France: Part V- Alsace & Burgundy (Colmar, Beaune)

After leaving Strasbourg, we made a stop in the city of Colmar (the third largest in the Alsace region.)  Colmar is such a gorgeous city, it's know as "The French Venice" because of it's series of canals winding throughout.  They even offer gondola rides!

When we first began wandering around there was a man sitting on a bench playing the accordion.  The music echoed through the narrow streets and off the old buildings and added a certain ambiance to our visit.   I could have stayed there and listened for a while, but then I would have missed out on seeing how cute the city is!

Alsace is also know for it's storks.  You know... the ones that bring the babies?  I'm sure you've heard the story before, how a stork will deliver a baby to a family that wants one.  Well, here are THOSE storks- The stories originated in this region.  If you want a baby, all you have to do is leave a sugar cube on your windowsill and in 9 months one of these large birds will drop off a bouncing bundle of joy.  Needless to say I was VERY careful of only putting sugar cubes into my coffee!   

We saw them all over Alsace, not just in Colmar, but I just happened to be able to get a few pictures of them in this city.  There were TONS perched on the cathedral, jabbering away at each other and taking off to soar through the air (to deliver babies no doubt.)  

Ah yes, the pictures below definitely show why the city is known as the French Venice.  So quant and picturesque.  If we had the time I'm sure we would have taken a gondola ride.  It's just so pretty! 

After leaving Colmar and the Alsace region we headed for Burgundy and the city of Beaune where our amazing hotel was located!  Hostellerie le Cedre was absolutely gorgeous.  I don't know if I've ever stayed in a 5 star hotel before, but a girl could totally get used to that!  We had double windows that opened and allowed a lovely breeze to permeate the room.  Our room over looked the courtyard, which had a fountain and lanterns hanging in all the trees.  I know I've been using the word a lot, but it really was, well, pretty.  

After checking in at the hotel, we headed toward Fixin to visit the winery of Clos St. Louis.  Philippe, the winemaker, took us through his vineyard and showed us how he makes some of his delicious wines- and they were delicious, we got to taste many!  His wife even made fresh cheese puff/biscuits called Gougeres that she passed out during the tasting.  They were amazing and still warm since they were fresh from the oven.

France: Part IV- Alsace (Strasbourg, Riquewihr)

Okay, so I'll admit it.  I was kind of in love with ALL of the patisseries and their tasty treats in the windows, so I may have gone a bit overboard with the photos of food...it's just too bad you can't taste things through the computer screen because we purchased a few things everything now and then and they were SO good! 

Inside the Cathédrale de Notre-Dame de Strasbourg it felt just as massive as when you were standing outside staring up at it.  The organ was so intricate and it's gold shimmered in the light coming through the stained glass windows.  One of the prettiest parts, in my opinion, was a beam of light coming in through a small window shinning down onto a section inside.  The whole inside was just gorgeous, as were all of the cathedrals we visited.  

After leaving the cathedral, we headed towards a part of Strasbourg called La Petite France.  It's an adorable area in the city with canals, cobblestone streets, and medieval half timbered houses- very picturesque! 

After wandering around La Petite France we headed back towards the cathedral square and found a small cafe and ordered the Alsatian specialty, Kugelhopf, because Marshall really wanted to try it.  It's  sweet bread filled with raisins and almonds.  We sat at the cafe, enjoying our Kugelhopf and café creme and just people watched for a while.  It's nice just taking time to sit down and observe the busy bustling streets. 

Later in the day we headed for a small village, about 45 minutes from Strasbourg, called Riquewhir.  It's almost like you're going back in time when you enter the village situated between rolling vineyards and the Vosges mountains.  I just kept thinking of Beauty and the Beast (the Disney version of course) and wanted to run through the streets singing "Little town, it's a quiet village" but I contained myself so as not to scare anyone or be taken away to a looney bin.  But seriously, if you've seen the movie, you know the opening part with her walking through the town... that's exactly how I felt.  The place is gorgeous with it's medieval building and cobblestone streets.  I know I've said it before, but it's hard to fathom how OLD everything actually is.  In the US everything seems so brand new compared to places like this in France.  I love it! 

This cheese shop, while super stinky to walk past/ into, had some amazing cheese.  We tasted the giant block of cheese, the La Meule Du Coeur and it was like heaven.  I mean, who doesn't like cheese... and if you don't, I don't want to know- you big weirdo! 

I spy someone staring longingly at the sausages hanging in the window.  Alas, we did not buy any, much to Marshall's dismay, though I do believe we ate our way through France because everything is so stinkin' tasty! 

I don't know, I think Marshall and I may need a little guy like this to guard our wine... especially the bottles we brought back from France!