Day 6 – A tumble - Traben-Trarbach to Ediger-Eller

Traben-Trarbach pedestrian bridge over the river 


  

It was another cool day and partially overcast when we put our rather sore bums back on the bike seats.   

 

We had not had a chance to look around Traban-Trarbach having arrived a little later than intended the previous evening.  Traban-Trarbach was an important wine trading centre many years ago and was the largest one outside Bordeaux. Around the early 1900s a fire had burnt many of the buildings that were similar half-timbered ones to those in Bernkastel.  They rebuilt the town in the Art Nouveau style.    Apparently there are cellars under the town and you can take a guided tour of them.  We did not have time and I suspect like many of these things they don’t open up until May or June. 

 

There was a ruined castle above the town.  We had contemplated a climb to get a view of the valley but time did not permit that.  However, in an effort to look around the town a little we rode up the road and stopped at a place where someone was sculpting usinf big rocks.  They were quite interesting.  Then Graham decided he wanted to do a bit of climbing so we went another kilometre or so up into the hills until one of us said no more.  It was a fast ride down the hill.  I was in the lead and when I got to the bottom I got a call from Bev.  Graham had braked very hard due to a car coming out of the side road and had tumbled off his bike.  No skin was broken but he had badly bruised his thigh.  Being a tough Kiwi/Canadian he opted to continue. 

Sculptures in the making and completed

 

Trarbach which had not been affected by the fire - it's across the Mosel
 

We had wondered how the vines were cultivated and mown between the rows given how steep the vineyards were. As we were cycling along we came across a tractor going down a very steep slope between the vines.  It was interesting seeing the process as it seemed to involve going onto a trailer once the cultivation had occurred.  The trailer would them be moved along to the next row and down the tractor would go.

Cultivating the steep vines


 

We continued along the right bank to Zell.  Our cycle path notes said that this was the realm of Zeller Schwartz Katz (Zell Black Cat).  Unfortunately I can’t elaborate further as no explanation was given.  There were some visual references to a black cat but that was all.  The most attractive feature of the town was the promenade which gave views of the steep vineyard.  However, the steepest vineyards were a little further on.  It was lunch time by the time we got to Zell but everything was closed except for a bakery where the food was very ordinary. 

Zell 

 


 

Zell promenade


 

At a place called Bullay we crossed the river and continued along the left bank ato a village called Bremm which is at the bottom of the Calmont which is home to the steepest single vineyard in Europe.  We were unable to identify which one it was but all the vineyards we looked at seemed to be very steep.   On the other side of the river were the ruins of a Augustinian convent. 

Bremm and & very steep vineyards

Augustinian convent ruins

We had been cycling into a head wind for most of the day so it was a relief to get to Ediger-Eller.   We were all rather tired. Not only that our bums were very sore.  All of us found the bike seats supplied to be amongst the most uncomfortable we have had the misfortune to sit on. 



Another village across the other side of the Mosel


We think these were the steepest vineyards

Cycling the right bank

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