Les Remparts de Riquewihr- a fabulous place!
Submitted: July 4, 2008
Stayed: May 2008
Our group of 4 middle-aged Canadian couples- all well-travelled , and experienced in European house rentals- found this wonderful house on the internet and were extremely happy with our stay here.
The house is exactly as beautiful as the photos would suggest- it is spotless, very comfortable (beds were wonderful) and completely equipped with everything needed for self-catering.
There are shops within a few minutes walk, to buy whatever you need in the way of food and wine.
The restoration has been done in such a way as to preserve the character of this ancient house, but provide comforts and conveniences expected in a 5 star hotel (the bathrooms are spectacular).
The furnishings, artwork, dishes and cooking equipment are all first class; furnishings are comfortable, yet fitting the character of the house well .
The owner greeted us on arrival and took extraordinary care of us- he really did go out of his way to make our stay absolutely unforgettable ( arranged special dinner reservations, wine tasting, and more). We enjoyed meeting him and found his hospitality above and beyond anything we have experienced.
We found Riquewihr quite magical- a medieval town perfectly preserved - surrounded by hills of grape vines. There are many places of interest to visit nearby.
However, the house is so lovely, it is tempting to stay put, reading in the living room while looking out the windows at views of the hills and vines.
We rented all 3 apartments and found this worked very well for our group of 8. We used La Columbier as the base for cooking and socializing. There was enough room for 8 around the table and the living area was also roomy enough for us.
Having individual bathrooms for all was very nice.
We certainly plan to return again -as this house was an unforgettable place and the surrounding countryside offers many places to explore.
It is convenient to Strasbourg as well as other major centers - Basle, Freiburg.
We would recommend this house to anyone who enjoys staying in a quiet, comfortable home, shopping for local food and wine, and feeling at home, while exploring new places.
And if cooking is not for you, there are good restaurants within a 5 minute walk (a list of recommendations is provided)
Altogether a fabulous experience and we will come again!
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Girls Getaway,
Sightseeing,
Families with Young Children,
Romantic Getaway
Owner's Response: It is a great help for us to receive feedbacks from our renters.
It is not always possible for us to welcome our guests personally since we are living at the edge of the Champagne vineyards near Paris, some 350 kilometres away from Riquewihr. But Valérie, our housekeeper in Riquewihr is always ready to do her best for a warm welcome and help when necessary. And when, from time to time we manage to be there ourselves, it is always a great pleasure to share some time with our guests.
As one can imagine, bringing back to life such old houses need a lot of efforts, - not only money - but ideas and some strengh and will to overcome all the obstacles. Our aim was always to provide, not only a comfortable accommodation but a place with a spirit. And make the stay in Riquewihr and the Alsace region a real and deeper personal experience, as close as possible from the local traditions and culture.
Learning that our guests do appreciate and enjoy the result keeps us on track for the future. We have another restoration project in Riquewihr, even more crazy: 4 beautiful holiday apartments will be available in a Renaissance house of 1560, built on the 1291 ramparts and facing the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg vineyard. A blog about this project will shortly go live. At the moment, the place is a ruin... We will need 18 month for the restoration as well as... the moral support of all our friends and guests!
Martine and Jean-Paul, owners
Helpful votes: 11/11
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