2026-05-07 Huniwihr & Haut Koenigsburg Castle & Return to Sick-Dreyer Winery

 

Another day, another Plus Beaux Village. There are 15 in this region, so we have many more to visit. Today is again grey and rainy, but like the intrepid tourists we are, we headed out anyway. Our first stop was Huniwihr, a small village along the Route des Vins (Wine Route). 

Thanks to missing a turn on the north side of Colmar, we were treated to a replica of the Statue of Liberty in the middle of a round-about. (Sculptor Bartholdi is a Colmar native.) We went around the round-about twice to try to get a shot out the window. This is the best we got.

Bartholdi statue in Colmar

Huniwihr, a village of 555 people is too small to even have a tourist office. That also means we're almost the only visitors, allowing us the calm to take in this village's history. Luckily, we had picked up some tourist information at the Riquewihr Tourist Office. 

Stained glass in the Huniver church

Hunawihr was settled in the 7th century by Hunon and his wife Huna after whom the village is named. Converted to Christianity, the couple built the first church. According to legend, Huna washed clothes of the poor and needy in the village's fountain. Huna was also credited with miracles, including turning the water in the fountain into wine after a bad grape harvest. She was sainted in 1520 and the church became a stop on the one of the routes of Saint Jacques de Compostelle. Protestantism was introduced in 1537 and in 1687, the Simultaneum was introduced by Louis XIV which allowed both Catholic and Protestant services to be offered in the same church.

Kim walking through the graveyard of St Jacques Majeure

The church clock has grapes & leaves - symbol of Huniwihr

The current church dates from the 15th century. It sits on a hill at the edge of town, surrounded by walled fortifications. Around the church are both a catholic and protestant cemetery and offers great views of the surrounding vineyards.

defensive walls around the church

View of the town from the church graveyard

French graves are "rented" - that is paid for an amount of time - note the grave is for the family. Small placques and mementos remember the names of those buried there. 

Views overlooking the town and nearby vineyards were stunning, even on this cloudy day.

We worked our way down the steep hill from the church to the west end of town. Besides interesting houses, this town has many door lintels with carvings. With street signs and house addresses in short supply, it took us a bit to find some of these. 

The pinmakers sign in the center of the year 1565

The door and lintel of the 1565 house

A key denoting the innkeeper

The butcher's emblem

As we're about to finish explore the last 11 buildings and lintels, the rain began, not hard, but enough to get wet. Janis and Clark and Kim and Dale opt to go back to the car and Dale moved it to the end of the street Dave and I were exploring. You can always trust Dave to find every item on these discovery tours and he wasn't giving up for a little rain.

Looking through the gates of houses reveals sheds and barns in a courtyard used by the vintners and vignerons

Dave in front of a cool house

Looking through the gate of another winemaker's house. House on the right, barn on  the left and shed in the back

We worked our way down this main street of the village checking out houses and lintels. It is clear that this has been and is still a wine producing village. (In fact, one of the Alsatian Grand Crus, Rosaker, is a product of this village.) We decided this village is worthy of a second visit, in good weather.

Half-timbered house with barn/sheds on the ground floor

Notice the tractor in the arched doorway

At the bottom of the Grand Rue, we met Dale and took the car to the Saint-Hune fountain and wash house. Every Plus Beau Village must  have at least 2 culturally significant monuments. In Huniwihr, these are the 17th century fountain and the Sainte-Hune fountain and wash house. 

Sainte Hune fountain and washhouse

Sainte Hune covered wash house

Luckily, we had decided to have lunch at home as the rain continued all the way home.

Dave ate the leftover choucroute garni from yesterday

The afternoon itinerary is a trip to Haut Koenigsburg castle, since much of that tour would be indoors in the completely restored castle. Since it's not handicapped accessible, I stayed home (and took a nap!)

First mentioned in 1147, this château fort (fortified castle) was changed hands multiple times and was also pillaged multiple times. Owned by the Hapsbourgs in the 15th century, it was pillaged by a gang of knights. It changed hands and was again pillaged and burned in the 30 Years War (1618-1648). Left as a ruin for 200 years, it was acquired by the town of Sélestat in 1865 and was then offered to German Emperor Guillaume II in 1899 when he annexed Alsace to Germany. Guillaume completely restored the castle (1900-1908). After WWI (1919) Haut Koenigsbourg was given to France. Since then, France has improved the visitor experience and maintained the castle. Whew! 

Haut Koenigsbourg can be seen from many spots in this region as it crowns the top of its peak in the foothills of the Vosges mountains. 

Koenigsbourg scene from the valley

This castle is stunning, both outside and inside.

Can you find the dragon?

Looking down from the high tower

After the tour of Haut Koenigsburg, the crew stopped at Sick-Dreyer to pick up a few bottles of their most excellent wines. Etienne invited them into his tasting room and enthusiastically offered samples of his wines. An hour later, they collected their 6 bottles of wine and headed for the LeClerc grocery store. 

Janis, Clark, & Etienne

Now that's some old wine!

These are the wines they sampled

LeClerc was crazy busy with so many people shopping at the end of their work day. Luckily the list was small and they escaped with only minor bruises.

It was almost 7 when the crew got home - too late for aperos. Janis made a delicious chicken stir fry for dinner.  The poor dear wasn't even allowed to rest after dinner as she made one more bread pudding for tomorrow's dinner. I'm not sure we can let Janis go home! She knows were everything is in the kitchen and can work all the appliances!

As if today wasn't crazy enough, there is a beer fest in town. Dave and Dale walked the few blocks to the fest. They tried a couple of Luxemburg beers, neither to their liking. Dave said it was like a German beer fest.

 

Dale & Dave & beer