Other stuff

Alsace souvenirs (apart from wine):


  

         Zip files of full-size photos for download:        

 

John's photos [673 MB]
 

Judy's photos [473 MB]
 

Andy's photos [391 MB]
 

Neil's photos [32 MB]
 

Nick's photos [38 MB]
 

Michael and Rosemary's photos [124 MB]
 

(These are big. On a 4mbs connection, 100MB will take 3-5 mins to download)

Trip Diary

Tuesday 29th December:

Leave 6am from Norwich and travel to Eguisheim, arriving early evening to stay at the Hostellerie du Chateau. Meal at La Grangelière restaurant.

Wednesday 30th:

Tasting at Cave de Turckheim. Lunch in Au Pressoir restaurant, Kaysersberg. Visit Riquewihr. Evening meal at Caveau Bacchus in Eguisheim

Thursday 31st December:

A visit to Colmar, followed by tastings back in Eguisheim. New Year's Eve meal at the Caveau D'Eguisheim restaurant.

Friday 1st January:

Drive to Reims in the morning, and check in at Holiday Inn Express. All Champagne houses in Reims sadly closed, but champagne in Ernest Hemmingway bar. Dinner at La Boucherie in Reims.

Saturday 2nd January:

Visit Épernay. Breakfast at Le Progres brasserie followed by tour/tasting at Achille Princier. Drive to Auchan in Boulogne to buy more wine. Return home very late.


So is Alsace French or German?

Following Roman invasion in 58 BC, and then periods under Alemannni, Austrasian, and Frankish rule, Alsace became part of the Holy Roman Empire under the Treaty of Meersen in 870 AD. It continued under German rule but but this was increasingly disupted until the Treaty of Westphalia (1648) returned it to the French. The Franco-Prussian war ceded it back to Germany in 1871 and then it was returned to France in 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War 1. Apart from a period under German occupation during World War 2, it has remained part of France ever since. As the uncyclopedia has it:
"Currently Alsace belongs to: Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Germany France Turkey? "
The town names are mostly German in origin, the people speak French as their first language. It is probably fair to say that most of the inhabitants consider themselves Alsatian, rather than French or German.