Visiting Turckheim: what to do in the night watchman's town?

Why Turckheim deserves a stop

Turckheim is one of the last places in France where a night watchman still makes his round: every evening at 10 PM, from May 1 to October 31, he walks the streets in cape and tricorne, lantern and halberd in hand, singing to residents to mind their fires. The town also preserves the memory of the Battle of Turckheim, won by Turenne in 1675, and a remarkably intact medieval wall with three gates. Just 7 km from Colmar, the village offers the atmosphere of the flagship wine towns without their crowds.

What to see in Turckheim: five stops that matter

An hour and a half on foot is enough to loop the old town. Here is where to start:

• The three fortified gates: Porte de France, Porte du Brand and Porte de Munster frame the triangular old town; the Porte de France, topped by a stork nest, serves as the main entrance.
• Place Turenne: the 1575 Corps de Garde, the Hotel des Deux Clefs and half-timbered houses form one of the most consistent Renaissance ensembles of the vineyard.
• The night watchman's round: departure at 10 PM in front of the Corps de Garde, every evening from May 1 to October 31, free and open to all.
• The Colmar Pocket memorial museum: dedicated to the winter of 1944-1945, it adds a page of recent history to the visit.
• The Brand vineyard trail: a marked loop of about an hour above the village, with explanatory panels and views over the Alsace plain.

Where to taste: the Brand Grand Cru and the estates

The Brand, a granite south-facing slope above the village, has been classified Grand Cru since 1983. Its roughly 58 hectares yield powerful Rieslings and long-aging Gewurztraminers. Turckheim is home to one of the world references of biodynamic winemaking: Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, run by Olivier Humbrecht, the first French Master of Wine. The Cave de Turckheim, a cooperative founded in 1955, offers a complete range at accessible prices with a tasting room open year round. Expect 8 to 25 euros per person for an estate tasting, booking advised at Zind-Humbrecht.

How to get to Turckheim

Turckheim is one of the few vineyard villages with its own train station: the Colmar-Munster-Metzeral TER line reaches it in about ten minutes from Colmar, with regular trains all day. By car, allow 15 minutes from Colmar via the D11, one hour from Strasbourg via the A35. Free and paid parking surrounds the old town, including the station car park a short walk from the Porte de France; the historic center is pedestrian.

When to visit Turckheim

From May to October, the night watchman's round adds a unique end-of-day event: plan to stay after dinner. The harvest livens up the Brand in September. In December, the Turckheim Christmas market plays the tradition card with its giant Advent calendar on the facade of the Corps de Garde, in a much calmer atmosphere than Colmar. Off season the village remains pleasant: the vineyard trail and the cooperative tasting room are open year round.

Visiting Turckheim with an FJ13 private chauffeur

What sets Turckheim apart from the other stops is the clock: the watchman's round begins at 10 PM, long after the classic excursions have headed home. Fifteen minutes from Colmar, the village lends itself to a flexible formula: hop on the TER on the way out, roughly ten minutes is enough, then hand the FJ13 chauffeur the village-hopping, the tastings and the late ride back. Three scenarios work especially well:

• The winegrower afternoon: pickup at your Colmar hotel, the Brand trail and an estate tasting, back before dinner.
• The watchman evening: dinner in a winstub, the 10 PM round alongside the watchman (May 1 to October 31), then a night ride back to the hotel without touching the wheel.
• The combined day: Turckheim as the opener, then Eguisheim, Kaysersberg or Riquewihr chained in the same loop, with no parking to think about.
• On the practical side: a sedan seats 1 to 3 passengers, a van 4 to 7; the online planner prices your request and displays the quote on the spot.