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Alsace- Tourist site closures on holiday/impact to plans?

Posted by (Oregon, USA) on

We will be in Alsace for 5 days in May 2022. Sunday 5/8 is a holiday (WWII Victory Day). I'm trying to decide which of the towns to plan to visit that day with least impact d/t the holiday. We are not big museum fans except we plan to hit (Riquewhir's Tower of Theaves & Museum du Dolder). Will visit churches if open. A lot of what we plan to do is roam and see the pretty architecture and flowers, boat rides on canals. We will be based in Ribeauville. Here is our current plan:

Fri -Strasbourg
Sat -Hunawhir (10min), Riquewhir (3hrs), Kayersburg (3-4hrs), Turckheim (1hr)
Sun (HOLIDAY) - Ribeauville (all day - tour town, hike to castle ruins, wine tasting)
Mon -Bergheim (3hrs), Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg (2.5hrs), Damach-la-Ville (1hr)
Tues -Colmar (4hrs), Eguisheim (3-4hrs), Chateau de Hohlandsbourg (1hr if time)

  1. I assume most of the museums and other tourist attractions (entrance to churches, bell towers, canal rides, etc) will be closed on the holiday. Is that correct?
  2. Would the "Cave de Ribeauvillé" be open? Or other wineries in Ribeauville?
  3. Any suggestions for swapping out our plan based on the holiday?
Posted by
7303 posts

8 May is a minor holiday in France. Tourist sights will be open on a normal Sunday schedule (so beware of services when visiting churches!), same for restaurants, etc.
I do not know about the ones in Ribeauvillé, but small wineries are typically not open on Sundays. The 'cave de Ribeauvillé' sounds like a bigger co-operative, so I reckon it would be open, but maybe you can check directly with them?

Posted by
1406 posts

Looks like fun to me. I've visited several of the places on your list and enjoyed each. Suggest you don't stick too tight to an hourly timetable but just take it as it comes - you'll know when it's time to move on to the next town.

Posted by
10201 posts

Indeed, May 8 will be like just about any other Sunday as far as closures go.

Posted by
115 posts

That's great news to hear that it's a minor holiday! I can be more flexible with our plans then too. Appreciate the input on the timetable as well. It's just to give me an idea of how much we can realistically fit in on one day. I can't wait to visit these towns. They all look so charming. Thanks everyone!

Posted by
115 posts

Not, we will be flying to Paris on 5/1 and arrive 5/2 so will miss that holiday but I did read things could be much busier the day before and after a holiday d/t shut downs so we'll have to deal w/that issue then. Thanks much!

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