Rodern: Winegrowing and Alsatian Local History

Rodern is a winegrowing village on the Alsace Wine Route. Together with its historic village character, this offers different ways to shape a stay: you can focus on wine tastings and a walking trail, or take a closer interest in the church, garden and Alsatian houses. If you are looking for a hotel in Rodern, this distinction can help you decide which aspects you would particularly like to explore locally. Walking time, possible visits to winegrowers and access to the church each have their own conditions and should be considered separately.

Winegrowing and walking trail

Rodern is known for Pinot Noir and the Grand Cru “Gloeckelberg.” Several winegrowers offer tastings of their wines; some also offer cellar tours with tastings. There are therefore different ways to discover the wines: a tasting focuses on the wines, while a cellar tour adds a visit to the cellar. If visiting a cellar is particularly important to you, ask specifically about this option. Visit arrangements may vary, so confirm availability in advance.

The Sentier Géovino – les vigneron.nes starts at a totem in front of Rodern’s town hall and takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. The walking time provides a clear timeframe, unlike the variable arrangements for visits to winegrowers, so you can plan the trail as a separate activity. Signposting and accessibility may change. Check both before setting out.

Saint-Georges and the Jardin de Marie

The Saint-Georges church brings together several construction phases. The lower parts of the bell tower, including the porch, may date from the 14th century; the nave, choir and sacristy were rebuilt in 1755. These dates refer to different parts of the building: the possible 14th-century dating applies to the lower tower and porch, while 1755 is the year the nave, choir and sacristy were rebuilt. This makes it possible to consider the church through its individual parts rather than reducing it to a single construction date. Saint-Georges is closed to the public; visitors can ask for the key at the town hall if they wish to visit.

The Jardin de Marie, a medieval garden in Rodern, is next to Saint-Georges. It invites you to take a quiet break away from the bustle and listen to the murmur of the water. As a place to pause, the garden contrasts with the church: here, the break and the sound of water take centre stage, while the church is notable for its construction phases and restricted access arrangements.

Alsatian houses in the village

Numerous Alsatian houses contribute to Rodern’s village character; some date from the 15th century. They broaden the view beyond Saint-Georges. While the church’s possibly older sections are the tower and porch, and the 1755 rebuilding involved several other parts, the historical clues provided by the houses are spread across other buildings in the village. On a walk, you can take in different building histories side by side rather than tracing Rodern’s history through just one structure. This connects the individual houses with the historic character of the village and complements the themes of winegrowing, the church and the garden.

Discover more destinations: Seppois-le-Bas, Heidwiller, Soultzbach-Les-Bains, Osenbach, Hagenthal-Le-Bas, Wintzenheim, Winkel, Kembs

For the broader travel overview: Haut-Rhin.