotels. The staff were welcoming, friendly and accommodating. Setting off on a Monday was not ideal. Chateau de Hohlandsberg closed. Also most restaurants in Turckheim on Monday evening. We were lucky to get the last table at L'Abreuvoir which I would recommend. Main museums in Colmar closed Tues. But we did enjoy the small natural history museum. We went up to Jesus at 3 Epis to find that he too was closed for repairs so no panorama. As you rightly pointed out Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé absolutely heaving with tourists. Had to laugh when the recommended Bar St Ulrich was also closed. Haut Konigsbourg which we drove to on Saturday also extremely busy. Fortunately the taxi lady advised us to go early. By 10 am nearly all the parking had gone. When we left there was a very long queue of cars trying to get in/out so very glad not to be on a taxi meter. Personally found the last stop in Bergheim disappointing so was very glad to have a car for our last full day. As a general point, not sure what you would find to eat as a vegetarian or if you were Jewish. I knew what to expect food wise but still found the fare on offer overfacing. 

We saw some bee-eaters which we had first seen the previous year in Puglia. Check opening times of patissiers as they can be a bit unpredictable.

Beautiful area and the hikes were fun. Loved staying in the small towns. Restaurants were very accommodating considering we had a group of 5. I would recommend this trip to others.

Great trip.  Perfect time to go as leaves were all turning on the grapevines and in the hills surrounding. Some fields were still being harvested so that was nice to see.  Weather was awesome and since this was the end of the season we saw almost no people on the paths.  The provided booklet of information about the area and the specific trails a sights along the way was great.

What a lovely holiday. I drove from Europort, Netherlands, stayed an additional night in La Ferme du Pape, and returned there by AB taxi for a night at the end. All the castles included in the walks were well worth visiting, particularly Haut-Koenigsbourg which is unique.The walks are excellent, the vineyards and villages beautiful; indeed Bergheim was voted the prettiest village in France while I was there, and Eguisheim was 5 years ago.The weather 27 September to 6 October was ideal for my walks and the locals were in the middle of harvesting the grapes.

I wish I hadn't left it so long; don't feel like I can be very articulate at this late date.  But a wonderful set of hikes with a perfect combination of nature, history, culture and, of course, wine.

An excellent and varied holiday.  We went mid September which coincided with the grape harvest.  We stayed an extra night in Eguisheim which allowed us to explore this lovely village.  Main 'complaint' is that there isn't enough time to fully enjoy Riquewihr and Ribeauville.  We also spent the day in Kaysersberg looking round the village & castle rather than the suggested circular walk.  In Bergheim we had an excellent meal in the Lavandriere Restaurant (we had previously asked the Cour du Bailli to reserve a table for us there).

It was a wonderful holiday and exceeded our expectations. Inntravel service was excellent, especially at a couple of points of difficulty, such as cancelled flights. We would definitely recommend and would travel with Inntravel again.

The walk up to and the stunning views from the Three Castles above Ribeauville was particuarly exceptional.

The Alsatian wines were a real treat.

The war museum - Musee Memorial Des Combatants de la Poche de Colmar - is excellent and well worth a visit. The German War Cemetery at Bergheim is equally chilling. When will we ever learn?  

We loved our walking holiday in Alsace. A beautiful and friendly part of France with challenging walks, great views and vistas and fabulous food and wine at the end of each day. Weather was gorgeous, paths were usually well waymarked and the routes thoroughly enjoyable.  The villages and towns are simply beautiful and the landscape stunning. we enjoyed the add on to Colmar and a chance to explore this lovely small city, its streets and fabulous museum too.

We would highly recommend staying at the Hotel des Deux Clefs in Turkheim. It was one of the nicest hotels we have ever stayed in. Run by a very friendly team, superb breakfasts and a lovely courtyard for drinks. You are right in the town in one of its most attractive buildings.