Breisach

Our first full day onboard Viking Tialfi and it's now moored on the German side of the river at Breisach. As we've been before we don't go on the included tour to The Black Forest, instead we mooch in the drizzle around the small town of Breisach. Because it's Sunday, everything is closed.

“Gutgesellentor” (The Gutgesell Gate) was first mentioned in 1319, and the current building dates from 1402. It was rebuilt  in 1950-56. In WWII  85% of Breisach was destroyed by Allied artillery during crossing the Rhine. 

Since 1936 the Gutgesell Gate's been the meeting place for the Narrenzunft (the carnival association). Pope Johannes XXIII was arrested here on 25 April 1415 while escaping from the Council of Constance.

The cathedral, St. Stephansmünster, dominates the town.

We start to climb to it up a cobbled street, but it becomes too steep so we return to the boat for coffee.

It was a good day for wines. At lunch we had this Sancerre from a winery we'd visited with the Brentwood Wine Society.

As it was Sunday, I had a glass of Champagne as an aperitif before.

And with dinner we had Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape. As Viking's promotion included their Silver Spirits package we plundered the four page wine menu during the week.

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