Hotels in Riquewihr

Riquewihr is the Alsace wine village people picture when they imagine Alsace: a walled medieval town of crooked, flower-boxed half-timbered houses on the Route des Vins, ringed by vineyards that include the Schoenenbourg Grand Cru, famous for its Riesling. It came through the Second World War largely unscathed, so the old streets, the Dolder gate tower and the ramparts are genuinely old rather than rebuilt, and it is a regular on lists of France's most beautiful villages.

Be honest: with a population of only around 1,271, it is tiny, and by midday the single main street fills with coach parties and day-trippers from nearby Colmar, especially during the December Christmas market. Many shops sell souvenirs rather than serving locals, and evenings can feel very quiet once the crowds leave. Stay inside or just beside the old walls so you can explore the lanes early in the morning and in the evening, when the day visitors are gone.