2026-05-31 Neuf Brisac

 Sunday, May 31, 2026

Neuf Brisac and Goodbyes

Ron, Chris, and Mad leave tonight from Colmar to make their way back to England. Our plan was to have a slow morning, walk into town to eat at a restaurant, and then spend a couple hours in Neuf Brissac before heading to the train station in Colmar. Well, we walked into town as indicated by this cute fellow about to cross the street (a reminder to watch out for pedestrians) But our plan for lunch at the hotel restaurant failed. They were booked completely for a large party of diners. So we walked back home for sandwiches on the patio. Then drove to Neuf Brissac.

Neuf-Brisac, along the Rhine and only 15 minutes east of Logelheim, was built in the 18th century fort designed by Vauban in the 15th century as protection against the Holy Roman Empire. It has maintained its original form relatively unscathed by WWII. The Germans controlled Neuf-Brisac and established a POW camp in the city. 

Designed as a double-walled star fort, the fortifications provide a lovely walking path. So that's our plan, despite the threat of rain. Dave parked in the same place as last time and we walked across the city to the port on the far side. From there, we planned to walk half way around the moat to look at the fortifications.

The art installations were still present in the moat. These were my favorites - or ones I took for the grandkids.

This is my favorite one - these bands are red on one side and yellow on the other. They twist in the wind and seem to be constantly moving

This bull is made of wire stuffed with mud and straw

This stegosaurus is made of wire stuffed with mud and straw

The walk started well, but then  the rain came and we were quite a ways from an exit from the moat. Of course, by the time we got back to the car, the rain had stopped. 

Mad, Ron, Dave, & Chris in the rain in the moat at Neuf-Brisac

We got a tad wet.

The drive to Colmar was short - too short - and we sat for a bit in the train station until Ron, Chris, and Mad had to go to their track to catch their train. The ride home was too quiet. But we were so grateful for their visit. We wish we could see them more often.

2026-05-30 Eco-Musée d'Alsace

 Sunday May 30, 2026

Today's outing will take us to Ungersheim a half-hour southwest from here. There is an outdoor museum the Green Guide says not to be missed. So that's our target for today.

A French éco-musée is an outdoor museum comprised of buildings, displays, and demonstrations of life in a by-gone era. Buildings of historical interest are purchased from all over the region, disassembled, and re-built on the museum site. As it's a museum, conservation, history, and culture are all blended into a village that showcases middle ages through early 20th century life in Alsace. And this museum claims to be the largest in France. It also claims to have quite a bit of handicapped accessible areas. Just half-hour south of Logelheim, perhaps there will be shade from the heat of the day. One day is not sufficient to absorb all the information or participate in the demonstrations. It is worthy of more than one day. The photos below will hopefully give a feel to the breadth of this museum's offerings. (and watch for a surprise ending to our day)

First view of the area after leaving the ticket office

Ron, Chris, Mad, Dave checking out a farm where they have left off the top coat of plaster showing how the area between the timbers is filled with mud and daub

Outside the ticket office - I liked this stained glass, even  though it's modern

early 20th century barber shop

sawmill

Dave liked this sign. (Signage at the eco-musée was good - English, French, & German)

Shoe-maker's shop (cordelier)

Inside the shoemaker's shop

This barn was full of old tractors and other farm equipment

Mad reading a description of the buiilding

Old car in an old barn

House in whose shade we had our picnic lunch

Bake oven outside the farmhouse seen below

Cour du Sabotier (clog maker) farm buildings - house on right, barn in rear, shed on left - house dates from 16th century

Dave liked this bottle glass window which was in one of the older houses

By the shade of a tree, docents explained about the farms here. The women holding the horse and bull are waiting to speak to the group next.

This building was left without its mud and daub so we could see how the frame was assembled.

Discovered in Mulhouse during construction on old city walls. The tower was moved to this site, reconstructed, and missing pieces filled in. (We wondered if there could have been much more than foundations if it was found in a city wall.)

Along the river Le Thur

Bringing the horse back to the barn

Dave and Chris on the bridge

So here's the surprise: Yesterday, I thought we had seen the location (Munster) with the highest concentration of storks per view. I was wrong. This place has the most I've seen anywhere. Here are some photos of storks that we couldn't resist. I have lots more, but, really, how many storks are needed to prove a point?

2026-05-29 Vosges Driving Tour

 Friday, May 29, 2026

Another hot day, so a trip to the Vosges seems in order. This time we are heading almost straight west toward Hohneck, a peak near the ski area of La Bresse-Hohneck. 

But first, a stop in Munster, which is on our way. In his usual good sense of direction, Dave drove us right to the center of town (the church on the square is a giveaway). 

Protestant church, Temple of Peace

There's a paid parking lot right in front of the church. Figuring out how to pay for the correct amount of time can be complicated, so Dave had help from Mad and Ron. To use a Horodateur, you enter information about the amount of time, your license plate number, and then pay by card. The printed ticket is then placed on your dashboard. It always takes us a few minutes to figure these out!

Ron, Dave, Mad at the Horodateur

Munster was the site of a 7th century Irish abbey and its cloister that was bombed to rubble in WWII. The abbey gave its name to the town (Munster comes from the Latin word for monastery.) A current local project aims to restore the cloisters of the St Grégoire abbey. Today, of course, Munster is known for its soft, aromatic cheese - very unlike Wisconsin's version of Munster. 

cloister ruins - see the storks?

cloister ruins

Advertisement for sponsoring or donating: revive one of the biggest cloisters in Alsace

After stopping at the tourist office, we walked over to a Catholic church on Place de la République which we found inviting and welcoming in its bright interior. The parish of St. Léger was listed in 13th century papers but the old church was destroyed and rebuilt, or at least renovated, as late as the 1700s. As was common in this part of France, St Léger became a Protestant church in 1575 during the Reformation, was used simultaneously as a Protestant and Catholic church since 1686 and became Catholic once again in 1874. 

modern stained glass window displays vivid colors

Lynn, Chris, Mad in St Léger nave with modern clock mechanism on wall in balcony

Of particular note is a modern (2003) clock that shows phases of the moon, months, days, and of course time. 

Munster advertises itself as a stork village of Alsace. And we were suitably impressed. There were storks everywhere! 

Can you find 6 or more storks on this roof? Most nests had babies which were hard to see

just landing with lunch for the babies

I think I see 5 nests but 7 storks. Stork watching never gets old!

We didn't have enough time to explore further as we wanted to head up into the mountains. You may have noticed the switchbacks on the map above. We climbed every one of them! The views were stunning (and the pull-offs for taking photos were few). We ate our picnic lunch at a roadside picnic table before heading up to some further war memorials at Le Linge. This area saw fierce fighting during WWI for control of the nearby mountain passes, with many dead, including many Germans. 

a rare pull off

Our table for lunch - Mad, Lynn, Ron, Chris

At the end of the war, the French moved the 2,460 German soldiers who had died here and had been  buried in temporary graves around the region into this new military cemetery. Over the years, with financial support from Germany, the wooden crosses were replaced with metal crosses containing the names of the dead. Signage reminds us that "The dead in this cemetery are an exhortation to peace."

We moved a bit further up the road near the Col du Wettstein where the battle of Le Linge was fought. Here the remains of equipment and foxholes can still be seen. This description provides details of the battle and resulting chaos: 1915 Linge History

This quote from the above information helps give context to this inconclusive but deadly battle: "Fierce attacks and counterattacks follow one another, and the small quarry on the Schratz is successively taken and lost by both armies. Soldiers from both sides were within metres of each other, and the grenade and bayonet battles caused bloodshed. The loss of men was considerable, and the situation of the survivors was miserable, an absolute horror. As the fighting wore on, the battlefield was transformed into a chaos of trees, stones and rocks smashed by artillery, a land upturned by shell holes and poisoned forever, a jumble of destroyed trenches, collapsed shelters, a field of horror strewn with decomposing corpses and wounded French and Germans waiting in vain for unlikely help, despite the great courage and dedication of the carers."

Mad looking at foxholes and rusting equipement

While it's clear that the Vosges played a large part in both WWI and WWII, today's views thankfully are beautifully calm and scenic. 

Once more after traveling many switchbacks as we went up and down these mountains, we reached our end goal - Le Hohneck. Topped by an auberge - an inn with rooms and a restaurant - the top of Hohneck provides 360 degree views of the Vosges. After an exploration of nearby features (like snow) we sat on the outside deck to enjoy a drink before starting our way home.

panorama with Chris & Ron

Small patches of snow still remain despite the extremely hot weather. Chris and Ron on the path.

Ron & Dave on the Hohneck patio

Chris & Mad enjoying sun and iced tea

Even here, war is inescapable. This plaque memorializes the Tunisian riflemen who, surrounded by Germans and fighting in a snowstorm, lost their lives in the destroyed hotel after 7 days of intense German attacks.

Dave has mapped a circular route as far as Munster to avoid retracing our steps. Once more we have enjoyed a day of history, nature, and scenery with reminders of the cost paid that we may enjoy these. There's lots to discuss at dinner.