Spring Adventures by Motorhome 2024 : Part 4 – Colmar into The Vosges Mountains

A very warm welcome once again to our channel. Thankyou to our new and existing subscribers and we’re off again in Spring 2024.

Episode 4 takes us from beautiful Colmar and the Rhine Valley, into the mountains, the Vosges mountains to be more precise. We stopped at a lovely site by the Lac De Longemer and thoroughly enjoyed a 3 night stay with walks, rain and of course beautiful scenery. There was even a spa and indoor pool at this site so some real luxury after doing parent duties for 5 weeks !!

Once again our thanks to you all for travelling with us and for contributing to our motorhome community with your comments, likes, subscriptions to our channel (it’s still FREE ! ) and general all round awesomeness – thank you so much 🙂

This series of films follows our Spring 2024 6 week trip to France in our A Class 2021 Mobilvetta K-Yacht 79 Teknoline

The campsite at the Lac De Longemer is here:
https://www.domaine-longemer.com/en/

Riquewihr is here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/A6AeHJHd8hJYfwtC6

FatMap is here:
https://fatmap.com/

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I [Music] hi we’re off again we are we are indeed yeah we’re on uh off from Colmar which is fairly C sort of central eastern France uh right near the German border it’s quite it’s quite an interesting area isn’t it because you get an influence of uh Germany and France mixed together um Swiss Bit of Swiss so yeah it makes it very interesting area yeah it is very and of course big Wine Country yes exactly yeah a lot of history yeah so up into the mountains today um we we’ll finalize once we’re on the road I guess as you do um where we’re going to end up um we’re not going to go far today I don’t think only about 4050 miles just fancy we’ve spent two or three days in the towns now so we’re going to have a bit of Countryside perhaps a bit of walking um and hopefully a last couple of three days of fresh air before we uh wind our way towards app yes we do have an eye on um a rather nice campsite that has an indoor pool um right next to a lake so we might go and explore that and um bit of luxury bit of luxury I mean it’s sort of 17 18° at the moment um so an indoor pool I quite fancy that idea yeah would you sacrifice ice cream for indoor pool yes you would well you heard it here first folks sacrifice ice cream for indor pool right has to be done okay we’re on the road bit of scenery for you hopefully and we’ll see you when we get to the campsite see you soon guys [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well it was time for a quick spot of lunch and as you can see we’ve even got the lights on coming up through these Woods they’re climbing up from colar up into the vog mountains V still not sure it’s pronounced like that vosi is pronounced spelled v GES um up into the mountains here it’s a lovely little spot everything’s so green at the moment cuz obviously had quite a bit of rain through but a little picnic spot quick bit of lunch and then we’re about only about 20 minutes away from from um the uh from our next intended stop if they’ve got space there for us and we’ll show you that when we get there but a very um a very nice and simple little stop switch back in road zigzagging all the way out the side of the Hill here but yeah even have the lights on indoors 2:00 in the [Music] afternoon gas is off fridge is back onto battery Ticky boo let’s go [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] oh oh [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] so there we go what a pleasant little spot it’s uh a site called camping to main the long long and he’s got an indoor pool over there in the corner there and then all this bit as well is a bit of a spa now there’s a bit of last of the last week luxury before we head back to blighty look at that though isn’t that a pleasant setting slightly brighter than that rather rainy runin that we had that you saw there got some little shallows over there let’s give you a quick look around the site give you a feel for it there a uh there’s a plan of the site as you can see Fair few pitures down to where my thumb is which is just behind that which is right on the lake here it worked out um where are we now we are just coming to the end of May 2024 um and we booked three nights here um cuz we don’t have to be back at Deep till just before the end of May so we thought we’d have a bit of a chill out after all that craziness of diying and gosh knows what with uh with our new little grandson down in the mine area so we thought we’d come and chill here for two or three days uh bit of an heated pool bit of a spar bit of a general dos about about and that was uh 22 a night so you can’t really go wrong with that can you 22b a night the pool is included the 16 amp electric is included um I think there’s Wi-Fi here included but we’ve obviously got it on board um and uh oh and The Spar is excent ex ra so if for example to give you an idea of cost of the spa if you wanted a couple of hours in the spa it’s about €20 ahead so about €0 for a couple of hours um or if you wanted to pay a bit more about €0 ahead you could sort of have a have it to yourself and book a private Spa um so generally a number of options together with of course a few treatments as well in there if you also wanted that massages Etc but of course right up in the we’re a fair way up I think we’re about 3,000 ft up at the uh where we are here um so a very nice spot up in the mountains as opposed to colar which was down in the flat of the Ry Valley so there we go there’s the main gate very nicely done too quite a new building as well by the looks of it they have got a restaurant as well snacks a little bar very nice too reception was very nice very friendly staff in there can see them advertising ice creams Nikki will be very pleased about that and a change of owner which uh is being advertised there let take you around the side here um Pizza take away pizzas which is always nice an open Terrace here but then some obviously some covered bits as well um they’ve got here as you can see which we might also have a mess around with later got a games room there there you go bit of table football a little bit of pool and I think around here will be the pool yeah can’t quite see it through there if I can get you a better look at that I will do the pool there and then a bit further up is The Spar but of course as I was saying that changed from colar and the urban site there up into the mountains we’re only about um 40 50 OD car up into the from colar but um but you could be a million miles away it’s a very different as you saw on the run out lovely change of scenery into those beautiful Pine forests and aous in fact forests to bring you up onto uh up eventually to this what would be a ski area in Winter there’s a few uh ski lift zigzag that we passed on the way here and uh and a place that’s pretty high up in the mountains here absolutely lovely it’s a very uh very popular area for hiking if any of you use uh fat map which is a a good sort of hiking app um then uh you’ll see that there’s a stack of walks around here linking uh different little lakes and viewpoints and goodness knows what so a really good mix of walking and of course Rec cycling um all the way around the lake here there’s a separate ConEd off cycle Lane so that you’re not fighting with the traffic and everything um a very nice very nicely done in fact so if you bring your bikes with you or indeed a Peggy the scooter equivalent um who’s back at home at the moment not with us uh but if you certainly bringing that then uh some lovely some lovely rides around here too and there we go there’s the lovely lake so we came in along the lake shore from that way but um over that direction there’s a sort of pedo and kayak high so you can go for a Potter out on the lake I think you can buy a day fishing tickets here as well so generally lots to uh lots to do but uh to give you a better I do the layout uh let’s get the Drone up and uh this is what it looks like uh for All Above [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] there was that little chapel you probably saw from the air there [Music] just started a little bit of rain again that’s still a lovely scene so there you go there’s a bit of a closer up you can hire your pedalos and you can hire some little electric boats and paddle boards as well paddle boards €1 an hour these are the electric boats €37 the pedalos €23 an hour looks like you pay a bit extra if you wanted uh one with a slide as [Music] well a was a fun out there couldn’t you hours of fun and it looks like in season we’re in that funny time where we’re sort of just out of the ski season by a few weeks and of course July’s French holiday season and we’re now just coming out towards the end of May so it’s a sort of limbo period that we’ve uh as you’ve if you’ve watched our films before you’ll see May early June is often a bit like this probably uh some the people that run these places are taking their holidays now before it goes crazy again but yeah looks like they got little snack bars and whatever else around the lake here he yeah more boats more pedalos you name it and there’s just going off between the buildings there you’ve got the uh the sort of perimeter path that takes you all the way around foot bike whatever you [Music] choose and there are incidentally we just literally over the top here start of our campsite there that we chose we chose that because it had the pool indoor pool and the spa bit for a bit of luxury but there are two of three other sites dotted along which also looked really nice don’t think they had pools but they look really nice some lovely pitches for mohos there and and all for camping so uh a really good spot and obviously look by the looks of it quite a popular spot for uh for travelers the old trusty faithful again bit of green thae carry sauce bits of chicken few mushrooms L an onion in there bit of seasoning with rice absolutely Lush bit steamy in here as well is it extractor on well first night couldn’t get any better could it views out fuse out lovely very nice too this will do me for a couple of days Nikki beavering away there on the laptop busy on her latest project which we’ll tell you a bit about when the time comes day two that’s a bit better where he the moho hiding in the trees bit of sun bit of cloud nice and warm very nice [Music] too just going to Potter off around the lake have a look around we’ll let you know how far it is lovely stroll around so quiet this morning look at that isn’t that lovely a fish down there how clear that water is make a nice F [Music] wow what a peaceful sea [Music] [Applause] don’t fall in if you go down in the woods today it very nice all those Meadow flowers [Music] there’s another one we’re sort of a third halfway along the Lake camping L Jean Quil Jean that was another another one on the edge of the lake there goes right down pitches and stuff go right down to the edge of the lake there hence the diverters uh up and along the r Road bit which is also nicely done as well so you got the cycle track over there Tac segregated from the traffic and this side for pedestrians or cycling very nicely done if you want a leisurely Potter around the lake there you go it’s a bit more of the uh Lakeside pitches there of camping Jun and yet another one camping duac at the other end so we’re right right at the other end right in the distance there you can see the pedalos and the stuff we were at last night so you definitely sport for Choice here with some really nice really nice moho spots to spend a day or two explor exploring very wellmart walking trails around here as well hopefully get to go um up one of the mountains tomorrow or one of the sides tomorrow to a lake that’s higher up [Music] nut hatch just making his way up the tree [Music] there right around the other end and some more pedalos an actual beach look yes it’s like a little mini beach isn’t it lovely all these trees right down to the edge well in fact they’re both open today so just probably cuz we were late on in the evening yesterday but they’re actually both open and that was uh what was that about 3 miles around the lake bit short of an hour yeah lovely little straw out some little barbecues there as well on the side FC see how a little cook up in the evening look at that M man’s out they look after the site room PR well there are incidentally uh we were 22 a night um that’s actually the most expensive um there are sort of two levels below that as well so you can so really good value good value pick where your budget fits and uh and it is a nice little site to stay [Music] at there’s those little shallows and Tents again and then they’ve actually got some full on three bed sort of Chalet which I think in peak season for a week were about €1,100 to hire a sort of three bed Place bit Center Parks is with those wooden wooden lower and upper floors as well right so let’s go find where I put the van over there I think Nikki went missing for a while look where I found her of course it’s got to be an ice cream we just walked the other way now from the lake into the little settlement of I think it’s pronounced ZR zupt lar l which uh so we’re walking almost right through the that Village stroke town there a lovely little stream that we’re following the town is up as you can see through the trees on both sides of us very quiet little settlement what a lovely sound never get sick of the sound of water do you suppose unless it’s pelting rain but when it comes to uh when it comes to things like this lovely look at that take you down a little bit further a few more just over the brow there I think we got a little waterfall there wow look at that that is beautiful what a little gem that [Music] is don’t jump de wow these are prer Heights straight off the edge here all because the lady loves who remembers that beautiful look at it bubbling down through the uh bubbling down through the woods down there gorgeous nice little benches here very uh a very quaint little spot for a sit down and a picnic probably [Music] [Music] well back at base camp what a lovely walk through the little village that was oh I suppose you could almost call it a town but it was very very nice little waterfalls few little shop not much though not much in the way of sort of grocery stores or anything like that so make sure you’ve stocked up before you uh come along way up here there is a little shop in there but with a few Basics but I didn’t even see milk or anything in there so um so yeah just in case come prepared few more arrivals since we’ve been away and certainly drying out a bit as well after all that rain that we came through yesterday look at that that’s a like a converted delivery lry over there isn’t that great fantastic well it’s day three of course the advantage or disadvantage perhaps of not bringing Peggy is that we have to walk everywhere albeit Peggy would have a bit of a challenge up here but uh but yeah we’re wandering up from the site and we’ve done a right head up uh through this wood here and hopefully we’re heading we’re going to come out near um a a lake a lake a little bit further up smaller one um but lovely again you’re very steep it is I’m just checking my watch that I don’t go beyond my safety limit beat tce I’m well with I’m well within yeah true that good old climb but hopefully a view at the top and a good old friendly app yeah it’s called the Merlin app if you haven’t already heard of it it’s great it detects uh Birds um by sound so far we’ve detected the chaffinch a black cap and a chi chaff and if we go quiet for a second we might get something else you never know no the chi chaff seems to be the most oh yeah no the chi chaff seems to be the most dominant at the moment yeah black Bird’s dropped in as well oh we got black bird yeah I can hear him in the background interesting though the black cap yeah and on all the trails they have uh lots of little markers so we are following the Green Cross Trail there was four or five different routes when we turned off the road um so again that’s uh they’re really well set out very well signposted even though you’re in the middle of nowhere look at fallen over been there for years lovely bit of mossy growth on there may and where’s the snow line feels like we should have got there by now yeah yes a little bit more I think are we there yet well I think we’re I think we’re getting towards the top but we’re definitely earning our tea that’s for sure not sure what tea is yet but definitely earning your tea now in fact probably uh followed by you know what well got to a big Junction in the path and then right down there down through the trees there you can see the there’s a little Lake there but we’re carrying on up as you can big Confluence of all the different paths through the forest but we still have a bit more climbing to do if we can get a view of that um the lake down there I’ll see if I can put something up on the screen but as you can see just Stacks apart I think we are going up you can just see it little glimpses through the trees there is a car part there so we could have driven up here but you know it’s not quite tell no no I said it was only foot paths up here lovely but we’ve still got some more climbing to do not too much though looks like The Horizon’s inside more Trail markings and then uh on the trees over there and on the trees over there amaz of foot paths but I’m pleased to tell you that we’re probably at our high point now and everything else could be down that was a fair old climb right the other thing I was going to show you was an app let’s just turn out the uh glare was an app called fat map um it’s a free app and it’s um really to highlight all the foot paths and uh cycle ways Bridal paths a lot in any area where you are I’m still using a free version have done for a couple of years now um and uh as you can see all the little green dots and green dashes are represent Paths of varying sizes um so quite a useful little app there is a paid version where you can um you got the ability to do more route planning it’s a bit like a satin a for Walking In other words um or some other features if you paid a subscription for it but um but the freebie has been pretty good to be fair for the last year or so um and quite a good little app to have it needs obviously a phone signal to pick up but there are there is an ability if you say wanted to do a basic route to download it to your phone before perhaps you go offline in a in a remote area um so a useful little app um for walking really anywhere and everywhere say as you’re trying to rout out a map of uh wherever you get to in your travels Nikki’s been back on her Bird app what’s the app called It’s called The Merlin app Merl birs um so just now we uh heard a wood warbler wood warbler a robin and a gold Crest oh my word yeah lovely Merlin app there you go guys I can hear the robin yeah are quite loud Robin lovely wood warbler a gold crust i’ like to see both of those oh here we go the r de Shu it looks like I think we’re about to get a view guys all that climbing worth it oh my word [Music] wa wow that wasn’t that worth it I tell you we’re higher than the Drone was the other night whole bit uh couldn’t quite beat that rainbow shot wow that was a bit of luck getting the rainbow reflection but the lake here which of course we’re looking down on which is L uh L um it is uh supposed to be renowned for when it’s really calm and still for reflection photography if that’s uh if that’s something for you but um and to give you an idea of geography wise uh that’s that first second site that we walked along and then just coming into view down the end of the lake there where you remember don’t you from the uh from the aerial shots that’s uh that’s where we’ve walked from from that site there but isn’t it a lovely spot the V mountains a lovely lovely spot this is night three coming up and it’s been absolutely lovely and quiet even though there’s quite a few people moved on site on Saturday uh Sunday today uh it’s still we picked up a few neighbors but um still quiet overnight and very pleasant sight well to finish it off it had to be done didn’t it and we were right at the top of that one somewhere when we showed you that amazing view back down to the lake about uh 4 and 1/2 Mile round walk that but we certainly gained a few feet and lost a few feet that’s for sure but not bad out from the uh campsite just over there well camping La the long or something like that but it was pretty good wasn’t it yeah yeah really nice I loved it here fantastic there’s lots to do I mean if the weather had been better we’d have probably gone swimming in the lake um we may have taken a boat out or if we’d have brought our kayak we’ have gone kayak in as well um as it is we’ve only spent three nights here um but you could easily spend a lot longer here there so much more many more walks to explore lots of activities um walk inside cycling it’s just been fantastic yeah love it yeah good stop indeed the uh Spar incidentally was um was a little bit less than I said it was it should have been I thought uh €21 ahead but it turned out to only be 25 GBP overall so €0 um so 25 thereabouts um and for that we went in about midday you get about an hour a CAU about uh top tip she said she said if you go in at midday then everybody goes for their lunch staff-wise not long after that so you’d actually get till 2:00 so if you’re coming here book The 12:00 slot couple of hours very nice indoor outdoor jacuzzi steam room SAA very nice chill out for a for a couple of hours very pleasant yeah free team coffee as well yeah some basics in the shop here um as you probably saw on some of the signs there do pizzas few snacks um some nice local grub homecooked food so yeah very pleasant so um tomorrow well we’ll let you know what’s happening tomorrow when we get there we will see you on the road as we start to wind our way back towards theep yes and if you haven’t already subscribed to our Channel please do it’s free and uh we’d love to have you on board for all our other films as well absolutely so we’ll see you very soon guys thanks for watching by now by now [Music] oh [Music]