Fall is a great time to explore the wine road of Alsace. You will enjoy the picturesque countryside of rolling hills covered in rust colored vineyards and picture-book villages. After the summer trafic jams the scenic country roads of Alsace regain some peace and quiet to be left for you to discover at a leisurely pace in pleasant Indian summer temperatures.Alsace is situated in the northeast corner of France on the west bank of the Rhine River and shares borders with Germany and Switzerland.
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Strasbourg makes for a great starting point for its easy access by air, train and roads. In Strasbourg discover the picturesque historical center where stands for some 800 years the gorgeous gothic cathedral Notre Dame constructed from the pink-sandstone quarried in the nearby Vosges Mountains. You will be charmed by the picturesque neighborhood of la Petite France lined with flowered timber-framed houses and you will delight at the many inviting squares filled with cafes and winstubs where you can sip a local beer or glass of wine and feast on Alsatian specialities like Choucroute, baekeoffe or tarte flambée.
Historic sites and monuments
Just 40km southwest of Strasbourg you can stop at Mont Saint Odile. Named for the Patron saint of Alsace this hill top is the site of a convent which has welcomed pilgrims since the 16th century. You can visit the convent with its chapel and cloister and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding Alsace plains and mountains. 
Further south you will find the Chateau du Haut Koenigsberg. This red sandstone medieval castle stands on top of a rocky promontory over 700 meters high. The original 12th century fortress has been dismantled and rebuilt a number of times over the centuries in a land that had been bitterly contested. The present castle was rebuilt in the early 20th century by King Willhem II in the medieval style with turrets, towers, battlements, drawbridges and moat. There is plenty to explore inside and around the castle. Picturesque Villages
On your journey along the wine road, you will be beckoned by many picture-postcard worthy villages with their characteristically Alsatian geranium-bedecked timber-frame houses. Villages considered the prettiest of Alsace include Obernai, Barr, Dambach, Ribeauville, Riquewhir, Eguisheim, Kaysersburg , Turkheim just to name a few. Meander the villages' cobblestone lanes to explore their unique architectural heritage of ancient gates, medieval walls, churches, town halls,market places and attractive Medieval and Renaissance houses.Vineyards
Meandering along the Route du Vin you will pass rows after rows of well tended vineyards. Alsatian wines use specific variety of grapes; their AOC bear the name of the grape variety.
Alsace counts seven AOC grape wines; Six white wines: Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Muscat, and Pinto Gris; and one red or rose wine: Pinot Noir. In autumn during the harvest many wine related events take place and visitors are welcomed to visit cellars to meet the wine growers and sample the fruit of their vines.
Colmar
A must-see on the wine route of Alsace is the charming town of Colmar, considered to be he capital of Alsace wine. You will be enchanted by its old town lined with colorful houses, particularly in the picturesque neighborhood of La Petite Venise alongside the River Lauch. Not to be missed is a visit of the superb Unterlinden Museum where you can admire a masterpiece from the 16th century-- the Isenheim Altarpiece .
For travel planning to Alsace visit Enchanted France - call 323 9311769 or email contact@enchanted-france.com
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