A lovely day in the Black Forest, plus relocating to Beaujolais

Having expected to have a very quiet Sunday, largely as a result of a very wet weather forecast, I awake to sunshine and fluffy white clouds. 

So, it's off to Ehrensburger's bakery in Lahr for an absolutely splendid al fresco breakfast. Not only lovely freshly baked breads and croissants, but slices of ham and cheese with some tasty scrambled eggs, washed down with freshly brewed coffee.

As it's turned out to be such a nice day, we decide to get into the cabriolet and drive to Staufen, a delightful village on the edge of the Black Forest. It's very pretty indeed and a perfect choice of Schwarzwald destination.

I am fascinated by the cracks on some of the otherwise pristine buildings. It turns out that, a few years ago, the town hall decided to get some geothermal heating and, during the drilling process, a chemical reaction occurred deep underground which has meant that some areas have shifted by as much as 30 centimetres. Google Staufen to find out the detail. 

Clearly, there is a fighting spirit in the town, because red labels have been positioned across the cracks with a slogan along the lines of 'Staufen is not broken'.

From there to the historic settlement of Breisach, bordering the Rhine and thus France. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of stone age folk living in the area, which was very important in Roman times. So, it's got a lovely atmosphere, with the original town built on a mound overlooking the river.

We stop for a drink at the museum gallery and bistro, which seems to be being run by folk on their very first day at work. It's a complete shambles with, it appears. no system or proper organisation in place. We eventually get served, but have to ask for the table to be cleared, which takes three attempts. The 'Museumsstube' should be a little goldmine – and possibly is – but anyone with any experience of the hospitality industry would make major changes to the way it is run.

There's a nice run through terraced vineyards, clinging to the edges of hills, before stopping in Teniningen for some much-needed sustenance. It's been a lovely day and all the better for evolving rather than being planned.

Overnight, it chucks it down and it is still pouring at 6am when I have to set off to start the journey to France. A bus to Lahr station is followed by a regional German Railways' train to Offenburg, where I pick up a regional express to Strasbourg.

Rather than stay in the station precincts for breakfast, I walk across the square to the Hotel du Rhin where a bit of bread, a croissant, some chemical tasting orange juice from concentrate and a pot of lukewarm coffee costs €8.50. I really thought that such mean French hotel breakfasts were a thing of the past, but clearly not. At least it's quiet and has nicely filled in the time between trains.

The French Railways' TGV from Strasbourg to Dijon is of the double decker variety. A large group of Chinese travellers with many suitcases are being installed which causes complete chaos as nobody is sitting in their allocated seats. But eventually it all gets sorted out. My oriental neighbours immediately set out to devour a large picnic of some strange looking and smelling foodstuffs, clearly brought from home, and proceed to wash it all down with French beer. It is just after 9am!

The Regional Express train from Dijon to Lyon turns out to be the best rolling stock of the day. Unexpectedly, there is a very nicely appointed and quiet First Class carriage with some very comfortable seating which makes the journey to Beaujolais country very pleasant indeed.

At Belleville sur Saone, I am met by my hostess, Brigitte. She and her partner Alain run a vineyard at nearby St-Jean-d'Ardières, coupled with B&B and an adjoining cottage. I am expecting to be staying in the main house, so I am surprised to be shown into the gite which sleeps 8. But Brigitte tells me it is vacant until Friday, so, for five days, I have more space than I do at home!

But at least I can do some washing, a much overlooked essential for a traveller, before doing some exploring in the local area.

Domaine Geoffrey, as the vineyard founded by Alain's grandfather is called, is right in the middle of Beaujolais wine country. There are vineyards as far as the eye can see. I set off on a little promenade, to discover later that I have taken a picture which shows Alain and his father, far away from me, tying up the vines by hand.

In the evening, Alain, Brigitte and I enjoy dinner in their kitchen, washed down with some excellent Beaujolais and Brouilly wines, all produced by Alain within a few metres of where we are sitting.

Despite the fact I am suffering from 'rage au dent', raging toothache as a result of losing part of a tooth in Australia, it's a lovely evening.

I repair to bed, armed with a pack of Dafalgan, a codeine/paracetamol painkiller mix that seems to calm things down for the night. Thankfully, I have a dental appointment set for next week, but it can't come soon enough.


Photos at:

European Rail Trip 2012

Days 11-14 Leipzig to Lahr and Strasbourg

When you travel by train in Europe, the train is pretty well guaranteed to leave from the platform that is listed, but each platform not only has a list of the individual trains, but also where your carriage will be. 

As the trains tend to arrive and depart very quickly, such information is really helpful to avoid a last minute scramble.

My first train I am joining is a German Railways' ICE, which runs between Dresden and Wiesbaden. I am only going as far as Frankfurt. The excellent German Railways website has said there will be 'high occupancy' on the service so, although it is not compulsory, I have booked a seat. 

As it happens, there are plenty available in First Class, so I move to a table for four, plug in my iPad and spend the journey watching the world going by while listening to podcasts.

Just before arrival in Frankfurt, there's an announcement, in German and English, about platforms for connecting trains, but of course there is no change from the information I already have on my booking.

At Frankfurt I join the ICE from Berlin to Basel, which, despite 'high occupancy being expected', is pretty quiet. I get off at Offenburg, to take the little regional train to Lahr, on the edge of the Black Forest. I am spending the weekend with a friend who works for German Railways, so it's just as well the train is bang on time!

In the evening, Anton takes me to the traditional 'Zum Klotz' restaurant in Lahr, where I have a really splendid steak with caramelised onions, prepared and served in a little cast iron frying pan.

On Saturday, more trains. We take advantage of the Europass ticket, which not only gives us the trains between Lahr, Offenburg and Strasbourg for 24 hours, but all the local buses and trams as well. The pass is just €12 for both of us, which, when a single ticket from Lahr to Strasbourg alone is €9.90, is sensational value.

At Lahr station, I try to change my booking for Monday, which currently has me routed to Dijon, via Basel, which is a very long way round. That's because all the InterRail seat allocations have already been taken. But the helpful man says he is sorry, there are plenty of seats on the train, but none for InterRail pass holders. Twas ever thus.

I have been to Strasbourg before, but only to see the major European institutions, never to the city centre. It turns out to be delightful, helped by the fact the weather is warm and sunny, when it was forecast to be wet.

We walk around the River Ill, near the Cathedral, visit the lovely little market nearby and enjoy coffee and a croissant in a café well away from the tourist hordes.

Strasbourg is clearly very popular with visitors, so in order to escape the tour groups, we take a tram to the University area, where the Restaurant La Foret Noir offers a truly excellent 'menu du jour'. For under €12, there's a tasty tuna salad, while the main is braised turkey with noodles. 

The flaky pastry fresh fruit dessert is simply sensational!

A great discovery nearby is the University botanic gardens. Surrounded by some very classy 19^th century buildings, it's quite difficult to find, but well worth the effort. The gardens itself are a delight, with a very nice hothouse with a great selection of tropical plants.

Back at Strasbourg Station, I make a final attempt to change my route for Monday and am very surprised to be told that, for an extra fee of €18, I can travel via Strasbourg. Bizarre, but it's good news. The girl points out that the booking I am cancelling is wrong, as it is for a 'young person'. I tell her, amid much laughter, that is really is for me!

The little OSB train from Strasbourg to Offenburg is packed with drunken, noisy German football fans, who we first met on the outbound journey in the morning and who have clearly been drinking solidly all day. Travelling with them is not at all a pleasant experience and I am glad when we reach Offenburg and transfer to the double-decker regional express for the short journey back to Lahr!

It will be a quiet Sunday pottering about the Black Forest, before an early start on Monday to be in Belleville sur Saone, not far from Dijon, in time for lunch.


Photos of the trip at:

European Rail Trip 2012