Far in the north-east of France, in the Vosges mountain range, stretching along the western coast of the Rhine, the Moselle originates - a river that gave the name to the famous wines. Its valley has a rich historical past, as it manages to cross France, Luxembourg and Germany over a distance of 544 km.
The geographical location of the river
It is not often said about the reservoir that its banks are “the most romantic, ” but the Moselle Valley is an exception, since almost throughout its length it is not just picturesque, but looks like an unusual fairy-tale kingdom.
Starting in France, it flows through its historical provinces such as Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne, united in a single region in 2016. Strongly winding along the entire route, the Moselle River is famous for the fact that in its most unexpected turns the most beautiful towns are opened to the eye. So, in the territory of the former Lorraine it is Nancy (founded in the VIII century) and Metz, erected on the site of an ancient Celtic settlement.
The banks of the Moselle River in Germany are “densely populated” - you can meet cities where only a few hundred people live and large ones such as Trier, Cochem or Koblenz, near which it flows into the Rhine.
Although the river became its eastern border for the duchy of Luxembourg, the inhabitants of the smallest sovereign state in Europe managed to turn its banks into a true wine-making 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 trip through 3 countries with a visit to the most famous sights of its valley.
Moselle Valley
This area seems to be created for winemaking:
- mild climate;
- slopes of river banks with fertile soil;
- the convenience of 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, wineries and rural communes are located along its entire course.
Tip: the best time of the year to visit the “wine” trail and winemaking villages of 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 described very colorfully by Avsonius in his poems back in 371. Already in those days there were vineyards on its slopes, and the traditions of winemaking were laid down in these places by the ancient Celts.
It used to be difficult for ships to navigate the Moselle either due to severe floods during which its course became dangerous in sharp turns, or because of low-water conditions that made it shallow. Nowadays, the system of locks and canals not only made it navigable, but also allows you to swim 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:
- Avière flowing through the territory of France.
- The Ruver is a tributary of the Moselle River in Germany.
- Saarland, the longest of them, occupies 126 km of France and 120 km of Germany.
In the place where the Saar flows into the Moselle, you can touch the old days, since there are cities whose heyday fell on the days of the Roman Empire: Konts, which today has almost 18, 000 inhabitants, and Trier, one of the oldest cities in the country.
Tributaries of Rover and Sauer
Like the Moselle Valley, the banks of the Ruver are the land of winemakers. Here they grow the famous Riesling variety in the fertile lands of the Rhineland-Palatinate near Trier. Traveling around the Moselle and its tributaries, it seems 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 on personal plots.
The length of the Ruver is 46 km, but it is fed by about 40 tributaries. In its lower part there are communes with a population of more than 1000 people.
Sauer is not just a tributary of the Moselle, but also the water border separating Luxembourg from Belgium and Germany. On its rather large 173-kilometer path, it merges with the rivers Wilz, Alzette and Our, and only at the very 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 from the Neolithic, Celts, Roman Empire and gloomy Middle Ages. There are 20 ancient castles in the river valley, some of which are considered to be its decoration, pride and a “trap” for tourists, while others, with their ruins, remind of the greatness of bygone times and all the wars that have not spared these places.
Cochem is a city in Germany on the Moselle River, occupying all 20 km of its turn. The steep slopes that formed its swift waters became an excellent place for the construction of the 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 launched in 1689 in the castle they occupied. The fire that spread to the city houses completely burned them, leaving only 400 people alive.
The Moselle River played a large role in the restoration of Cochem, as for a long time it was the only way to deliver building materials. Only by the XIX century the city was erected from the ashes again, and the castle began to be reconstructed only after the railway was extended here in 1870.
The Moselle embankment today is one of the most favorite vacation spots for citizens and guests of Cochem. A stunning view opens up, confirming the ability of the Germans to build their cities in harmony with nature.
Trier
The Moselle is the river where Germany's oldest city 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 the Emperor Constantine the Great, and the bishop, whose archbishop 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 located on the Moselle River, Trier remains the center of winemaking, which began to be cultivated here 2000 years ago. 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 floating hotels, the advantage of which is that they make stops in all settlements along the route with the provision of bicycles to all customers who want to get acquainted with them.
Wittlich
A convenient and cozy place for small settlements is the Moselle - a river in Germany. Wittlich is one of the regional centers on the Rhineland-Palatinate. This area is a real gem of Germany, as there is everything that usually attracts tourists:
- Beautiful, like "gingerbread" towns.
- Rapidly carrying its waters, the Moselle River with steep rocky shores.
- Numerous wineries, hospitably opening the doors to all lovers of noble wines.
- Low mountains and dense forests that make up more than 40% of the country's forest land.
The beauty and abundance of the Moselle Valley have become the reason that it has been included in the list of twenty most favorite places among foreign tourists.
