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 right around 1700. The fort was designed by Vauban, Louis XIV's military architect, as protection against the Holy Roman Empire. The treaty of Ryswick gave all the land east of the Rhine River to the Holy Roman Empire. That caused Louis XIV to fortify the west side of the Rhine. It has maintained its original form relatively unscathed by WWII because 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 triceratops 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.