Gertwiller is the world capital of gingerbread. This little village in the Bas-Rhin is home to two of the largest artisanal factories in Alsace, a renowned vineyard and a gourmet authenticity that lovers of regional specialities cannot miss.
Between Fortwenger gingerbread, Lips bredele, Zeyssolff wines and local specialities, you always leave Gertwiller loaded with treats. Your chauffeur takes care of the boot — large, clean and at your disposal. And unlike on a train, there is no luggage limit.
Gertwiller is rarely visited on its own. Your Elsass VTC chauffeur lets you combine Gertwiller with Obernai, Mont Sainte-Odile and Barr in the same day, with no logistics to manage.
Gertwiller is also wine — the Zeyssolff estate and its cellars invite you to taste. And leaving with a few bottles after a glass or two calls for a sober driver. Your Elsass VTC chauffeur is the natural solution for enjoying it to the full.
In November and December, Gertwiller is overrun. However, the village car parks quickly fill up and the D35 can be congested. Your chauffeur drops you off directly outside Fortwenger or Lips and picks you up again at the agreed time. Zero seasonal stress.
Gertwiller is a popular destination for company outings, groups of friends and visiting families. Our van seats up to 7 passengers, so the whole group travels together, arrives together and leaves together — shopping included.
Gertwiller is about 35 minutes from Strasbourg via the D1422. Many tourists on a stopover in Strasbourg want to discover Alsatian specialities without renting a car. Elsass VTC provides this door-to-door transfer, from your Strasbourg hotel to the shops.
Gertwiller is a village of 800 inhabitants nestled between Obernai and Barr, on the Route des Vins d'Alsace. This discreet village is world-famous for one delicious reason: gingerbread. Since the 17th century, the artisans of Gertwiller have kept alive a tradition of artisanal production that built the worldwide reputation of gourmet Alsace. The village is home to two of the most renowned gingerbread houses in France — Fortwenger and Lips — attracting tens of thousands of visitors from all over Europe every year.
Gertwiller is not only about gingerbread. The Zeyssolff wine estate, one of the emblematic winemakers of the Route des Vins d'Alsace, is based here with its cellars and shop. A visit to Gertwiller can easily combine the sweetness of the bakeries with the fruitiness of Alsatian wines — Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris — in a single gourmet escape.
Maison Fortwenger is the oldest gingerbread factory in Alsace still in operation. Founded in 1768, for more than two and a half centuries it has kept alive recipes handed down from generation to generation, made with honey, aniseed, cinnamon and a secret blend of spices. The Gertwiller shop offers free tastings and baking demonstrations during the festive season. The house also offers original creations — gingerbread filled with jam, chocolate gingerbread, decorated Christmas figurines, Alsatian bredele and gift boxes.
A few hundred metres from Fortwenger, Maison Lips is the other unmissable institution in Gertwiller. Founded in 1829, it has specialised in artisanal gingerbread, bredele and Alsatian chocolates. The Lips shop is a true cabinet of gourmet curiosities, where the scents of cinnamon, cardamom and dark chocolate greet you at the entrance. The house is renowned for its Christmas creations — gingerbread nativity figurines, miniature Alsatian houses and Advent calendars.
Gertwiller is also a wine-growing village, and the Zeyssolff estate is its flagship. This family estate grows its vines on the hillsides between Gertwiller and Obernai, producing Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir with admirable consistency. The Zeyssolff cellars offer tastings by appointment or during open days. The estate also runs Le Péché Vigneron, a table d'hôte and wine bar appreciated by lovers of Alsatian gastronomy.
Gingerbread is not just a cake in Gertwiller: it is a real institution. Introduced to Alsace in the Middle Ages, this blend of honey, rye flour and fine spices took root in the village as early as the 19th century. At the time, several family factories were already competing over secret recipes. Today, Gertwiller claims the title of Alsatian gingerbread capital, and a dedicated museum traces this whole gourmet history.
Each house has its own signature. Some favour aniseed and cinnamon, others cloves or fir honey from the Vosges. Here, gingerbread comes in every form: plain, glazed, filled with jam or coated in chocolate. Discovering these nuances directly from the artisans, without parking or driving constraints, changes the experience. Your Elsass VTC chauffeur drops you off right outside the shops and waits while you shop.
If Gertwiller is worth the detour all year round, Christmas gives it a particularly magical atmosphere. From mid-November, the Fortwenger and Lips factories roll out their Christmas collections, the shop windows light up and the scents of spices and honey spread through the whole village. Both houses release limited festive creations that sell out within a few weeks. However, the popularity of the village in December makes parking very difficult — your Elsass VTC chauffeur is the ideal solution to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere without the traffic constraints.
The strength of Gertwiller lies in its location, at the crossroads of the most beautiful sites of the foothills, 5 km from Obernai, 8 km from Barr and 20 km from Mont Sainte-Odile. A well-planned day can combine a visit to the gingerbread factories in the morning with a castle or vineyard in the afternoon. This flexibility is exactly where a private chauffeur makes all the difference: you are not bound by any bus timetable or return constraint. A discovery tour can even link Gertwiller to Mont Sainte-Odile and Haut-Kœnigsbourg, combining indulgence, spirituality and heritage in a single outing.
Fortwenger and Lips are both open all year round, Monday to Saturday, and on Sunday mornings in high season. Both shops offer free tastings and ship throughout France and abroad, with free entry.
Medieval Alsatian town, 13th-century ramparts, belfry and six-bucket well. The most beautiful market square in the Bas-Rhin, 5 minutes from Gertwiller. 2 to 3 hours to visit.
Capital of Alsatian Riesling. Half-timbered lanes, Folie Marco, tastings at the wine estates. Ideal after the Gertwiller shops. 1 to 2 hours depending on tastings.
A major spiritual site in Alsace at 764 m. A thousand-year-old convent, the mysterious Mur Païen and an exceptional panorama over the Rhine plain. 2 to 4 hours depending on the programme.
The only Nazi concentration camp on French soil. Memorial site listed as a historic monument, European Centre for Deported Resistance Fighters. 2 hours minimum.
Highest point of the Bas-Rhin at 1,099 m. 360° panoramic view over the Vosges, Alsace and the Black Forest in clear weather. 1 hour on site.
The most visited fortified castle in Alsace, 755 m. Restored by Kaiser Wilhelm II, it offers a spectacular view over the plain and the three countries. 2 hours for a guided tour.
Fortwenger, Lips, Zeyssolff — book your private chauffeur from Strasbourg, Obernai or Barr. You will come home with your arms full of Alsatian specialities, without worrying about the rest.
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