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ItalianoWhat to see around Andlau?
Between Strasbourg and Colmar, where the Wine Route meets the GR5 long-distance footpath, the gîte is the perfect base for exploring Alsace.
The Andlau is the river that gave its name to the village, which grew up around the abbey founded in 880 by Richardis, wife of Charles the Fat.
Placed by history at the heart of the Frankish empire, Andlau today stands at a crossroads of routes: the Wine Route, the Romanesque Route and the GR5 long-distance footpath. Halfway between the Vosges and Germany, this wine-growing village with a love of good food boasts three Alsace grands crus: Kastelberg, Wiebelsberg and Moenchberg.
Our ideas for days out
Approximate driving distances from the gîte.
Mittelbergheim
about 3 km
A wine village listed among the ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’, with its Renaissance houses and its Zotzenberg grand cru.
Barr
about 4 km
A lively little town at the foot of the vineyards: tourist office, shops, railway station and wine cellars to visit.
Le Hohwald
about 10 km
A mountain resort surrounded by forests: walks, a waterfall and, in winter, sledging and cross-country skiing.
Obernai
about 15 km
A medieval town with ramparts and colourful houses, famous for its market square and its winstubs.
Mont Sainte-Odile
about 17 km
Alsace's great spiritual landmark: a convent, the Pagan Wall and an outstanding panorama over the Alsace plain.
Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle
about 25 km
The most visited castle in Alsace, perched at more than 700 metres above the plain.
Strasbourg
about 40 km
The cathedral, the Petite France quarter, the European institutions and the famous Christmas market.
Colmar
about 45 km
Little Venice with its canals and half-timbered houses, and the Unterlinden Museum.
Andlau's heritage
The architectural heritage is remarkable: the abbey church, the castles of Spesbourg and Haut-Andlau, and many Renaissance houses.
The abbey church brings together outstanding Romanesque features, including an 11th-century crypt guarded by a sandstone bear and a 30-metre-long 12th-century narrative frieze, around one of the most richly carved portals in Alsace.
Spesbourg, built in 1247 with a broad square keep 24 metres high, has been restored, made safe and is open to visitors. Haut-Andlau Castle and its two towers overlook the Kirneck valley and Barr.
Les Ateliers de la Seigneurie, a heritage interpretation centre housed in a fine 16th-century mansion, showcases the area's architectural, religious and wine-growing heritage as well as the skills of our local craftspeople.
Walks and nature
Surrounded by vineyards and forests, the village is the starting point for wonderful walks, bike rides and drives: around the village, to the castles, Mont Sainte-Odile, Le Hohwald…
Thanks to the motorway that runs through Alsace from north to south, Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse are all less than an hour away.
Wine and food
All 7 Alsace grape varieties are grown in Andlau, not forgetting late-harvest wines (vendanges tardives) and crémant d'Alsace.
Wine cellars, winstubs and restaurants will introduce you to Alsatian cuisine: choucroute, baeckeoffe, tarte flambée, kouglof…
The year is full of festivities: Midsummer (Saint-Jean), harvest festivals, grape harvest, wine fairs, festivals, night markets, concerts… And of course the traditional Christmas markets: Andlau is one of the first villages to open its market, as early as the third weekend of November.
Christmas markets