FERMES AUBERGES
marcaire meal on the crests of the Vosges Mountains
“When I was a child, we used to go to the mountains every Sunday for our ritual breath of fresh air! We nearly always stopped on the way at Markstein on the Route des Crêtes, or at the highest point, Grand-Ballon. From there we would walk for hours, across the high pastures, singing as we went…”
1KM À PIED, ÇA USE, ÇA USE...
REWARDED FOR OUR EFFORTS!
So what shall we have to eat? Without hesitation, the “marcaire” speciality! With meat pie, “roïgabrageldis” (steamed potatoes) and smoked meat, house charcuterie, munster cheese and blueberry tart… there’s something for every taste and appetite. Mmmm, that smell from the kitchen and the warm friendly atmosphere that makes you feel at home!
SO WHAT’S A “MARCAIRE” MEAL?
A KEY FEATURE
Many years later, the “marcaires” were joined by their families who left the valley to spend the summer in the high pastures. Because their farming income was insufficient, every farm opened an inn. So the “former marcairies” became farmhouse inns, much to the delight of hikers!
“From Guebwiller, it’s just a half-hour drive to reach a farmhouse inn in the mountains. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can get there via the Club Vosgien footpaths. During the summer season, the ridge-road shuttle bus serves a number of farmhouse inns along the Route des Crêtes.”
