Englishmum

Hello Karim!

We are currently living in Zug, Switzerland (halfway between Zurich and Lucerne, the German speaking part of the country). On recent past trips to England to see family, I have been avoiding driving through France as much as possible because the road tolls are expensive.

I now take the route past Zurich, to the border of Switzerland, Germany and France at Basel and on to Mulhouse, Strasbourg.....then Luxembourg I always make a quick stop to buy petrol for the car (cheapest in Europe, apparently) and continue north into Belgium, past Mons and take the ferry to Dover at Dunkirk.

I often think of your posts here on BE when I stop in Luxembourg! We will be doing this drive at the end of next week as we will be having a holiday in Devon, England.

Have you been to the village of Eguisheim (15 minutes from Colmar) in Alsace? It was voted by French citizens as the 'prettiest village in France' for 2013. We went there a couple of months ago when my mother was visiting (yes there are the crane birds with their nests on the chimney pots!). Of course this part of France was part of Germany in the past, which can clearly be seen in the architecture and the local food seems to be more influenced by German cuisine than French.

http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-d...g/en/eguisheim


I think in the Autumn we will have to spend a weekend in the Alsace region again - I now want to visit Kaysersberg after seeing your photos!

victorian67

Thank you so much for sharing your travelling tips with us

I have not been to Eguisheim or Colmar yet, but do plan to go there this autumn or at Christmas time...

Kaysersberg & Riquewihr really as Must see places !

Have a great Holiday in Devon !

Karim

victorian67

A Jewel nestled in the heart of the Romantic German Moselle Valley...

Welcome to Bernkastel Kues !

A well kept secret ! Just like the sublime City of Trier, its neighbour - which online presence is virtually non existent with a Wikipédia dedicated page which stops by the end of the Roman occupation when Trier was called the "Northern Rome" when it was in fact occupied by France on a number of occasions throughout the 17th & 18th centuries to the point of becoming the Head of the then Sarre French County and which existence was revealed to me by my Friend Diane - Bernkastel Kues is virtually unknown here, even by long established Borderers in France as in Luxembourg.

It is rather amusing to realise that a number of places are coming back in circles in the press specialized in travels & discovery when real architectural and historical treasures are virtually ignored...

So it is during a heatwave of this funny summer which we are experiencing this year that I decided to spend a week-end in the Rhineland-Palatinate and its City of Bernkastel Kues which a couple of Friends had warmly recommended to me months ago, just the name of a place, scribbled on a piece of paper kept until the day of departure & discovery...

To those who would like to plan a train travel through Germany, and like myself are Borderers, I would strongly invite them to purchase their train ticket directly in Germany since it really is worth the effort with a saving of up to 50% of an international train ticket purchased in France. I especially recommend the DB Travel Pass offered by the German Railway Company, the Deutsche Bahn or DB, for a great rate of only 25 Euros for an entire day of travels throughout the Saarland & Rheinland régions.

The train journey from Sarrebruck is that same that the one to Trier which follows the winding river through a wild & lush natural scenery of great beauty until the woodland scenery hanging on the cliff side changes into the sunny vineyards which are making of the German Mosel Valley one of the most celebrated wine growing area with world famous wines such as the Wehlener SonnenUhr.

And with Jewels such as Bernkastel Kues, the German Moselle Valley has certainly nothing to envy to the Rhine Valley in terms of picturesques & romantic places !

It is in the Wittlich train station that the train journey comes to an end, located 12 miles away from Bernkastel where we board the Bus N° 301 which link Wittlich to Bernkastel. One immediately observes the presence of numrous bicycles and cyclists who wame to explore the region, hence the Platform towed at the back of the bus with 20 or so bicycles on board. And once one knows the road taken by the bus service which literally passes through mouses holes from tiny back Streets, to wine farms courtyards and other highly picturesques loactions, one truly takes ones hat off to the driver who drives his bus on a truly furious pace...

Once passed the first few villages, one is quickly immersed in a scenery of lush & green vineyards until the bus reaches sight of the Moselle River and then Bernkastel Kues who knows just how to keep its charms and surprize effect to the very last minute.

Just like the sublime architectural ensemble of the HauptMarkt Platz in Trier only appears like a vision of magical beauty at the very last minute, Bernkastel unveils its charms only from the bridge which links the two Cities of Bernkastel & Kues. The bus stops on the Kues side and within a few hundred meters, one is in sight of the majestic St Nicolas Hospital, once a Monastery from the Gothic era and today a famous Museum overlooking the Moselle River and then, here you are in front of a vision of beauty nestled in the heart of endless vineyards and looked over by the ancient ruins of the Landshut Castle, a vision so well translated in England by "picture perfect".

Since the entrance of the ancient medieval City usually comes with an amazed "Wow" as one penetrates within a world of tiny cobbled streets lined with delightful and picturesque timbered houses with everywhere a reminder of the wine growing vocation of the City through grapevines running over wrought iron arches over the tiny Streets which bring to the ensemble a unique, charming and highly romantic little touch.

The hotel I stayed in, the MoselBlümchen is located in the heart of the village, a few stones away from the piers with boat trips being an absolute Must in this Region in which the most beautiful sights are better enjoyed from the River.

A charming little hotel which dates back to 1391 and which offers a welcoming and authentic interior, spacious and well appointed bedrooms with a deliciaous German style breakfast, perfect for those like myself with a very busy day ahead of excursions & discoveries.

A little anecdote for those like myself who enjoy waking up early, is to remember that the City Of bernkastel, its hôtels & cafés are only serving from 08.00am onwards, so I recommend to all the early morning Explorers, the Boulangerie of the charming Mrs Lohner who opens her shop early and offers a delicious coffee & viennoiseries on the sublime MarktPlatz.

There is a great variety of very affordable boat trips starting with 1 hour cruises, up to 2 hours to the magnificent City of Traben Trarbach and a full day to the magical City of Trier.

I invite you to a discovery of the Pearl of the Romantic German Moselle Valley through my pictures taken on a warm summer afternoon and the next day at dawn while the City was still sleepy & silent...

Welcome to Bernkastel Kues

Karim

victorian67

Karim

victorian67

Karim

victorian67

Karim

victorian67

The rich history of bernkastel Kues dates back to the Roman era and it is in 370, that Decimus Magnus Ausonius, Roman poet and teacher to the Imperial court wrote his poem "The Moselle".

At the beginning of the 8th century, a geographer described a place called Princastellum, proof that there was a Roman castellum in the 4th century next to the ruins of today's Landshut castle. Ceramic and iron artefacts were discovered nearby.


Bernkastel as such was first mentioned back in the first half of the 11th century. Adalbéron von Luxembourg ( who died in 1036 ), provost of the Saint Paulin Monastery in Trier, renamed the town Beronis Castellum and became Lord of bernkastel at the beginning of the 11th century.

The Archbishop from Trier, Henri II de Fénétrange ordered a third castle to be built. On May 29th 1291, King Rodolph 1st from the Holy Empire greeted rights to the town then called Berrincastel.

Landshut castle dates back from this era and was named as such only from the 14th century. In 1332, the rights are reconfirmed by the Emperor Louis de Bavière. According to the Gold Bubble dated from 1356, the Archbishop from Trier, Bohémond II became Elector.


In 1401, the Thinker Nicolas de Cues, also known Under his Latin name Nicolaus Cusanus, was born in the house of ship builder Henne Cryfftz, which is still today in existence and available for visits. In 1451, the Saint Nicolas Hospital was built, to help the poors.

In 1505, in the electoral edict of Jakob II, the name Landshut was first mentioned to designate the land of the episcopal Castle. The Emperor Mximilian 1st, who was on his way to the Empire Diet in Trier, spent a night in Bernkastel in 1512.

The plague came to Bernkastel in 1627 and to Kues in 1641. In 1692, Landshut castle was burnt and remained a ruin since then. From 1794 to 1814, under French occupation, Bernkastel became a Head of French County, just like Trier.


During the 1815 Vienna Congress, Bernkastel and Kues were included in the Prussian kingdom. In 1821, Bernkastel became a district seat ( Kreisstadt ). In 1848, Bernkastel took part in the March Revolution. The black, red & gold flag was hoisted on the City Hall and an urban militia was created.


The first road bridge linking Bernkastel to Kues was built between 1872 an 1874, and the first railway in 1882. In 1891, bernkastel celebrated its 600th anniversary as a City.

In its actual form, the City became one as a result of the fusion of the City of Bernkastel with the wine growing village of Kues on the other side of the river.

Karim

victorian67

The legend says that back in the 14th century, the Kurfürst or Prince Elector Boemund II of Trier fell seriously ill with a strong fever while staying at the Landshut castle. No médicine or none of his famous doctors were able to heal him. And as a last resort, a small barrell of the finest wine produced in the area was brought to him saying that this might represent the best médicine he might receive. After drinking some of it, The Prince Elector completly recovered from his illness. He summoned the Wine Maker to the castle and ordered that the land and vineyards were given to him as a reward, a vineyard which would later be called the "Berncasteler Doctor" which on that occasion really was the best "doctor" that is

The vineyards from the Berncasteler Doctor produce a Riesling variety which is amongst the most sought after white wines in the world.


The venerable Pointed House was built in 1416 and is still proudly standing on its base which does looks so fragile...

The legend says that its first owner had it built like this in order to avoid paying the property tax which was calculated from the occupation on the ground and this is why the "Spitzhäuschen" grew tall rather than large !


Karim

victorian67

The vineyard of Bernkastel Kues - the largest of its kind in one piece - covers the vineyards located in the loop of the Moselle River and extends to those of Graach and Zeltlingen. The main grape variety is Riesling. The City célébrâtes in great style the Grape Harvest each year during the first week of September to celebrate its Wine Makers.


The wine making vocation of the City of Bernkastel Kues is anyway visible everywhere from the grape vines running over the tiny cobbled Streets through wrought iron arches to the vineyards which are surrounding the City and those virtually hanging on cliff side which one can admire all along the river Moselle.


Karim

victorian67

The Hotel MoselBlümchen which building dates back to 1351 is the perfect base to explore Bernkastel Kues and its Region as located in the heart of the historical & Medieval centre and a just a few stones away from the boat piers...


So it is with the portrait of the charming Mosel Blümchen which looks over the breakfast room of the hotel that I invite you to follow me in this discovery of one of the most beautiful villages of the Romantic German Moselle Valley...


Karim

victorian67

I invite you to follow me in this discovery of the magical Bernkastel Kues & the Moselle River by a warm Summer afternoon and then the next morning at dawn ...


Karim

victorian67

Karim

victorian67

Karim

victorian67

Karim

victorian67

Karim