Munster Hunter

Traveling south on the Rue d'Vin, Kevin and I decided to make a detour. In Colmar I found information for what appeared to be a Munster cheese* factory tour. Yes, it was written in French, but the pictures seemed clear: cows...milk...people with hairnets stirring large vats...wheels of cheese. On the back of the brochure was an address and hours of operation.

We plugged the address into our navi** and headed west 20K into the mountains. Just of few kilometers off the wine trail, the scenery changed completely. A lush green valley replaced the vineyards and sweeping visas. On both sides of the road were with steep green pastures dotted with cows and the occasional barn.

We turned where the navi told us, but it wasn't long before we realized there was no cheese factory on this road. Mildly disappointed — but happy to have seen the amazing scenery — it was time for plan B. We'd drive to the town of Munster instead.

This time the navi zigzagged us over a ridge, which must be a dream ride for anyone who enjoys motorcycling. (There were way more motorcycles on the road then passenger cars.) With more unbelievable views, we were happy for the ill-fated excursion to the cheese factory.

The town of Munster, while small, is worth visiting if interested in regional foods. In addition to the local Munster cheese, the main street is lined with stores selling house-made sausages, cakes, honey, and an interesting concoction of sauerkraut in a jar or vacuum packed with pork and hot dogs.

* Munster cheese, also known in France as Géromé, comes from this area. Known as "Munster Valley," it includes the town of Munster. More information is available on www.cheese-france.com.
** Navi = our GPS navigation tool.