We are putting together a two week Christmas Markets’s trip beginning 11/28 when we arrive at CDG. It will be a return trip for us having done this twice before. We plan to stay at Airbnb’s in Strasbourg and Colmar for 3-4 nights each as well as two nights in Eguisheim in a hotel. Although we know we can turn Ribeauville and Riquewihr into day trips by bus from Colmar, we may instead choose to stay two nights in a hotel in one of the “R” villages and day visit the other. Our travels will be entirely by train or bus as well as taxis/Ubers where practical. Any suggestions or past experiences with these cities that anyone can share would be appreciated.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3850 posts
Ribeauville has three castles you can visit and the oldest Alsatian wine cooperative where you can taste many local wines. Ribeauville ( pop. 4,600) is larger than Riquewihr ( pop. 1,000). We stayed in a historic apartment in Ribeauville and visited Riquewihr from Ribeauville. When we saw the crowds of tour bus visitors overwhelming tiny Riquewihr, we were happy we chose Ribeauville as a base.
The bus system running buses up and down the Route du Vin makes it easy to get between villages (i.e. Eguisheim, Turckheim Kaysersberg, Riquewihr and Ribeauville). Staying in Ribeauville would pair well with staying in Eguisheim as Ribeauville is the furthest north of these villages from Eguisheim. So, you could visit Turckheim, Ammerschwihr, and Kaysersberg while staying in Eguisheim, and then explore northern villages such as Bergheim, Hunawihr and Barr from Ribeauville. Bergheim is distinguished by having its intact medieval walls and gates still encircling the town.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8317 posts
I’ll second what Kenko said about Ribeauville. We had a rental car on our trip and we couldn’t find a parking place by Riquewihr because of all the day trippers, so we ended up skipping it.
We walked to Ribeauville from Hunawihr and it was a pleasant walk. The town was very nice and seemed to have plenty to do; enough to fill two nights.
We too spent two nights in Eguisheim at Le Hameau d'Eguisheim and thoroughly enjoyed it. By staying there we enjoyed a free wine tasting. It also had a laundry facility for guests to use, free. It even provided the detergent.
Posted by
OP
Franklin, Tennessee
234 posts
Great, two voted for Ribeauville. Kenko, can you give me a link to the apartment you stayed in there, is it Airbnb, VRBO or direct booking?
Also, I am having trouble honing in the the various bus systems and routes between all those cities just looking generally for times on Rome to Rio, can you give me a link to that as well.
We plan to rebook our Colmar Airbnb in the Historic Center and the L’Hostellerie du Chateau Hotel in Eguisheim both for the third time so any easy travel routes serving all of these cities would be helpful,
Also, I recall we used Uber in Colmar and Eguisheim for the to and from or at least used the Uber App to book a taxi, is that still true and does it include Ribeauville and Riqueueville ?
Thanks all!
Posted by
OP
Franklin, Tennessee
234 posts
Sorry, “ Riquewihr”
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3850 posts
We stayed at “La Maison des Tanneurs” in Ribeauville and it is listed on Booking.com. It’s actually on the site of an old tannery. Sorry, I don’t have the local bus schedules handy. The Uber App works in Ribeauville and the region.