Turckheim, Alsace
Turckheim (Alsace) has gotta be one of the most beautiful towns in France. An ancient walled town, with great Germanic architecture and charm – but no cafes!
The area would already have been inhabited during the times of Ancient Rome, according to the archaeologists. When the Germanic tribes invaded and crossed the Rhine, the Thuringii settled here and possibly gave their name to the town.
Turckheim benefits from a privileged geographical position for viticulture. It is situated on the double fault line of the Alsace Plain and the Valley of Munster. I was told that the slopes of Turckheim are home to all the great Alsacian grape varieties — Sylvaner, Pinot blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir.
The intrepid wine walker does not have to look hard for his track. The slopes of Turckheim rise sharply towards the sky from the back of the town. So I walked up and around!
The slopes above Turckheim offer spectacular views of the town and the many vineyard slopes. Walking up I came across a few vendangeurs picking Pinot Noir grapes. They explained that the vendange season is spread out over several months.
It started with harvesting for sparkling wines a month ago. And it will go on for a couple of months ending with the “vendanges tardives” for late-harvest sweet wines, especially Gewurztraminer.
Walking back down I bumped into an old jogger, François-Xavier (67 years old!), who chatted about life for some 15 minutes. Perhaps most interesting were his lamentations about the virtual disappearance of the Alsatian language.
When he went to school at the age of 4, he could only speak Alsatian. Then by the age of 6, he had picked up French. While he can still speak Alsatian, he claims that very few people now speak Alsatian. And moreover current efforts to revive the Alsatian language amount to mere tokenism.
This is a theme that we have heard before in regional France, especially Britany. While France might preach the importance of cultural diversity (meaning anti-American dominance) on the international stage, at home French culture is dominated by the Parisian elite.
Did I reward myself after the strenuous hike?
Yes I did, with a plate of “Alsatian Choucroute”, meaning Sauerkraut with sausages and other salted meats, together with a glass of dry Riesling. I finished the meal with some Munster cheese (the most smelly cheese in France), along with a Gewurztraminer vendanges tardives.
Logistics
High-speed TGV train from Paris Gare de l’Est to Strasbourg. Then local train to Colmar. And another local train to Turckheim.