The retired traveller: 2026-05-23 Vosges Mountains

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Once more, we started our day with croissants and fresh strawberries, while discussing our plans for the day. What a treat!

Strawberries are now 3 for 10 Euros - They were 5 Euros each. A bargain.

It's blistering hot today - 30 degrees at minimum (that's 86 Farenheit), so we've decided to travel into the Vosges mountains in search of cooler, or at least shadier, locations. The Green Guide suggests a 2 star driving tour of the Guebwiller Valley

When was the last time you saw a phone booth on the side of the road? Evie, Penny, Tristen, Arwyn, Sonna, Sasha, have you ever seen one of these? Do you know what it does?

Our first stop was St Léger, the church at Murbach (2 stars!) Formerly an abbey founded in 727, today's 12th century building was worthy of exploring as an example of Rhenish (as in Rhine River) Romanesque style. Today the church is missing its nave, but what remains is solid and majestic.

St Léger

Notice the nave is missing and the church is truncated at its crossing, Now a cemetery sits where the nave used to be.

From the church, a path led up the treed hillside to a chapel in the woods, following the stations of the cross. Lynn and Judy stayed at the church while the rest climbed to explore the Chapelle Notre Dame de Lorette (1693). Views looking back were serene.

The start of the path to the chapel

Statue of St Pirmin, founder of the abbey

Chapelle de Notre Dame de Lorette

Looking back at St Léger from the chapel

Next stop was also a church, this time in Buhl where a famous triptych hangs in its church rather than in a museum.

Eglise St Jean Baptiste, Buhl

Triptych in St Jean Baptiste, Buhl

We drove down from the church to find a place to park and have lunch. We ate next to a boules court across from a school. Once more, we have no lunch photo, but there was a very creative Little Library made from an old refrigerator. Clearly decorated by the school students.

Little Library in Buhl made from an old refrigerator

Student messages written on the side of the little library

One quote from the refrigerator was very a propos: "Turning the pages of a book won't burn your fingers, but could reheat your heart" Stéphane Théri

Next stop was a wonderful surprise. At the Collegiale St Michelle in Lautenbach, there was a performance of a bagpipe group, Babuesk as part of the celebration Lutherie Dancerie mit Musique a Lautenbach.

Collegiale St Michelle, Lautenbach

bagpipers in concert in the church

Our final stop for the day was the top of the Vosges, Le Grand Ballon, the tallest peak in the Vosges, but one that is "easily" hiked to. It's advertised as 30 minutes round trip. However, we don't know what counts as the starting point. And it certainly isn't ours.