The third leg of our October 2018 trip to Europe was spent in the stunning Alsace region of France.  Alsace is known for vineyards, medieval towns, and a unique blend of French and German culture.

Our first day was full of driving through the fall foliage of Switzerland and France and trying to navigate the medieval streets and walls to get into our hotel.  We stayed at the Regent Petite France in the heart of Strasbourg and the historical guard towers and stone walls were all still in place, making driving up to our hotel very challenging but totally worth it.  After a lunch outside in a cobblestoned square (I had a salad with fried goat cheese that was to die for) and a glass of regional Pinot Noir, we spent our afternoon in a laundromat and watching Netflix in our pretty hotel rooms.

On our first full day in Alsace, we got to check off a major bucket list item: wine tasting in France!  Coming from Eastern Washington I was expecting the bold red wines of the Bordeaux region, but we learned right away that Alsace specializes in all white wines (Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat and Gewurtzraminer) and one red, Pinot Noir.  However, these were not the sweet varietals we know in the states.  They were dry, crisp and refreshing.  Our favorite discovery was by far the sparkling variety, Cremant d’Alsace, and we continue to look for this stuff on any wine list we come across.

The wine tour we chose (VinoRoute Strasbourg) also included scenic stops in medieval towns, viewpoints of the incredible vineyards showing off their fall colors, and some spot-on lunch recommendations.  Specifically, we visited Specht, Frey-Sohler, and Zeyssolff wineries and spent time in the towns of Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé, where we had lunch.

After sleeping off a long day of drinking wine, we awoke on our second day in Alsace to have brunch, visit the Cathrédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg (not to be confused with the Notre Dame in Paris), and walk by the canals.

When we got back to the hotel we got in a quick workout to prepare for the massive feast  we were expecting for dinner.  Scott and I really wanted Erica to experience a Michelin rated tasting menu and we all love French food, so we found Au Crocodile while we were planning our trip.  The meal did not disappoint and we even got to meet the chef, but we definitely needed to go in with an empty stomach!

The next day was our final day in Strasbourg.  We spent it shopping for treats to take with us, walking the beautiful canals and parks, finally eating some crepes, drinking Cremant d’Alsace, and capping it all off with a very authentic dinner in an old cave where we sampled Escargot.

We will be dreaming of bubbly wines, coq au Riesling, and crepes until the next time we are in this beautiful place!