Les Remparts de Riquewihr****

Gîtes de prestige en Alsace - Elegant vacation rentals in Alsace - Traum Ferienwohnungen im Elsass

Our romantic Vacation rentals in Riquewihr, Alsace 

Our guests believe that our charming gites (the French word for vacation rentals or holiday homes) in Riquewihr belong to the finest places to stay in Alsace.
See some comments of our English speaking guests. Click here to go to our guestbook.

We offer several beautiful apartments in a historical and unique environment and some more are expected for Spring 2011. Our holiday homes in Alsace are available for self catering holidays all year round. All our holiday apartments in Riquewihr are within a short walking distance (see map on HOW TO GET THERE page and zoom in for the village map), so that it is easy for larger parties to remain all together within a same area. For our guests looking for a bed and breakfast service or even half board (including dinner) we have special agreements with local restaurants within a very short walking distance (50 to 150 meters).

Our gites are rented by the week during the high season (April-October and December). Our best rates are therefore available for stays of 7 nights and more. Shorter stays (3-6 nights) are possible when planning opportunities exist and/or when the requested dates come exactly before or after an existing booking (see availability calendars for each gite).

The Ramparts 1500 Property

A collection of 3 beautifully renovated romantic holiday gites in a historical and unique environment: the second belt of medieval ramparts of Riquewihr, built in the year 1500.
The Western side of our properties are part of the ramparts. On the eastern side, in the picturesque 'rue des Remparts', the house appears as a traditional Alsatian timber framed house. These holiday homes belong without any doubt to the finest places to stay in Alsace.

• Gite The Dove's Nest**** - Romantic luxury holiday house for 2-5 persons. Official 4 stars rating. One of the finest places to stay in Alsace. Adults or grown up children only.
  Visit the gite, see availability >>
• Gite The Sentinel**** - Romantic luxury holiday apartment for 2 persons. Adults only. Official 4 stars rating. One of the finest places to stay in Alsace. Visit the gite, see availability >>
• Gite The Refuge of the Imp*** - Lovely studio for 2 persons. Official 3 stars rating. No extra bed possible. Visit the gite, see availability >>

The Winemaker's Property

A collection of 5 new holiday gites in the heart of Riquewihr.
Four apartments are located above a famous historical wine cellar. These 4 gites just came out of  renovation and decoration works.
The Gewurztraminer gite is a very large apartment on the opposite side of the street, in one of the most beautiful National Heritage houses in Riquewihr. Official inspection and star ratings will be performed in the near future. These holiday homes carry names of typical Alsatian wines.

• Gite Sylvaner - Charming holiday studio for 2 persons.
  Ideal for one couple. Availability, online booking >>
• Gite Klevner - Another charming holiday apartment for 2+1 persons.
  Ideal for one couple + 1 child. Availability, online booking >>
• Gite Muscat - A larger charming holiday apartment for 2+2 persons.
  Ideal for a family + 2 children. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Availability, online booking >>
• Gite Riesling - Romantic holiday home for 2-4 adults. Ideal for 2 couples. 2 double rooms, 1 bathroom. Availability, online booking >>
• Gite Gewurztraminer - Spacious and luxury holiday apartment for 2-8 persons. Among the finest places to stay in Alsace. Visit the gite, see availability >>

The Ramparts 1291 Property

A collection of 6 new outstanding luxury holiday homes to come in Spring 2011: 4 of them are located in a big Renaissance house which was built in 1580 on the first belt of the ramparts (built 3 centuries earlier in the year 1291). The property is facing the famous Schoenenbourg Grand Cru vineyard; 2 other apartments will be in a 17th Century nearby house. The houses are surrounding a small garden. The place is currently under complete and heavy renovation works. The result should be a gem! You may follow our news about the renovation as well as see the sketches and architect plans on our dedicated page.

All apartments on this side should have an official 4 stars rating. Four of them will have a private winter garden, a balcony or even a terrace which is a seldom opportunity in a national heritage building.
Opening is scheduled for Easter 2011 and bookings should be possible by September 2010. Subscribe to our newsletter or join our Facebook fans. We will keep in touch.

Why rent a holiday home with us? Your advantages.

• Our gites belong without any doubt to the finest places to stay in Alsace. Modern top comfort in a traditional Alsatian atmosphere!
• Book direct with us and get a beautiful apartment for the price of a hotel room.
• "Beautiful and affordable" was the comment of one of our American guests.
• We offer various sizes of holiday homes. You will find one suiting your needs, wishes and budget.
• Our holiday homes are inspected by the French tourist authorities.
• All our gites are strictly NON SMOKING. This means that it is permitted to smoke... outside the buildings only.
• Broadband internet connection and digital TV available free of charge in all apartments. With your laptop and Skype you will be able to keep in touch with home for free.
• We have many guests from all over the world, especially from North America, Australia an the UK. We know what they are looking for and what they like. Join our Facebook fans and discuss with some of our previous guests.
• We have a very professional internet booking system: you will be able to constantly follow-up your booking and stay with us with a few clicks, from the moment you first request an apartment until a long time after you have departed from our place!
• Bookings are possible a long time in advance, especially for stays during the high season: in Spring, Autumn and during the Christmas period (end of November to New Year).
• Major credit cards are accepted. Payment with Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold includes a cancellation & travel insurance.

Riquewihr, one of the prettiest villages in France

Alsace and the medieval city of Riquewihr are in eastern France on the Rhine River border with Germany. It is unquestionably spectacularly beautiful. Alsace offers a very special combination of history, culture, scenery, and especially food and wine makes it one of the most delightful places to visit in all of Europe.

Earlier this year, the Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 has picked Alsace as one of the hot regions in the world to visit. Alsace is one of the most beautiful and distinctive regions of France and is famous for its wine, gastronomy and wine tourism facilities. Joseph Ward, an American wine lover and wine specialist writing for The Washington Post says "Riquewihr gets my vote as France's most beautiful wine town".

Riquewihr is indeed the jewel in the crown and looks today exactly as it did in the 16th Century. Riquewihr is also a very practical base to visit all Alsace, the Vosges mountains and even nearby Germany and Switzerland.

Park your car and forget about it! There is more to do in Riquewihr than rushing with the tourist crowds in the main street! Open your eyes, look at the details on the old houses. Explore the side streets. Riquewihr, while being only a village with 1300 inhabitants, is the third city in Alsace for the number of National Heritage buildings (48), just after the large cities of Strasbourg and Colmar! This is the reason why Riquewihr is so popular worldwide. But at the end of the afternoon, when the tourists of the day are gone, you will have Riquewihr for yourself. A very privileged feeling indeed. You will probably need a week or so to discover the main attractions within walking distance or with the local bus.

• For More pictures and information about Riquewihr, click here.
• Locate Riquewihr, Alsace and our vacation rentals on a map.
• What is the best, quickest, cheapest way to travel to Riquewihr in Alsace? Discover our hints and tips for airports, flights, trains, car rental... To read our suggestions about how to get the best flights and high speed trains to Alsace and the best car rental deals, click here and scroll down after the Google map will have shown up.

What to do and what to see in Riquewihr and surroundings

The village of Riquewihr is one of the highlights in Alsace in any season. First of all, you will discover the historical and picturesque streets of Riquewihr.
The fame of the village is mainly due to its vineyards which - since the end of the Middle Age - are producing some of the best and most famous white wines in the world... The main street (rue du Général-de-Gaulle) crosses the village and will offer you a festival of gorgeous medieval houses. No, this is not a Walt Disney movie scenery! It is just reality! Left and right, smaller streets will attract you for even more surprises. Step by step you will walk uphill until you will reach the impressive Dolder tower (built in 1291) and the picturesque 'rue des Remparts'. Riquewihr, while being only a village with 1300 inhabitants, is the third city in Alsace for the number of National Heritage buildings (48), just after the large cities of Strasbourg and Colmar! This is the reason why Riquewihr is so popular worldwide. But at the end of the afternoon, when the tourists of the day are gone, you will have Riquewihr for yourself. A very privileged feeling indeed. All our holiday homes (outstanding self catering accommodation) are within the medieval heart of that lovely village.

• Locate Riquewihr and surroundings on a map. Most of the highlights and places to visit in Alsace are within easy reach from Riquewihr.
  Click to see Alsace and our vacation rentals on a map.

More about the Alsace Wine Route, Alsace wines and wine / cooking seminars in Riquewihr

For centuries, Riquewihr produces some of the most beautiful wines of Alsace and the world. Alsace enjoys some of the lowest rainfall in France (just 400-500mm or 16-20 inches per year) and Riquewihr is right in the middle of the driest area.

A superb landscape of vineyards and wooded mountains is protecting this exceptional jewel: Riquewihr. Ramparts, rich residences and more modest medieval houses make it the pearl of the Alsatian vineyard and one of the most visited and most beautiful villages in France. Visitors can easily explore the heart of the vineyards in Riquewihr and neighbour villages as Hunawihr, Ribeauvillé, Bergheim, Kientzheim, Kaysersberg..., along one of the many wine trails.
Joseph Ward, an American wine lover and wine specialist writing for The Washington Post says "Riquewihr gets my vote as France's most beautiful wine town".

More about Riquewihr and wine tasting on the Alsace Wines route >>

We are winelovers ourselves and enjoy excellent personal connections to some of the best local winemakers. We will of course be happy to share our best addresses with our guests.
For a romantic virtual tour in the vineyards, click here!

More is to come: from January to April 2011, we will organize wine and cooking seminars for our English speaking guests. The seminars are planned during the Winter months because then the winemaker has some time to spend with visitors (from Spring to Fall, he is busy with the vineyards!) Within a couple of weekdays (3-4 days), you will learn how to taste a wine in a professional way and everything about Alsace wines. Some of the best local winemakers will share their knowledge and take you to their vineyards and their cellar. No need to be a wine specialist to attend the seminars. They are specially organized for travelers who are excited about learning more about wine and about how to enjoy wine. We will offer a similar approach with cooking and gastronomy and of course with how to match food and wines.
Want to learn more about our coming wine seminars?
Subscribe to our newsletter or join our Facebook fans. We will keep in touch.

Alsace, one of the most beautiful regions of France, still to be discovered

The Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 has picked Alsace as one of the hot regions in the world to visit. Alsace is one of the most beautiful and distinctive regions of France and is famous for its wine, gastronomy and wine tourism facilities.

Alsace has been singled out as one of the hot regions in the world to visit by the Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010. The annual Best in Travel guide aims to give “a collection of the world’s best journeys, destinations and experiences for the year ahead” to “take travellers out of the ordinary”. One of the highlights of the guide is the Top 10 regions which brings Alsace to the forefront.

Joseph Ward, an American wine specialist writing in the Washington Post said: "Alsace is a region apart. German in appearance and character but French in spirit and fact, it has captured the best of both".

Any questions about your trip to Alsace? Just ask. We will do our best to answer.
Subscribe to our newsletter or join our Facebook fans and ask your questions.

A different trip to Riquewihr and Alsace: your holidays in Alsace, season by season

The village of Riquewihr is one of the highlights in Alsace in any season.

• Most visitors start visiting Alsace and Riquewihr already in Spring, when the beautiful and famous vineyards are wearing their first leaves. Alsace Sporen and Alsace Schoenenbourg are the local 'Grand Cru', listed among the best wines in the world.
• Summer is the time for families or visitors wanting to take advantage of the long daylight to explore the Alsatian countryside and the nearby Vosges mountains.
• In Fall, harvesting the grappes is another great period, with plenty of festivals and tasting opportunities.
• End of November, second to none, we have the start of the Christmas celebrations. This period of the year is a genuine fairy tale in Riquewihr. The Christmas celebrations and Christmas markets start end of November in Alsace and take place until end of December, sometimes until beginning of January.
• Finally, Winter - from January until end of March - is the season of traditional Alsace. Mid November, January and February offer plenty of discoveries for those who know how to look and approach closer. Riquewihr is an uncomparable base for exploring the vineyard and the mountains of Vosges and Alsace in any season!
  You will get cheaper rates and meet only connoisseurs. Our wine seminars will take place during this period.

More about us

Les Remparts de Riquewihr (Ramparts of Riquewihr) is a small family business founded and run by a couple of tourism professionals - Martine and Jean-Paul - having many years of experience in airline business and travels.

We think that - especially for a rather long stay (most of our guests are discovering the slow travel concept and are staying 7 nights and more) - it is not enough to sleep well during the night but it is necessary to enjoy the stay in a place which is somehow of the same level as the historical surroundings, the landscape, the mountain and the vineyards: beautiful. We put a lot of effort and care in the renovation and decoration of our vacation rental apartments because we want our holiday homes to be a memorable part of your travel experience to Alsace and France.

See some comments of our English speaking guests. Click here to go to our guestbook.