CIRCUIT SHORT DESCRIPTION
Orschwihr is a little village located at the foot of the Vosges massif and at the heart of the vineyard. Largely viticultural, there are currently 25 wine-growers. Orschwihr is well-known for its Pfingtsberg Grand Cru, and also for the Bollenberg hill overhanging the village.
To reach the final cache, you will have to cross following steps …
CAR PARK
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.229 E007°13.914 / Google Maps : 47 56.229, 7 13.914
WINEGROWER’S HOUSE
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.153 E007°13.934 / Google Maps : 47 56.153, 7 13.934
Which is the building house date, the oldest date, on the lintel ?
1A91
A =
Admire the courtyard, which is typical of the winegrower’s houses. The imposing entrance enabled the winegrower to enter easily with its grape harvest equipment.
CARVED ANIMAL
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.129 E007°13.976 / Google Maps : 47 56.129, 7 13.976
Which animal is sculpted in the low wall ?
A lizard B = 6
A fish B = 10
A snake B = 8
The engraving is bound to the old name of the street.
BUILDING TRADE
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.089 E007°13.927 / Google Maps : 47 56.089, 7 13.927
What does the engraving on the wall represents ?
A barr and a cramp C = 260
A rake and a shovel C = 160
A pruning knife and a plowshare C = 60
Engravings on house entrance aimed of giving information about the house and its owners. Often, besides the house building date, initials of the owners couple or an object symbolizing there building trade were sculpted. There, the owner were a winemaker – ploughman.
SCHOOL CHILD PATRON
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.056 E007°13.929 / Google Maps : 47 56.056, 7 13.929
There is a statue on the square. How many gold bowls hang St Nicolas ?
D =
St Nicolas is the village patron. In Alsace, he comes on every 6th december to give sweets to wise kids. He is accompagnied with Hanstrapp who is in charge of punishing desobidient kids.
FRUITY QUESTION
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.063 E007°14.030 / Google Maps : 47 56.063, 7 14.030
How much wine grapes are engraved on the door ?
E =
CASTLE AQUEDUCT
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.129 E007°14.072 / Google Maps : 47 56.129, 7 14.072
You are in front of the Orschwihr castle, the “Château d’Orschwihr”. How much arches are supporting the aqueduct ?
F =
Pope Léon IX from Eguisheim would have stayed in this castle at the XI° century. A the XIII° century, the castle is owned by the Habsbourg family. Later it is bought by Strasbourg Bishop at the XVI° century, and then, it is owned by the village nobles. Currently, the Château d’Orschwihr is a famous vineyard and a familial business since 1854.
FOREIGNER VEGETABLE
Go to the coordinates GPS : N47°56.135 E007°14.100 / Google Maps : 47 56.135, 7 14.100
Look up to this tree. It was imported during which century ?
G =
The japanese Sophora is, as its name doesn’t say it, native to China ! Its flowers give it the nickname of « honey tree », and its knobbly and crooked trunk redolents bonsais.
THE TREASURE
Find the final cache ! Here the coordinates GPS : N47°56. X E007°13.Y / Google Maps : 47 56. X, 7 13.Y
Thanks to solution of the previous clues, do some calculations :
X = (2 x C) + (A x G) + B
Y = (E + F) x C + (110 x D) + 61
Replace letters by numbers, go to the coordinates and search the cache ! Have a good eye and use your hands !
Clue : « under wine »
SEE MORE …
The Bollenberg and the chapel Sainte Croix
The Bollenberg is a hill of limestone which benefit from a hot and dry microclimate. Moors and lawns have Mediterranean scrublands or oriental steppes. It is a protected area since 1965 and a Natura 2000 zone. It shelters different exceptional flora and fauna species.
Located on the south part of the hill, the chapel Sainte Croix is visible by far. It was built at the XIX° century. Its popular name of “witches hill” refers to the fact that at the XVI° and XVII° centuries, some women were accused of witchcraft and confess that under torture. Stories of numerous trials at Rouffach point that the Bollenberg was one of the main place of witching hours, parties which bring together witches and devils. There are countless legends about the hill : the “White Lady” would have appeared on this old place of worship.
Today, the memory is perpetuated each year during an event in the night from 14 to 15 august, called the “Haxafir” or witch fire around the chapel.
The chapel Notre-Dame du Schaeferthal
According to the legend, at the XIV° century, herdsmen do pasture their ships here. Summer were dry and so, grass was rare : herdsmen prayed the Virgin until a miracle did gush out a spring which saved herdsmen and their animals. A chapel was erected in mark of gratitude and became a veneration place. Moreover, a way of the Cross enables to reach the chapel since Soultzmatt.
Wine-growing
Orschwihr is a viticultural village : there are at least 25 wine-growers, and they greet you for a visit and a tasting !
