Insider tip for travelers: The Black Forest – specifically Oberkirch and the Renchtal Valley
- Where Grimmelshausen wrote his "Simplicissimus" in 1669, one can enjoy wonderful relaxation surrounded by vineyards ... Vineyards in summer: The Oexle levels are right – that means high alcohol content!
From Upper Bavaria to the Renchtal Valley in the Black Forest – World Literature Exhibition "350 Years of Grimmelshausen"
Munich – Baden-Baden – Oberkirch. Travel route: Achern, Ulm (referring here to the famous "Beer Village" of Ulm), Haslach, past Tiergarten with Ullenburg and Schauenburg castles, and on towards Oberkirch. If the roads are clear, you can reach the Renchtal Valley in just under two hours and 45 minutes. Admittedly, the drive through the region can feel long when the autobahn is congested. The route takes us towards Augsburg, Ulm, Stuttgart, and Baden-Baden, and a bit further in the direction of Basel. On the way to the Renchtal Valley, the route follows smaller roads through Achern and Ulm (the famous "Beer Village"), past Haslach and Tiergarten—with Ullenburg Castle—and continues towards Oberkirch. Along the way, you get a lovely glimpse of local agriculture: starting with cornfields and herds of white cows on lush green meadows, the landscape suddenly shifts to an abundance of fruit trees.
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| View from the vineyards towards Strasbourg; photo: Helga Waess |
Golden-yellow and red grapes, apples, pears, and raspberries
You drive through villages featuring old winegrowers' houses and romantic half-timbered buildings, often with self-service stalls set up by fruit growers out front. Apples, pears, and raspberries herald the early autumn. August is drawing to a close, and the grape harvest is just about to begin. Despite the hot summer, golden-yellow and red grapes promise to make the 2026 vintage an outstanding one. The Oechsle levels are right—that’s what determines the alcohol content!
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| Ringelbach, in the heart of the vineyards, offers this resting spot. Photo: Helga Waess |
Small, skittish bats squabble over the fattest mosquitoes
By the time we arrive—evening has fallen—the vines stand in long rows, trained on trellises that rise and fall with the landscape. Here and there, a bird of prey with broad wings circles overhead, while small, skittish bats squabble over the fattest mosquitoes. The moon is poised to triumph over the orange-red glow of the sun, which is sinking below the horizon behind the Vosges Mountains. Silhouetted against the light, the towering spire of Strasbourg Cathedral offers a final glimpse of the city skyline before everything is plunged into the darkness of night.
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| Fresh air and large grapes—vineyards near Oberkirch-Tiergarten. Photo: Helga Waess |
Mild air, "very good" quality
Like a glimmer of hope, the stars above the illuminated ruins of Schauenburg Castle herald the next sunny day. It is quiet during the night walk through the vines. Only the wind stirs the rustling leaves of the chestnut trees crowning the top of the vineyard. The mild air—rated "very good" by the mobile phone—helps us unwind after the drive into this idyllic setting.
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| Fruit trees in the Rench Valley; press photo archive: Helga Waess |
Where Grimmelshausen wrote his "Simplicissimus" in 1669
Sunrise over the Rench Valley, named after the Rench River that winds its way cozily through the landscape. This is where Grimmelshausen wrote his "Simplicissimus" in 1669. One of the most renowned poets of the Baroque era, his full name was Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. Many places in the Rench Valley—where Grimmelshausen left his mark as a bailiff and innkeeper—serve as reminders of that history.
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| ... and in the distance, Strasbourg Cathedral... View from the vineyards near Oberkirch; photo: Helga Waess |
The poet Grimmelshausen lived in Oberkirch-Gaisbach from 1649 to 1668
From 1303 to 1803, the town of Oberkirch was under the rule of the respective Bishop of Strasbourg. The old town hall, which serves as both a Grimmelshausen museum and a local history museum, displays—among other things—a first edition of the novel *Der Abentheuerliche Simplicissimus Teutsch*.
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| The poet Grimmelshausen lived in Oberkirch-Gaisbach from 1649 to 1668. Schauenburg Castle was built in the 11th century by Duke Berthold II of Zähringen. The ruins of this spur castle—a German cultural heritage site—are situated above Oberkirch. Photo: Helga Waess (Archive) |
You can get there relatively quickly for a long weekend—even from Munich!
The town’s tranquility, the atmosphere of the vineyards, the poet’s history, and the friendly locals make it easy to understand why people have always vacationed here and in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Baden-Baden—the "summer capital."
You can get here relatively quickly for a long weekend—even from Munich!
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| The spa park in Baden-Baden awaits its guests; photo: Helga Waess |
Not far from France, close to Baden-Baden, and just a stone's throw from the Black Forest.
It is a wonderful place to unwind; regional cuisine—along with local fruit and wine varieties—helps you find inner peace in the Renchtal valley... and the High Black Forest beckons with hiking opportunities, too!
Refreshed and relaxed, you then head back to Munich, where Oktoberfest - running from September 19 to October 4, 2026 (link to the countdown in this blog - Okto berfest vom 19.September bis zum 04. Oktober 2026)
invites you to visit, enjoy some treats, and take a leisurely stroll around the grounds.
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| Munich Oktoberfest at the Theresienwiese – Press photo archive: Helga Waess (blog cover) |
