Riquewihr

Riquewihr survived the Thirty Years War and both world wars with very little damage, which is unusual in this corridor, so the single main street climbing to the Dolder gate is largely as it was in the sixteenth century: tall timber-framed houses with dated lintels, carved wells, courtyards with galleries and wine presses. The Dolder, a gate tower of 1291, holds a small museum and gives a view down the street and out over vines. The Thieves' Tower nearby preserves a torture chamber. Vineyards, including the Schoenenbourg grand cru famous for Riesling, rise directly behind the walls.

History

Riquewihr belonged to the Dukes of Württemberg and became Protestant in the 16th century. It has long been a wine village, a trading hub for Alsatian and German wine, and it looks today much as it did in the 16th century (Wikipedia, Riquewihr).

What to look for

• The main street - a sixteenth-century climb of timber-framed houses.
• The Dolder gate - a thirteenth-century tower with museum and view.
• The courtyards - galleried yards with old presses behind the facades.
• The Schoenenbourg slope - grand cru vines rising behind the walls.

When to go

April to October for wine, December for the Christmas market. The village is extremely busy in both seasons; early morning is the only quiet time. Autumn colour in the vines is good.

Things to know

It is one of the most visited villages in Alsace and can feel like a single crowded shopping street in season. Nearly every ground floor is commercial. Cars are excluded and parking is outside.

Nearby

Kaysersberg lies southwest; Colmar is southeast.

Key facts