Wine Tour Day 9 - Into the Misty Mountains

Ok, so there is no mist (apart from the light steam coming from me) but we ARE in the mountains!

When we were making ready to check out of our Villa in Colmar this morning our host asked me where we were going. “Mittlach” was my answer. “Ah, for hiking?” I was asked, with an air that implied “Of course for hiking! Why else would you go to Mittlach, for goodness sake?”. “Umm... perhaps... a little...” was my slightly weak reply as two mental images sprang into my head. The first, of the flimsy, thin-soled pumps that constitute the nearest I possess to shoes for walking in this holiday. The second, of the sturdy and expensive boots that are sitting in my porch at home. Admittedly, on a scorching day like today, the prospect of encasing my feet in boots does not appeal at all. I imagine that as I pulled the boots off in the evening, after having spent a day poaching in their own perspiration my feet would simply fall apart, like the chicken in a slow-cooked Coq au Vin. Today is a day for light footwear and moving very slowly.

Our drive into the mountains began with a stop at the nearby town of Kaysersberg, notable as the birthplace of Albert Schweitzer. The good doctor Schweitzer was a Nobel Peace Prize-winning theologian, musician, philosopher, physician, philanthropist and humanitarian whose views on the rabid expansionism of the colonial powers were decades ahead of their time. He espoused a philosophy of tolerance, brotherhood and anti-nationalism that resonates today in our increasingly intolerant world. Living as he did close to the border between France and Germany, he questioned the value of borders and what the difference was between the people living either side of it. He also believed in the preservation of nature and its resources and was a lifelong vegetarian. A truly inspiring man.

Moving on from Kaysersberg we made a stop at, yes, you guessed it... another vineyard for another wine tasting. This time a small producer who only turn out a couple of hundred thousand bottles a year. ONLY a couple of hundred thousand... although from our trip to South Africa a couple of years ago, I do understand that is still pretty small.

Our delightful host was the son of the family. Clearly challenged by a sight disability and quite possibly an Aspergers sufferer he nevertheless displayed the family wines with such infectious enthusiasm that we could not help but buy some. Admittedly they really were very nice so we didn’t take a lot of persuading but he even “upsold” us as he informed us of the bulk-buy discounts available. Unfortunately I had to stop him during his well-rehearsed patter as I was driving and had I not done so, I think we would still have been there now! So our car boot/trunk is now heaving with delicious French wine! But I guess that’s what we came for.

As I said, we are well in the Mountains of Vosges now and as we arrived at our remote log-cabin Auberge, both our phone signals went from weak, to non-existent. Fortunately there is WiFi!

Speaking of non-existent, that would be a good description of our new hosts grasp of English. We have become so blasé over the years when travelling in Europe that everyone will speak our language that we just assume this will be the case. For my part I always try to converse in the local language and keenly swot up on key phrases and words. Typically this results in a sympathetic look and the waiter/shopkeeper/hotelier launching into a volley of perfect English with grammar and vocabulary that would put many English people I know to shame. No such luck this evening. It’s fair to say that my faltering schoolboy French has been pushed to its very limit!! I have, however, managed to establish that a) they really do NOT speak English and are not doing that thing that Parisians sometimes do when they can speak English but won’t. I think they speak German however and, let’s face it, that puts them 2-1 ahead in the languages spoken stakes; b) there are very few local restaurants open tonight- a fact we maybe should have checked before we decided to skip lunch c) there are several “family friendly” walking routes in the local area (taking into account the aforementioned footwear issues) and d) yes, we’d like two beers please. In fact I think I did better than I expected and despite the 30-plus years that have passed since I last studied French or attempted to speak it, I understood a lot of what they said to me - or at least got the general sense.

I’m pleased to say also that we managed to find a local restaurant and will be heading out there soon. We’re both absolutely ravenous and, I’m afraid, meat will be firmly back on the menu tonight.

Tomorrow, a day picking our way through a couple of gentle mountain walks with some lunch and dinner wrapped around the outside. It will be our final full day before we head back to The Tunnel and home shores. Quel domage!