Category Archives: Alsace

Alsace

Running away to Ribeauville, France… part two (good eats 1)

Ribeauville is pretty quiet right now.  Many of the locals have left town for vacation.  Consequently, a lot of the restaurants and a few stores were closed.  The weather was pretty gloomy during our visit, so we mainly hung around the apartment and ventured out for lunch a couple of times.  Even though the town is fairly dead right now, it’s still very beautiful and quaint.  There’s still plenty of wine for tasting and buying.  And if you’re sick and tired of schnitzel and pork knuckles, you can have something decidedly French in Ribeauville.  I know I did.

Ribeauville is tres cute.

The first restaurant we went to was Chez Martine, an adorable little bistro on the main drag through Ribeauville.  It seems to be a place most popular for lunch.  When we arrived at about 1:00pm on Saturday, the tiny dining room only had a few open tables.  A very friendly waitress invited us to sit where we wanted.  She didn’t speak much English, which I found very refreshing.  And she was smiling and helpful.  I was very charmed by her as she very carefully explained that they were about to close for their vacation, so they were out of some items on the menu.

I decided to have Quiche Lorraine, which is basically made with bacon or ham and cheese.  It came with a salad and bread.  Bill chose a salmon tart, but they didn’t have it.  So he went with lightly breaded fish– I think it was flounder.  It, too, came with a very nice salad.  We shared a bottle of Alsatian wine and no one gave us the fish eye for drinking during the daytime.

No, I wasn’t drinking when I took this.  The expression of Bill’s face just reminded me of Squidward’s.

A little better.

A very nice locally produced Riesling, which went great with our lunches.

My delicious Quiche Lorraine.  This was so good.  Just what I needed on a cold, gloomy January day in France.  And such a nice change from the fare one usually finds in these parts.  The salad had carrots, green beans, radishes, and fresh greens.  It came with a light mustard vinaigrette as well as super fresh bread.  

Bill was equally happy with his flounder.  It came with the same salad my dish had.  

Our waitress talked us into dessert.  I had a cherry tart, which was delicious and just the right size.  

Bill enjoyed a pear and chocolate tart.  Again, it was the right size and very fresh.  I was marveling that we only live a couple of hours away, but the food is so refreshingly different.  We will have to come back for that alone.

A shot of the front.  In warmer months, there are tables available for outside.

Our bill came to just over fifty euros.  Bill made the waitress smile by giving her a generous tip.  A friend of mine who lives in France says that tipping isn’t really a thing in France.  More than a couple of euros isn’t necessarily expected.  I could tell that our waitress appreciated it, though.  And that meal was enough that we didn’t really need anything else for the rest of the day.  We went back to the apartment and enjoyed some wine from the local grocery store while we watched the flurries come down.  Ribeauville definitely did not get the snow that Stuttgart got.

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Burgundy, Ten Things I Learned

Ten things I learned on my trip to Semur En Auxois, France…

Whenever Bill and I take trips, I like to think of ten things I learned.  I have found that travel is one of the best ways to learn new things, meet new people, and expand horizons.  Although Semur En Auxois was not on my top ten list of places I wanted to see, we really enjoyed our weekend there.  And so, in the interest of promoting this underrated town, I give you the top ten things we learned on our trip to Semur En Auxois, France.

10.  There are still places in western Europe where not everyone speaks English.  I know some people will say that the French purposely choose not to speak English, and maybe that’s true sometimes.  I didn’t find it to be true in Semur En Auxois.  Everyone we ran into was pleasant, though not necessarily fluent in English.  Frankly, I found it very refreshing, even though it made communicating more difficult.

9.  In France, you can go to the grocery store on Sunday!  It’s true that things do shut down for the “day of rest”, but people have to have their croissants.  So, if you also need to load up on wine or cheese for the ride back to Germany, you may very well be able to stop in.  I’m not sure if this is true in every part of France, but it was in Semur En Auxois, which I would not consider to be a tourist mecca.

8.  It can be very rewarding to wander among small towns and just soak in the local flavor.  It’s true that this particular trip was not of the Clark W. Griswold variety.  We didn’t make a point of seeing all of the things we could have seen.  But we did get to see some very charming French villages and enjoy some wonderful scenery.  Sometimes, it’s good to just soak up the atmosphere.

7.  Cheese that smells like feet apparently tastes fantastic.   This is according to my husband, Bill, who likes that sort of thing.  If you like unusual and stinky cheeses, France is your place!  As for me, pass the Monterrey Jack and make sure it’s melted.

6.  Europeans aren’t into spaying and neutering their pets the way Americans are.  Although people have given us strange looks in Germany for having two dogs sans testicles, it wasn’t until we went to France that we learned why.  At least in Germany, there is a law that prohibits removing organs from animals for non medical reasons, although it doesn’t seem to be heavily enforced and exceptions can be made.  Europeans seem to be opposed to the practice of spaying and neutering in general.  I just found a five year old article that explains that neutering your dog is actually illegal in Norway.  Interesting!  This revelation ranks right up there with learning that many German men sit down to pee when they’re at home.

5.  Free parking and free WCs!  Although I know free potties and parking are not necessarily the norm in France, we did find them both to be a lot more plentiful there than in Germany.  On the other hand, prepare to pay tolls on the motorways!

4.  Even if you don’t speak French, you can have rewarding conversations…  See my reference to spaying and neutering above, which came about as we were chatting with an elderly French lady who wondered where our dogs’ balls were.  Of course, we could have misinterpreted.  Incidentally, we also saw a local guy walking by wearing a t-shirt that read “This is my Halloween costume.”  We count that as another bizarre occurrence during our travels (and we always have at least one on every trip we take).

3.  My French isn’t as bad as I thought it was.  Which isn’t to say that it’s good at all.  I just understood more than I would have expected.  I definitely need to study it, though.  But I also need to study German.  Why couldn’t I have spent two years in a country where I would have learned French instead of Eastern Armenian?  Just my luck, I guess.

2.  Even obscure towns are worth seeing.  My guess is that most Americans have never heard of Semur En Auxois.  Most Americans would prefer to visit Paris, Lyon, Nice, or Normandy.  We had a very good time in rural France.  It was an authentic experience that I would highly recommend to other Americans if they have the means and the opportunity.  Just pick a small town and go.  You may surprise yourself by what you’ll end up learning and seeing.

1.  France is wonderful.  I will admit, my very first impressions of France in 1995 were quite unfavorable.  I spent a whole, miserable, jet lagged day stuck at Charles de Gaulle airport where I was treated rudely.  However, every time I have gone back to France, and there have been many times since 1995, I have fallen more in love with the country.  There’s a lot to love about France and I hope we can go back again soon.  I kind of feel the same way about New York City.  I hated my first visit, but loved it more with each subsequent trip.  By the time we move back to the States, I will probably be madly in love with France.

France is beautiful, even when the sun isn’t shining!

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Alsace

A “two dog night” in Riquewihr, France… part four

We took another stroll around the village last night, after we enjoyed drinks at the hotel.  I got more photos of the picturesque environs and the dogs enjoyed another long stroll.  I think Zane got a little more than he bargained for with this trip.  He seemed a little sore this morning when we got up.

After we took our walk, we had dinner at a very touristy but pet friendly restaurant with an extensive outdoor seating area.  Restaurant Au Relais de Riquewihr is a large place that seems to cater to tourists.  We opted to eat there because of the dogs.  Our friends the super blond Dutch kids were also there with their parents, as well as a couple of American women who had a little boy with them.  The Americans were obviously familiar with the staff.

Bill posing for a photo again.

The waiter, a man with a wonderfully engaging personality, was chatting with the Americans as if they were friends.  We later discovered the Americans had come from Ramstein.  One of them was in charge of outdoor recreation at Ramstein and really looked the part.  She was super fit.  She came over to talk to us and let her little boy pet Zane, who was begging for pieces of my chicken and Bill’s white pizza.

The dogs were doing great at dinner until a lady with a dog came over to a nearby crepe stand.  Arran saw the dog’s feet and it was all over, even though he’d been around other dogs all day.   He let loose with a loud bark.  Zane joined in and for a couple of long minutes, the two of them proceeded to draw a lot of attention to us.  It was kind of embarrassing.

The food at Restaurant Au Relais Riquewihr was decent and, I think, very suitable to people with kids and, of course, obnoxious dogs.  However, when I used their bathroom, I couldn’t help but notice the strong smell of stale urine.  In a restaurant, that’s definitely a turn off.

The funny thing is, that smell took me back to 1980, when my parents moved us to Gloucester, Virginia, a then very rural county in southeastern Virginia.  I was then eight years old.  I made friends with a couple of girls who lived on the same dirt lane I did.  They were from Oregon and their mom was divorced from their dad.  They lived in a trailer that always reeked of stale human piss.  They moved maybe a year later and I never saw them again.  I had pretty much forgotten about them, but that smell of pee just brought it all back.  It’s crazy how smells can spark vivid memories.

Anyway, our dinner came to about 52 euros including a carafe of wine and sparkling water.  Bill tipped the friendly waiter handsomely for tolerating our loud dogs, even though he originally brought me the wrong order (beef and fries).  It looked really good, though.  Also, it may be worth mentioning that this restaurant has a mister for those steamy summer days.  They turned it on to amuse the little American boy who was visiting.  Later, we watched his mom kiss the waiter on both cheeks and say she’d see him in September.  Oooh la la!

White pizza for Bill…with mushrooms, blecch!  They also had flammkuchen.  We shared a 50ml carafe of a local pinot noir.  It was a decent wine, though maybe a bit overpriced.  

Chicken skewers for me.  These were a daily special prepared with lots of lemon… maybe a hair too much for my taste.   But the frites were fabulous.  They reminded me of frites from Belgium.  This dish also came with a salad and bread, neither of which I had room to eat.

This fountain had lots of goldfish in it.

I was curious about this little stand.  I think they were selling homemade apple juice.

We went to bed early last night and left lovely Riquewihr right after breakfast.  It was stormy and rainy this morning and our dogs were a bit tired.  Zane, in particular, seemed kind of sore from the walking.  Our drive back to Stuttgart was totally uneventful and took a little over two hours.  It’s hard to believe that a place with such a different vibe is so close.

We’d call this trip a success and I’m already starting to think about making these one night trips more of a regular thing.  I need to get out more; the dogs could use the practice in being out in public; and who knows if and when we’ll live in Europe again?  We made the mistake of not seeing enough when we lived here the first time and I don’t want to do that again.

In any case, I highly recommend Riquewihr and I hope we can go back, stay a little longer, and see more of the area.  It really is beautiful there, very tourist and pet friendly, and so close to Stuttgart.  I’m so happy we ran off to France this past weekend and I hope we can do it again very soon!

These photos were taken as we were departing…

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Alsace

A “two dog night” in Riquewihr, France… part two

After we walked around Riquewihr in the afternoon heat, I told Bill I was hungry.  It was too early to check into the hotel, so I suggested that we get some lunch.  Our hotel was located right next to a quiet looking place called L’Originel (now closed).  At first, I was a little hesitant to venture inside, since we had Zane and Arran and it appeared to be an upscale eatery.  Also even though it was almost one o’clock, the restaurant was empty.  But they welcomed us and the dogs, so we sat out on their balcony and proceeded to have a beautiful midday repast.  It was way beyond what I’d hoped for at lunchtime.

Obligatory shot of Bill checking the menu.  We started with sparkling water and glasses of Cremant, a lovely sparkling wine made in the Alsace region.

The boys were accommodated with water.

The amuse.  It was a challenge for both of us.  I don’t like white truffles or anything else obviously fungal.  Bill is not a fan of soft or, as in this case, raw eggs!  Actually, we were presented with the yolk served with horseradish and a cracker.  It was surprisingly good, though I let Bill have the truffle.

We both ordered the set menu, which was priced at 23 euros and came with a starter, entree, and a dessert.  Yesterday, the starter was shrimp salad with fresh greens, melon balls, and colorful cauliflower florets.  It was just the right size and not too heavy.  We sipped a nice local Riesling.  Since moving back to Germany, we have become fans of Rieslings, which are much drier here than in the States.  This course came with very fresh white bread.

The shrimp salad was followed by this lovely dorade filet with potatoes, peppers, asparagus, celery, and carrot.  It was topped off with a reduction of white wine and broth from the fish.  Again, not too heavy and beautifully presented.  This dish came with a grain bread that replaced the lovely white from the previous course.

Dessert was a refreshing dish of raspberry and strawberry sorbet, served with wild berries and nuts.  The little white dollops are meringues.

And this sweet little ending– a lemon pudding with berries– came with the check to help soften the blow.

A picture of the business card for future travelers who want to dine there.

 

Before the tip, this lunch came to 92 euros.  It was worth it.  And I was so proud of the boys, who handled themselves so well, even when a few other diners showed up.  I couldn’t help but ask Bill why the hell we hadn’t done a one night trip sooner.  I think we will definitely do more of them for as long as we live here in Europe.

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Alsace

A “two dog night” in Riquewihr, France… part one

A few days ago, I was sitting in my “office” feeling distinctly cagey.  When Bill and I live in Europe, I get especially antsy if I don’t get a trip in every once in awhile.  Unfortunately, Max at Dog on Holiday advised us that he’s booked solid until early September.  What’s a wanderlusting blogger to do when the urge to skip town is so great?  Why, take the dogs along, of course!

Though Bill and I dearly love our dogs, Zane and Arran, we don’t usually take them with us when we travel. They are sweet dogs, but they’re hounds, and they tend to get on scents and make a lot of noise.  Also, because they aren’t accustomed to going to restaurants and hotels, they don’t always behave in a way that is conducive to having them with us on trips.  Despite that, I really wanted to get out of town.  An added bonus was the new fence and gate our landlords wanted to put up on Saturday.  It would make it easier for them to get that work done if we weren’t around.

So I told Bill about my idea and he agreed.  We’d take a quick trip to Riquewihr, about which we’d heard so many wonderful things, and Zane and Arran would join us.  As it turns out, I made a great choice in Riquewihr.  Not only is it recognized as one of the most beautiful towns in France,  it’s also very dog friendly and not far from the Stuttgart area.  So, if it turned out our decision to travel with the dogs was a disaster, we could always come back home without too much trouble.

The drive to Riquewihr was mostly stunning.  We took B28 through the stately Black Forest and drove through the winding switchbacks that offered some beautiful views of the German countryside.  Then when we got to Strasbourg, we were confronted by a bunch of police officers.  No one asked to see passports, but there were plenty of weapons being brandished.  I later heard that Strasbourg was a bit walled off this weekend.  I was glad I hadn’t decided to go there; Strasbourg had been my initial planned destination.  We passed through Ribeauville, which also looks like a nice place to visit, though not as quaint or touristy as Riquewihr is.  More than once, I wanted to stop and take pictures on the side of the road.  In retrospect, I should have done just that.

It turned out I got the last room at the Best Western Le Schoenenbourg, a super pet friendly and convenient hotel.  I actually ended up booking a suite, because all of the regular rooms were occupied.  We arrived at the hotel about 90 minutes before the check in time of 1:00pm, but it was fine for us to park the car in the hotel lot and walk into town, which is maybe a five minute walk from the hotel.

Riquewihr is a beautifully preserved walled city with grape vines growing on a the surrounding hillsides.  It mostly looks as it did in the 16th century and was fortunately one of a few towns that wasn’t decimated during World War II.  Yesterday, the weather was hot and sunny and the place was teeming with tourists.  Zane and Arran behaved very well, but I was especially pleased and surprised by how accommodating the city was to dogs.  At least one shop owner set out a water bowl, of which my dogs were happy to take advantage.  The restaurants were all fine with the dogs joining us; in fact, every place we went to offered water for the dogs.  And even the hotel, noting that I had mentioned the dogs in my booking, set us up with a water bowl and treats for our boys.

I’ll write more about the hotel and restaurants in my next post.  For now, here are our first glimpses of beautiful Riquewihr.  It was much prettier and more charming than I expected.  Our main goal was a change of scenery, practice being guests for the dogs, and maybe a small load of wine, cheese, and macaroons.  We definitely scored on all accounts!

I thought this sign was pretty funny.  Clearly, people had been using someone’s patch of grass for a doggie toilet!  My dogs decided to just dump in the middle of town, right in front of everyone, including a Dutch family with two white blonde angelic kids we ran into again and again.

Bill and I were last in France back in October and May 2014.  Although we only live about two hours from the French and Swiss borders, we rarely venture over them.  After seeing how easy it was to visit Riquewihr yesterday, I think that is a trend that will change.  It really was easy to get to a completely different country with a different vibe.  On our last visit to France, we visited Colmar.  To be honest, although I thought Colmar was pretty and quaint, our trip was a bit weird.  Even still, I’ve often thought about going back there, though now that I’ve been to Riquewihr, I think we’ll stick to the smaller, cuter towns nearby.  I think we both really prefer them to the bigger cities.

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