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Things to do

 

From there, an ideal start towards all directions and excursions! To escape, to discover to the beat of history and nature!

Spring is lovely (golf, canoe, tennis, Easter celebrations); Summer is flowers and joy; Autumn is sparkling and all for picking the grapes; Winter celebrates the magic of Christmas in Alsace!

Ribeauvillé is a medieval town to be visited but not just once for it is a place where you feel well… and take the time to appreciate it fully…

 

Soon at the Gîte Alsacien: a 60sq meter Feng Shui room at our guests’ disposal, dedicated to peace, meditation, relaxation, Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong…
Meanwhile, please click here to discover excerpts (in French only, sorry) from Myriam Dillar’s Messages du Coeur (Messages from the Heart) to take a moment of reading peace and quiet…

 

 

  • The Pfifferdaj fair: Since 1390 Ribeauvillé has been the gathering place of all the minstrels and fiddlers who used to pay tribute to the lords of Ribeaupierre (in German, von Rappoltstein). Since 1312 the latter have granted their protection to this corporation and improved their conditions as public entertainers. The fair is therefore an occasion for a merry and musical reunion amidst the colours of the medieval times!

    Come and meet the strolling players, the fire-eaters, the jugglers, the performers, the acrobats, the musicians, the minstrels for a magic moment, an amazing, astounding and unforgettable time: the torchlight procession, the medieval market, the ball, countless shows, and, above all else, on the Sunday, the most impressive float procession followed by a free wine tasting by the Town Hall fountain!

     1500 to 2000 extras preparing this for a whole year to make this medieval fair work, within the heart of the town, once every first Sunday of September …

    You can’t miss it!

  • Christmas in medieval Ribeauvillé: between the Rhine and the Vosges mountains, the enchanted atmosphere begins as early as November 20th and emotionally rises during the 4 weeks before Christmas (the Advent) until the climax at Christmas and the smooth finish on January 6th (Twelfth Night).

    The Advent wreaths illuminate the homes, the Christmas trees twinkle, the Christmas markets and the streets of all Alsatian villages glitter, the right time to enjoy the winter sweets, the deliciously odorous chesnuts and baked apples, the mulled wine… undoubtedly the most stunning period of the year… Christmas is coming !

    Don’t miss these two December week ends in Ribeauvillé, to return to the Middle Ages and meet minstrels, jugglers, yokels, beggars and rogues, stilt walkers, lords, and the Dancerie de Ribeaupierre… the atmosphere is infectiously merry! Come and see the occupations of old: fire, bronze, tin, enamel, glass craftsmen… Take part in all the other medieval celebrations!

    It will also be a celebration of the senses with the tasting of spit-roasted boars and traditional ales…

    Hark ye common folk! This is the time for authentic magical and sparkling Alsatian Christmas!

  • The balneotherapy center of Ribeauvillé: built within a glorious park and with a panoramic view on the vineyard, it is the place for a water experience of well-being and fitness: a hamman, a spa, a jacuzzi, a vast solarium, a Finnish sauna, 34 to 38° inside and outside pools… for relaxing moments… don’t forget your bathing suits!
  • The Ungersheim Écomusée: it is the largest open air museum in France. Genuine Alsatian buildings were transferred and rebuilt there that form a live village. It is worth visiting to have another viewpoint on Alsace. Numerous celebrations turn the experience into a time travel to a village of old.

     The Écomusée naturally follows the Christmas traditions of the Advent, the Nativity and the “Petite année” (from the Alsatian “s’Kleinajohr”): wakes, workshops to learn about Christmas decorations and the secrets of the Bredala, Berawecka, typical Alsatian cakes.

  • The Musée Alsacien de Strasbourg: this is a time travel where more than 5,000 objects and artefacts are displayed as instances of the daily life of Alsatians from the 17th to the 20th centuries: furniture, daily objects, ceramics, religious artefacts, traditional costumes, toys, craft, agricultural and wine tools, popular and religious imagery, reconstituted Alsatian homes… a unique experience in order to discover and stroll around… The museum is set in three old charming and genuine Strasburg mansions connected by an intricate network of staircases and corridors. This is a perpetually exciting museum that exhibits the whole variety of the Alsatian identity.

 

  • The three castles of Ribeauvillé: during the Middle Ages, the Ribeaupierre/Rappolstein family had lordship over Ribeauvillé (Rappschwihr in Alsatian). The Ribeaupierre lords had three castles built that still overlook the town and the surrounding hills. Access to any of the three is possible from paths starting in the town center. This feudal ensemble is one of the worthiest historical places of Alsace.
    – The St-Ulrich castle (11th century, the oldest and biggest castle)
    – The Girsberg (13th century)
    – The Haut-Ribeaupierre (12th century)
  • The Taennchel: overlooking Ribeauvillé, an extremely peaceful protected area, with many a spring, plenty of rocks, exceptional fauna and flora… A lot of believers and hikers go on The Notre Dame de Dusenbach pilgrimage. This preserved site is filled with an atmosphere of contemplation and silent prayers. It is a listed site.
  • Bergheim: a 3 Km walk from Ribeauvillé, this village is famous for its intact 1311 battlements and medieval walls. You can also incidentally visit the house of witches…
  • Hunawihr: a 3 Km walk from Ribeauvillé too, it is a typical Alsatian village that is home to a stork and otter park
  • Riquewihr: a 5 Km walk from Ribeauvillé, it is a fortified village that is home to a museum of mail
  • Volerie des Aigles (15 mn): the world’s biggest birds of prey fly free amidst the ruins of the Kintzheim castle. 300 Gibraltar macaques roam free in the neighbouring Montagne des Singes (mind your belongings 🙂 )
  • Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg: (20 mn): a major historical legacy, the best-known medieval castle in Alsace and one of the most visited monuments in France. A breathtaking panorama!
  • Colmar (15 km): best illustrates what Alsace ideally is: an exceptional historical and architectural legacy. The toy museum, the Bartholdi Museum and the Unterlinden museum are worth visiting.
  • Eguisheim-Turckheim-Kaysersberg-Kintzheim: (20 mn) Lovely medieval towns.
  • Sélestat: (10 mn): a medieval city with its library of humanities and the Maison du Pain d’Alsace (yummy!)
  • Strasbourg: (35 mn): the city center is Unesco listed. Among the must-dos: the Astronomical Clock, the Cathedral, the Maison Kammerzell, The Musée Alsacien, the “Petite France”…
  • Mine Saint Louis at St Marie aux Mines: (18 Km): the most amazing Renaissance silver mine in Europe, it dates back to 1549!
  • The Château du Hohlandsbourg: (overlooking Colmar) to become part of the medieval past…
  • Obernai- Barr-Andlau: (25mn): what Alsace really looks like, two beautiful wine villages overlooked by the Mont Saint-Odile, a highly spiritual site in the mountain.
  • Route des Châteaux et Cités fortifiées: mysterious and medieval Alsace…
  • Hartmannswillerkopf ou Vieil Armand : (30 mn): a major intact WW1 listed site, one of the most visited in Alsace.
  • Fort de Mutzig : (25 mn): a military fort, actually the largest and more powerful fortress prior to WW1
  • Plus the 5 Most Beautiful Villages, the 3 Most Beautiful Tours, the 13 Remarkable Gardens and the two natural parks…

 

  • In Ribeauvillé: tennis, cross-country biking, countless cycle tracks, fishing, swimming (Les Trois Châteaux swimming-pool: heated, indoor, sauna, whirlpool bath / The Carola swimming-pool: outdoor, park, playground, horse-riding school, petanque, walking paths)
  • Near Ribeauvillé: quad rides, canoe and kayak, boating, numerous swimming sites, ballooning, paragliding, parascending, adventure parks…
  • The Ammerschwihr golf course: 18-hole, breathtaking scenery around vineyards and forests, 15% off the fees for our guests.
  • The Lac Blanc ski resort: at the heart of the Vosges mountains, you’ll ski, down slopes or cross-country, and walk around stunningly beautiful tracks.