Tom`s travels: Bike Trip Osthoffen, Ergersheim, Wolxheim, Avolsheim, Molsheim & Dachstein (08/04/2017)

I decided to bike a half-day trip to some towns west of Strasbourg. After heading out of the city along the bycicle route I was in open countryside and cycling along the first green fields of the season and blooming trees. My first stop was the small village of Osthoffen with its famous Chateau. Passing trhough the tiny center and right after the Church of St Jacques, I reached the castle. The main gate was open, though an info board said guided tours of the interior were only available upon reservation. I decided to enter the gardens and see the chateau from up close. Dating to the 13th century, the main body features renaissance characteristics typical of the 15th century. After seeing the building from the outside I got back on my bicycle and headed on reaching the town of Ergersheim. I passed through and then crossed the town center of Wolxheim with its typical timber-framed houses. Just a few kilometres later and along a small canal I reached the town of Avolsheim. The town is part of the French Towns and Villages in Bloom, having been awarded one flower. Once I reached the center I came up to the Chapel of St Ulrich, dating to the 10th century; in the form of a hoctagon the interior holds a surviving 12th century frescoed cupola. Next to it stands a Neo-romanesque church dating to 1911 which was supposed to replace the much older Dompeter church dating to the 11th century but 1km south of the town thus not practical. Continuing on my bicyle ride, I reached the town of Molsheim. I entered the town from the east and visited the Jesuits Church first, the largest in town, built in the 16th century still in a Gothic style, which was already old and dated for the time. After that I reached the southern entrance of the town guarded by the Porte des Forgerons, dating to the 14th century, and holding a plaque remembering its liberation by the american troops in 1944. I cycled back in and reached the main square, the Place de l'Hotel de Ville. On its eastern end stands the Metzig, a renaissance building serving as the butcher's shop of the time. Getting back on my bycicle I went on about the town observing the beautiful houses and palaces, many of which in the traditional timber-framed style typical of the region. I also came across the old Chartreuse which now serves since 1985 as the location of the Bugatti Museum, as this is the lcoation where the italian engineer moved to found his car company Bugatti. Cycling out of town, after just a few kilometers I reached the small town of Dachstein. Small and quaint, this little town features a pretty gate called Porte de la Bruche with a canal running in front of it and right next to it the Chateau de Turckheim built in the renaissance style. Cycling along the small center I admired some nice houses; one dating to the 18th century particularly caught my eye as it had its court open and featured the typical corn cobs haning from the terraces and drying out in the sun. From there it was a direct cycle back to Strasbourg in a peaceful and sunny afternoon along canal lined by trees and fields.