Final day of a point to point walk on this trip.  We were both tired and John’s knees were bothering him after the climb yesterday so today we walked the low route from St Hippolyte via Ribeauville to Riquewihr. After a little confusion initially getting out of St Hippolyte, it was a flat walk through vineyards and along a quiet road to Bergheim – yet another cute Alsacien village inside a wall with flowered window boxes everywhere!

It was relatively quiet when we arrived – it seemed nothing much was opening until 11 that day.  After a quick look around the village it was off again to Ribeauville.  A bit more of an undulating walk this time, up through more vineyards, past a group having a wine tasting and enjoying the view.  Quite a few other walkers and bikers on the path today – on the other days we had generally only seen locals walking their dogs or parents out with children in the afternoon.

Ribeauville was busy, but we bagged a table outside a busy cafe and tried tarte flambé – a local specialty.  It’s like a very very thin pizza base with toppings that generally include bacon lardons, fresh white cheese with a little cream added and very thinly sliced onions.  It tastes better than it sounds and it was just the thing with our lunchtime beers.

Not much walking left after lunch – only around an hour and a half.  More vineyards, and a quick stop at the church in Hunawihr.

Got to Riquewihr around 4ish.  

Photos to come…

Refreshed with beers and frites, we carried on up to the castle through more woods…

 The castle itself was massive – it was destroyed during the 1600s and later gifted to Kaiser Wilhem II when the area was part of Germany.  While it was a bit of a slog up to nearly 800 metres, the views were fantastic and it was a nice change of pace from seeing ruins!

Below are some night shots in Dambach – had a play with the tripod!   
    
John ready to go outside the hotel!

Another cool but sunny start to the walking day.  The hotel in Dambach was right in the centre of the tiny village next to a very large church – no danger of sleeping in with the church bells next door.

We set off through vineyards, taking a high route which ultimately took us to Chateau du Haut Koenigsbousee photos), but past another ruined chateau first.

Parts of the path we were walking are part of the long distance pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, so some of the way our way marks were scallop shell symbols.

After a climb, stopped at a monkey park for a beer and frites lunch – all the food groups!  Then upwards through woods again to the restored chateau.  While it lengthened our walking day, the chateau is really impressive, with views over the broad valley.  It was restored by Wilhem II at the turn of the twentieth century in a feat of engineering for its time.

Then a relatively gentle descent to St Hippolyte, firstly through woods and then through vineyards again.

We were very happy to reach the hotel after a long days’ walk.  We were on half board so didn’t have to go anywhere else for dinner.   Dinner in the Michelin recommended restaurant was a fish course, veal, local cheeses and sorbet with a roasted peach matched with local wines.

What passes for traffic in a wine village on a Sunday!   
As we huffed and puffed our way up the forest track the idea of a zone of tranquility was a bit ironic!  
    
    

That little speck down there is John!
 

Very pleased to find the porte into Dambach!

Our hotel in Obernai: even modern building conform to the traditional style.   
    
    
   

It was sunny but cool when we set out from the Hotel Le Parc back to the train station to catch the train from Obernai to Barr (two short stops away) for the actual start of our day of walking.  As the first train wasn’t until 9:30 (nothing starts early in France on a Sunday), it was about 10 before we were really on the trail.

Compared with C2C the walking was easy, on roads through villages and access tracks into vineyards.  Vintage is happening at the moment but apparently it has been a warm summer so in some places it is nearly over.  

It was a warm day, so a stop for a beer at lunchtime was most welcome!  In the afternoon we walked a higher route through woods to a ruined chateau.  While the steel steps up to the top of the tower were a bit steep, the views were great!  Got a little lost descending through vineyards to our stop in the tiny village of Dambach Le Ville, but we got there eventually.

Dinner was at a restaurant specialising in Alsatian dishes.  Tried onion tart, and spaetzel – sort of like pasta but served instead of potatoes – very filling!

Photos to come…

It was a busy Saturday afternoon: lots of tourists (many were German), as well as locals out walking the dog and quite a few weddings.  Below are a few shots.

 The building John is standing outside is the restaurant we went  to on Saturday night.  It  featured lots of local produce and wine, and had a Michelin star.  The threatre began on arrival, when  the small basket with your bread was  whisked off to be baked and the knife sitting on your napkin was unsheathed!  The food was very hearty.  We opted for a five course tasting menu which gave us both some challenges: John wasn’t big on the rabbit terrine    and the monkfish course was just cooked – and no more! The veal was lovely and the desert featured pumpkin caramel  – which was tastier than it sounds.   The food was matched with local wines – which we enjoyed, including the local version of champagne – cremant..

  
Macarons are a local specialty..

    Joining the locals watching the bridal party.
  Typical local building. 

The apartment we will stay in is in this area and so was the hotel for our overnight stay in Paris before moving on to Obernai and the start of the second walk of the trip.

After getting organised, we went for a wander, found the champagne bar we tried on our last trip, and just generally soaked up the Friday afternoon atmosphere.

So below is the street view as we drank our champagne, and some random shop windows and street art (and yes, that is a shirt with a Paris street sign print!).

Relatively seamless transfer across London to Kings Cross.  Helped immensely that it was on the same Tube line and that Gloucester Street station had a lift.  We’d sussed  out St Pancras International (links to Kings Cross and is where the Eurostar leaves from) the previous day and we’re pleased we had as it’s really big.  But taking the train across to France is really just like flying – without having the long transfers out of the city at each end.

Arrived in Paris around 3 in the afternoon. Enough time to get settled and enjoy a walk around the Marais.

Below: Pringles and champagne on the train😀