The A, B, C's of WINE:

There is a long and highly refined tradition of wine production in France, especially
in the North East. Some of the most highly prized wines in the world come from the renowned vineyards of ALSACE, BURGUNDY and CHAMPAGNE.

Visiting one of these vineyards for a glimpse of the intricacies of viniculture can be a fascinating and delightful experience. Usually the proprietor describes with great pride the subtleties of the varietals he produces and offers samples for his visitors to savour.

In the CHAMPAGNE region, one can visit one of the more famous vineyards or choose one of the smaller properties. Also of interest in this area or nearby Ardennes and Lorraine are some of the commemorated battlefields of World War I..

Some suggestions for visiting ALSACE:
A wonderful way to appreciate this area would be to fly directly into the new airport that sits near the juncture of France, Germany and Switzerland at MULHOUSE.

Spend a couple of nights in COLMAR, to allow for at least one full day to enjoy some of the numerous points of interest in that characteristically Alsatian town.

Then spend several days hiking from village to village, visiting vineyards and exploring medieval fortresses. (Your luggage will be transported for you, by an organization of charming inns).

For the return to Colmar, one option is visiting Mulhouse and the renowned Museum of Automobiles (some real beauties) before your flight back home.

Or you may prefer to add the one-hour train ride north to STRASBOURG, for a visit of that more cosmopolitan city (site of the Council of Europe). Not to be missed is the huge gothic redstone Cathedral, with its immense astrological clock, and the colorful old part of town known as "La Petite France", where it's fun to take a boat excursion through locks on the Ill River winding in and around 15th century timbered buildings.

Fly from Strasbourg via Paris for your return home, content in knowing a little bit more about ALSACE.

River cruising and canaI barging is a wonderful leisurely way to visit the French countryside. The North East, especially BURGUNDY, has a concentration of the canal system that was set up originally in the 17th century to connect rivers for the transport of goods to royal households.
Barges still ply these historic waterways, and many of them are now beautifully outfitted as "floating country inns". The atmosphere on board is congenial. Depending on the actual size of the vessel, barges carry from 6 to 24 passengers, river cruisers from 50 to 100. Dress is casual, but the freshly prepared meals are gourmet and elegantly served by friendly and gracious English and French speaking staff. Your sommelier serves the finest of local wines, at each meal a different red and white, with an explanation of the distinct characteristics.of each wine. This is also a good opportunity to learn about cheeses as well, as different varieties are served at the end of each meal. Along the route, for sightseeing, passengers can disembark to visit little villages (in some cases one can bicycle along the tow path), or as a group take short motorcoach excursions to visit vineyards, chateaux, abbeys, etc.

The Gothic architectural style, high-vaulted and intricate, predominates in this northern part of France in the many monasteries and
cathedrals erected during the Middle Ages. (Most are built of grey stone: Rouen, Amiens, Reims, Compiegne, Beauvais, Notre-Dame in Paris, Chartres. The exception is the Cathedral of Strasbourg, built of red stone.)