* Fiddlers Festival in Ribeauville

Sauerkraut lunch in Colmar. Tour the town by Tourist Train to see its gorgeous monuments such as the Collegiate Church of St Martin, and incredibly pretty streets full of half-timbered houses. A boat ride on the canals of the so-called “Little Venice” is an option. Dinner and overnight in the Colmar region.

Take the Wine Route to Ribeauville through some of Alsace’s prettiest villages: Kaysersberg, Kientzheim, and Riquewihr stopping for some wine-tasting en route. Lunch then join in the festivities in Ribeauville. Since the 14the century travelling musicians and artists have descended on the town in September to thank the local landowners for their patronage, and little has changed in the celebrations since! Dinner and overnight.

Guided tour of Haut Konigsberg Castle, a fantastic pink porphyry and wooden chateau in a privileged strategic position high above the Alsace Plain. Lunch then on to Kintzheim Castle, a Middle Age fortress whose main attraction these days is its Eagle’s Nest, home to Birds of Prey such as eagles and falcons, and their daily flights. Another option is a trip to the Monkey Sanctuary and the 300 strong troop of macaques free to roam in this protected area of Vosges Forest. Dinner and overnight.

A fascinating insight into bygone times in the Alsace region can be had at the EcoMuseum with its displays and exhibits of local costumes and crafts and so forth.