Day 7: Beautiful Munster Valley, La Maison du Fromages

The day dawned beautiful and sunny. The fresh morning air felt wonderful and I love the morning light. We climbed a pretty steep hill right out of Riquewihr, then rode on rolling hills through green hills and vineyards. It was beautiful and it felt great to be back on the bike. We all met up at La Maison Fromagre at 10:30 for a tour of this place where Munster cheese is made. It seems like a tedious, repetitive lifestyle but boy is that cheese good. I have completely changed my concept of what Munster cheese is. I don't think I can ever again buy what they have in Safeway. 

After the tour, we buy cheese, meat and bread and have one of our famous, delicious picnics on the grounds of the cheese place. Yum! Yum! Yum! So good and so fun. I like this way of having lunch the best. We have just another 20 km or so to Colmar for a total of 40 km for the day. We ride on many very nice bike paths.

Colmar is quite a large city and there is quite a bit of traffic and riding on cobble stones, but at least some is on bike paths. We arrive about 2:15 but some rooms are not ready yet so we sit in the courtyard of the hotel visiting with Gwendal and Philipp. Our room Is the last to be ready, not til 3:15. The one day I arrive early is the day my room is last to be available! No matter. We have enough time to clean up and walk around town. It is a lovely city with canals and flowers and half timbered buildings. 

We want to see the Retable d'Issenheim (Isenheim Altarpiece) but it takes some doing to do so. It is supposed to be in the Musèe D'Unterlinden but the museum is being renovated and we have been told that it has been moved to a church. We go to a big church but it is the wrong one. Finally, we find the museum and there are signs directing people to the famous altarpiece in the church right next door to the museum. We rent audio guides so as to better understand this piece. It is a 24 panel altarpiece depicting the Passion. The panels have been separated to preserve the pieces and it takes looking at a model on the wall of how the whole thing worked to really understand it. I am glad we persisted in finding the model It is quite magnificent. There are layers with doors that open to reveal each layer. The altarpiece was painted by Matthias Grünewald at the beginning of the 16th century for the high altar at the monastery at Issenheim which was founded in 1298 and devoted to curing ergotism, also known as "St. Anthony's fire". It was caused by a virus in grain. 

This will be our last day in France. Only bad news is that John was sick the past two days and wasn't able to ride today. Philipp also has a touch of it, too, an intestinal bug of some sort. Hope both are better soon. Just hope the rest of us don't get it. We are all washing our hands frequently.

We have a delicious dinner together and are ready to call it a day.

                                     Getting ready to leave Riquewihr

   Looking back on one of the many Alsace wine villages we have seen the past couple of days

                                 Touring La Maison Fromage

                   The cheese must cure for at least 21 days to be called Munster

                              Linda, Gwendolyn the Cow and another cow

                                          Yummy picnic!

                                                    Beautiful Colmar