Bye-bye Alsace

the Alsatian Wine Route passes through a string of picturesque villages  and vineyards
pictures -->   Alsatian countryside 

The plain of Alsace is the name given to a vast plain covering a large part of Alsace. This plain is between the Vosges mountains to the west and the Rhine to the east.

The Hohneck   (1366 m) it is the second Vosges summit.
At its summit we  found a  Brasserie Hotel Restaurant with a unique panoramic view in the Vosges on the Vosges and Alsatian valleys… happy  to  warm up  and have some food
 pictures -->  The Hohneck 

we discovered  too a reindeer farm  in the Vosges (the favorite animal of Santa Claus has nearly no secret for us … a peaceful life … it was  before  Christmas rush)
pictures --> the reindeer farm

it would have  be a shame to be so close to the German border and not to see what is on the other side. So let’s go to Fribourg and the black forest (very disappointing for me ….the black forest was a magical word  before …may be because the black forest cake is one of my favourite cake)
pictures --> Fribourg and black forest 

I will finish my report about  our Alsatian  trip by a high point : a local wine tasting
Jean-Paul  Mauler, a passionate wine grower   opened  his  cellar for tastings of wines with various flavors, always pleasant and surprising!
“our vineyards are worked by us in a traditional way in respect of the vineyard and its environment, without giving up the use of modern techniques.” dixit  JP Mauler
We experiment a wide range of  Alsatian wines  : Sylvaner, Riesling, Muscat d'Alsace, Pinots ,and after each tasting, the atmosphere was more and more warm and cheerful

pictures --> A winegrower JPMauler