Exploring château ruins overlooking a valley of colourful dwellings

Ever on the hunt for the cutest and quirkiest towns, next we decide to visit the Alsace region in south east France. We relish the irony that this is our first introduction to France and that we’ve not even been to Paris yet. It makes sense though. From where we stand in Zürich it’s only 3 hours away by public transport. Easy, right? “Haha, silly tourists, you thought this was going to be easy?” a figment of my imagination taunts…

We’re at Colmar train station now and our bus is supposed to be arriving… “somewhere”… in 5 minutes. “Somewhere” being, who knows where, as none of the signs are lining up with our instructions. After a mild panic, we spy what might be our bus from a distance and swiftly hustle to join a confused blob of people.

Along with 20-odd tourists, we huddle around a mysteriously sealed bus door for 10 minutes, contemplating life choices until finally, the door swings open. Relieved, Jesse reaches for the credit card, only to be interrupted when the driver points to a sign, “Cash Only!”. Not to worry, we’re prepared. This time Jesse reaches for a €50 note. But again the driver points to the sign, “No €50 notes accepted!”. For this new problem, we are less prepared and with a dejected sigh we dismount onto the tarmac.

After overcoming a momentary pity party, we scramble to break our 50€, eventually striking gold! Then, by some miracle, despite being scheduled to leave ages ago, we see that our bus seems to have remained stationary… We make it in the nick of time, and with that we’re on our way to Ribeauvillé! Thank goodness. 

No sooner than our feet hit Ribeauvillé soil, have we drawn our phones from their holsters and rapid fired as many photos as shutter speed allows. Because frankly, who would believe such colourful and ornately decorated wonderland exists outside of a Disney movie, if not for photographic evidence. 

In addition, towering over this marvellous valley is a mountain, crowned with château ruins beckoning our visit. Unfortunately, we can’t check in our 10kg backpacks yet, but we’re also running out of daylight. So… We’re left with a crucial decision. To hike? Or not to hike? 

We choose, to HIKE! With backpacks still attached, we reach the base, which quickly angles into a horrid wheeze inducing incline. I barley make it 50 meters when Jesse turns to me, “I don’t think you’ll be able to do this… we have to turn around” he worries. “No! I can make it” I pout stubbornly. 

Refusing to hold us back I silently struggle, inaudibly chanting, “One foot in front of the other”,  as I navigate the slippery rock scrambles ahead. Approaching the summit, I smugly remark to Jesse, “See, told you I could do it!” He amusedly shakes his head and I privately congratulate my noodle like legs for their achievements.  

We should be exhausted, but the joy of exploring our very first château ruins, renews our vitality. Such that the maze of rock and stairs barely even registers as a challenge. Unencumbered by any red tape and restrictions you’d usually find in a tourist spot, we happily survey each room. It’s raw, unfiltered and exquisite. 

Later that evening as we’re relaxing in our very romantic and cosy cottage accommodation, laughing with relief that we never have to complete that walk again… I realise something is missing, my treasured necklace! Leaping into action, I begin turning bags and pockets inside out, with dread slowly rising! Having no luck, we scrub through videos taken that day and locate the likely spot where my necklace may have disappeared. Of course… it seems to have disappeared almost at the very top of the mountain. There is no way to be sure it’s definitely at the top of the mountain… but I can’t live without having at least checked!

With reluctant and gloomy acceptance we decide to reach the summit once more. And so, Instead of a leisurely sleep in as originally planned, we wake at 5am and begin again…

I would have been impressed by how sweet Jesse was, refusing to let me do the climb alone, offering to help me look for this necklace… if not for the insufferable grumbling, the entire night and all the way up the mountain. “Omg! I can’t believe you’re making us do this walk again!!” he whined as our limbs clunkily adjust to the morning frost. In all honesty, I felt the whining was justified, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. Keen to give Jesse some space I power ahead straight to the spot and, “YAY!!!”! 

A pure shot of jubilation hits my weary brain as there it is, half submerged in the dirt waiting for me to find it. As Jesse makes it over the stairs, I hold out my hand showcasing my triumph. His face brakes out in a grin, “thank god” he laughs, all but throwing his hands in the air and the grumbling abates. 

We sit there for a while taking in this new version of what we saw yesterday. Then, at the very moment we are about to set off, the sun bursts over the horizon changing the landscape once more. 

Finally, it’s time to head back into Colmar where we discover even more dazzling sights nestled in the historic town centre. We didn’t allot much time here. A mistake we’d not make twice. We will most certainly be back.