Chateau-Chalon

We were done with what we wanted to see of the Alsace, and proceeded on, into the Jura, the high bits of Burgundy, on our way to the French Alps. We had thought we might have a look at Besancon, but traffic snarls, parking issues, and the heat of the day lead us to add it to the "next time" list. We spent the night at an aire-de-camping-cars at Chateau-Chalon, another plus beaux village, perched on a cliff above a vineyard-filled valley, with great views.

The chateau itself is on the right

The usual ample cultural/historical interpretive signage

Plenty of opportunities to taste the wines...now
Burgundy wines

Valley of vineyards below

The camping aire was just below a 12th century ruin ("Charlemagne's
Tower")

Definitely a fixer-upper

Next morning as we're leaving, a 10K run/walk is on...

Chateau-Chalon from the valley

Eguisheim

Eguisheim is another of the Alsace's more popular wine villages. When we arrived and camped, it was already pretty warm, so we delayed our little walking tour until the late afternoon.

Helpful map

Wineries of Eguisheim...44 of them

House rules

The chateau, local boy Pope Leon IX, and the chapel built in his
honor

Pretty much presided over the Great Schism, among
his other achievements

Appropriately Romanesque

With an interior to match; recently updated, we guessed

Going to his rest?

Fixer-upper

Parish church; fairly austere; still Romanesque

Relatively few French churches have Divine Illumination Machines
(DIMs) (because of Suger's theology of height and light); but this
one does...and it's free (gratuitee et illimitee)

The storkization of Alsace continues

"But he was going to move his car before the flea market
began, I know he was..."

All over-looked by the high ground no one anymore wants

Viti-Camping in Eguisheim

After Colmar, we drove on to Eguisheim, another of Alsace's Les Plus Beaux Villages, where we spent the night at Pierre de Vigne/Vins Bannwarth, a family vineyard that has opened its in-town facility to camping-cars. There are 6-8 spaces, with electricity, for no charge. Of course, it might be expected that you try the wine, or even buy a bottle. We saw some campers buying several cases. We know little of Alsatian wines, apart from the fact that they are luscious, and so we (I, Mark) did the presumably obligatory tasting and even bought a couple bottles. Ah, would that every French vineyard, distillery, and brewery be so accommodating! 

Spare parts

Our encampment

Tasting

I've done my share of tastings, and this is the best
crachoir I've seen so far; it was so painful to expectorate
this wonderful wine...

By the camping-car-park, examples of the grapes grown at Bannwarth

Of course, they're not the only show in town

Imagine your own chateau, a couple acres of vines adjoining...

Maybe there'd be room for a couple camping-cars...