Moselle valley - December/January
 

Hello, we are planning a trip to France/Germany/Austria in December/January, due to school holidays in Australia.

We have a week spare where we are looking for somewhere to go and thought the Moselle region would be good as there are lots of historical sites and small villages close together, easy to drive around.

Will this be ok and enough places open to keep us entertained. Happy to do short/medium walks and drives.
Or will it be to cold and overcast to be enjoyed properly, and everything closed?

Family of 4- children 11 & 13.

Interested in other suggestions.

Thanks

Hi, I admit I don't know the Mosel in winter but I do know the Moselle (one german one french name)

The Moselle in winter just about closes down, you are high in the Vosges and I've stayed there and gone skiing and wandering in the Vosges and the Alsace side of the Vosges but everything thing feels a bit fin-de-siecle.
As you come out of the Vosges the land becomes more a plain and the cities get bigger and you might find some places to enjoy like Luxembourg, Metz, Nancy, Trier etc (Sorry if some of these are off the river but the land is a bit convoluted around here). From Trier down to Koblenz the towns are small and B&Bs tend to go quiet so you may need to do more research. You might find Cochem is still vibrant but...

Anyone else? Not my area of expertise. Kerouac?

The middle Rhein gorge is bleak and leafless in winter, and it is no fun being on day river cruises at that time of year. I imagine that the Mosel, just a bit further along (the Rhein and Mosel connect at Koblenz) would not be at its best, you really want to be there from spring, but of course the best season is when there is the new wine (late summer-autumn). I have only ever done the Mosel in September and October, when you get the new wine. In winter I think city hops would be best, because you can duck into museums and/or shops when the weather is bad (and it will happen sometimes). You could certainly drive the Mosel and see the towns but they won't be so pretty. In that part of the world I would be looking hard at Luxembourg, Trier, Koblenz and Cologne (even though it is Rhein and not Mosel). You know of course that December is the Christmas markets but in Germany for the most part they close after Christmas. There was a recent trip report here about Christmas markets after Christmas; that could be interesting for your trip. Where were you planning to travel to? Perhaps we can suggest something else :)

Lavandula