Wow, if the town of Vogtsburg im Kaiserstuhl was any further west, they’d be speaking French instead of German. Why? Because the place borders the country of France, that’s why. Only the mighty Rhine stands in-between.
Come to think of it, that’s totally irrelevant to the story of the place.
What is important is the climate, a Mediterranean warmth (this is the Kaiserstuhl, yes!) that grows some of the best grapes imaginable. And with over five square miles of vineyards, that’s a whole lotta goodness, wouldn’t you say?
Vogtsburg also has a whole lotta castles, too. Excuse me, I take that back — it used to have a whole lot of castles.
Nothing remains of Burg Bickensohl, which shares the name of a village in Vogtsburg. A good bit of the Ruine Burkheim is left, although from its craggy shell and hollowed out windows you’d never guess that was once a real medieval castle. Today the castle ruin is a lovely backdrop to a winery; and the hamlet of Burkheim still maintains its Old World charm.
It really stinks the Burg Bischoffingen’s medieval castle (built over a thousand years ago) is privately owned — why won’t anyone let us in these things?
Ahh, nevermind, I’ll take a look at the recently found 3 or so meter long tooth of a mammoth, which might have lived here around 20000-40000 B.C.
After that, I’ll go back to Bickensohl to hike any of the trails through nature protected areas, like the Lösshohlwegepfad. The 21.7 km Kaiserstuhlpfad is also quite nice — the natural scenery of the Kaiserstuhl hills (shaped by volcanoes) will stay in your mind forever. Nature lovers will appreciate the variety of wildlife, including all the different species of birds.
For the more religious or spiritual walker, the Way of St. James goes through town.
Not into all that walking? Try a Segway tour, or bike riders might want to try the Kaiserstuhl Radwanderweg — it’s only 64 km, and you can even rent an e-bike. Plus, I just love the Night Watchman Tours, they’re always a fun way to see a side of a town that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Just when you think the good fun’s over, think again. Vogtsburg has a bunch of cultural events that’ll keep you staggering to keep up. September’s probably the busiest month, hosting events like the Herbstfest; Kürbisfest; Hoffest; and Herbstweinfest. The last one shouldn’t be confused with the Wine Festival held in August; and July’s got the Summer Festival.
France might be right next door, but it’s so much fun here in Vogtsburg — I forgot you were there.
