Far away in the north-east of France, in the Vosges mountain range, stretching along the west bank of the Rhine, originates the Moselle - the river that gave the name to the famous varieties of wine. Its valley has a rich historical past, as it crosses France, Luxembourg and Germany for 544 km.
Geographic location of the river
It is not often said about the reservoir that its shores are “the most romantic”, but the Moselle River Valley is an exception, since for almost its entire length it is not just picturesque, but looks like an extraordinary fairy-tale kingdom.
Starting in France, it flows through such of its historical provinces as Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne, united into a single region in 2016. Strongly winding all along the way, the Moselle River is famous for the fact that in its most unexpected turns, beautiful towns open up to the eye. So, on the territory of the former Lorraine, these are Nancy (founded in the 8th century) and Metz, erected on the site of an ancient Celtic settlement.
The banks of the Moselle River in Germany are "populated" very densely - you can find cities where only a few hundred people live on themand such large ones as Trier, Cochem or Koblenz, not far from which it flows into the Rhine.
Although for the Duchy of Luxembourg this river has become its eastern border, the inhabitants of the smallest sovereign state in Europe have managed to turn its banks into a real wine-growing paradise. Famous grape varieties such as Moselle, Rivaner and Riesling are grown here.
Since the Moselle is a navigable river, travelers have the opportunity to enjoy a boat tour through 3 countries with a visit to the most famous sights of its valley.
Moselle Valley
This area seems to be made for winemaking:
- mild climate;
- slopes of river banks with fertile soil;
- Easy watering vines.
In the Duchy of Luxembourg, for lovers of beautiful landscapes and delicious wines, they even organized a 42 km trail along the Moselle Valley (the river here has exactly this length). As in France and Germany, there are wineries and rural communities along its course.
Tip: The best time of the year to visit the "wine" trail and the villages of winemakers in all three countries is September - early October, when fairs and tasting of young wines are held here.
The beauty of the Moselle Valley was well known to the inhabitants of the Roman Empire, as it was very colorfully described in his poems by Ausonius back in 371. Already in those days there were vineyards on its slopes, and the traditions of winemaking were laid down inthese places still ancient Celts.
Once it was difficult for ships to move along the Moselle, either because of strong floods, during which its current became dangerous at sharp turns, or because of low water, which made it shallow. Nowadays, the system of locks and canals not only made it navigable, but also allows you to sail to the North and Mediterranean seas.
Right tributary of the Saar
The Moselle River has 10 tributaries, but the main "suppliers" of water to it are:
- Aviere, flowing through France.
- The Ruwer is a tributary of the Moselle River in Germany.
- Saarland, the longest of them, covers 126 km in France and 120 km in Germany.
In the place where the Saar flows into the Moselle, you can touch the past, as here are the cities whose heyday fell on the time of the Roman Empire: Konz, which today has almost 18,000 inhabitants, and Trier, one of the most old cities of the country.
Rover and Sauer tributaries
Like the Moselle Valley, the banks of the Ruwer are a land of winegrowers. The famous Riesling variety is grown here in the fertile lands of the Rhineland-Palatinate near Trier. Traveling along the Moselle and its tributaries, one gets the impression that in this blessed land every free meter of land is planted with vineyards. They are everywhere - on steep banks and in valleys, in wineries and just in household plots.
The Ruver is 46 km long, but it is fed by about 40 tributaries. At the bottom of itparts are located in communes with a population of more than 1000 people.
Sauer is not just a tributary of the Moselle, but also a water border separating Luxembourg from Belgium and Germany. On its long 173-kilometer path, it merges with the rivers Wiltz, Alzet and Our, and only at the extreme point of the duchy flows into the Moselle.
Famous cities on the Moselle: Cochem
No wonder the river valley is recognized as the most popular tourist attraction in Germany. The far-sighted Germans not only keep the ancient cities located here clean and tidy, but also preserved numerous architectural monuments of the Neolithic, the Celts, the Roman Empire and the dark Middle Ages. There are 20 ancient castles in the river valley, some of which are considered its decoration, pride and a "trap" for tourists, others with their ruins remind of the greatness of the past and all the wars that have not bypassed these places.
Cochem is a city in Germany on the Moselle River, which occupies all 20 km of its turn. The steep slopes that formed its fast waters became an excellent place for the construction of Reichsburg Castle, towering on the left bank.
At one time, the city "survived" the Celts and the invasion of the Romans, but could not resist the fire that the French set in 1689 in the castle occupied by them. The fire that spread to the city's houses completely burned them down, leaving only 400 survivors.
The Moselle played a big role in the reconstruction of Cochem, as for a long time it was the only way to deliver building materials. Only by the 19th century the citywas rebuilt from the ashes, and the castle began to be reconstructed only after the railway was laid here in 1870.
The Moselle embankment today is one of the most favorite vacation spots for citizens and guests of Cochem. From here, a stunning view opens up, confirming the ability of the Germans to build their cities in harmony with nature.
Trier
Mosel is the river where the oldest city in Germany is located. Its foundation dates back to the 16th century BC. e. For such a long time, he managed to visit the capital of the Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine the Great, and the episcopate, the archbishop of which had the right to elect the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
Today it is a modern city that has preserved most of the architectural and cultural monuments, some of which are UNESCO heritage.
Like other towns and cities along the Moselle River, Trier remains the center of winemaking, which has been cultivated here for 2000 years. It is no less popular as a tourist center and is visited annually from April to October by more than 400,000 people.
One of the most popular ways to travel on the Moselle River is by floating hotels, which have the advantage of stopping at all locations along the way, providing bicycles to all customers who wish to explore them.
Wittlich
A convenient and cozy place for small settlements is the Mosel - a river in Germany. Wittlich is one of the district centers in Rhineland-Palatinate. Thisthe area is a real gem of Germany, as it has everything that usually attracts tourists:
- Beautiful, like "gingerbread" towns.
- The fast-flowing Moselle River with steep rocky banks.
- Numerous wineries that hospitably open their doors to all lovers of noble wines.
- Low mountains and dense forests making up over 40% of the country's forest land.
The beauty and opulence of the Moselle River Valley has made it one of the top twenty favorite destinations for foreign tourists.
Castles
The banks of this river seem to have been specially created for castles to be built on their steep slopes. Since these were strategic structures, and not just a decoration of the area, their location was carefully checked in terms of security and impregnability.
There are more than 20 castles in the Moselle valley, some of which are located on its banks, and some at the confluence of its tributaries. Although they all have thick walls, fortified bastions and towers, defensive moats and heavy gates, each is unique and one of a kind.
The high rock above the river became a natural defense against attack for the Reichsburg castle built on it, but this did not save it from destruction. It stood in ruins for more than 200 years, until an enterprising entrepreneur bought it and restored it. Today it looks the same as it did in the 11th century when it was built.
On the left bank of the Moselle, where the Eltz River flows into it, there is a castle of incredible beauty and no less amazing history. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that since its construction in the 12th century to the present day, it has never been destroyed and has always belonged to representatives of the same Eltz family.
The Moselle River and its banks are the most beautiful corner of Germany, France and Luxembourg, where monuments of human culture have been preserved, from the Neolithic period up to the 19th century and today.
