The valley of the Rhine upstream of Koblenz is one of the most visited areas in Germany. A quote from the UNESCO World Heritage website: “The 65 km-stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley, with its castles, historic towns and vineyards, graphically illustrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape. It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a powerful influence on writers, artists and composers.” Nothing more to say, just see for yourself!

The Nürburgring is probably the most famous racetrack in Germany. Also known as the "green hell", it was built in 1927 as a „mountain-, race, and test track" and has since been used for all sorts of racing and testing. Initially, the track was 28 km long. After various modifications, mainly to improve safety, it is nowadays divided into a short (4.5 km) GP- track and the 20.8 km long „Nordschleife", or northern loop.

Eifel National Park is North Rhine-Westphalia's only national park and one of the youngest in the country. In 2004, 107 km² (26,000 acres) of land was set aside with the aim of returning it to its natural state in accordance with IUCN standards. Over 7,000 plant and animal species can be found in the park which features only a few roads, but over 240 km of hiking, cycling, and riding trails. The dense forests, countless creeks, and beautiful reservoirs attract numerous visitors, so it can get busy during summer and on weekends.

This race circuit is located in the Ardennes of Belgium and carries the nickname "Ardennes rollercoaster". One turn is known as "The customs post" as part of the course went through Germany. The nearby abbey of Stavelot houses a museum dedicated to this spectacular racing circuit and lovingly tells the story of its racing history.

The battle of Verdun lasted from February until December 1916. 170,000 French and 150,000 German troops were killed in this year-long battle. Verdun has become a symbol for the terror of modern warfare and the reduction of man from an individual human being to expendable war material. Today Verdun stands as a memorial against warfare of any kind and serves as a reminder of the French-German reconciliation.

This castle was built between the 11th and 14th centuries on the foundations of a Roman citadel and a Carolingian refugium. Sold for scrap in 1820 and almost completely dismantled thereafter, ongoing rebuilding since 1977 has returned it to its former glory. Heavily influenced by the Hohenstaufen family, this fortified palace is one of the largest and most beautiful feudal residences of the Gothic and Romanic periods.

Unlike the Alps and the Pyrenees, the Vosges mountains are synonymous with softness thanks to the rounded shape of their peaks, the “ballons” (rounded summits). The immense forest covers 60% of the mountain range’s surface area and features mostly conifers (firs, pines, spruces) and beech. Yet this mountainous mass still offers a variety of landscapes, including glacial lakes, wet and high-altitude meadows, deep valleys, waterfalls, cliffs, and rocks. The Northern Vosges, known as “Vosges gréseuses” (the sandstone Vosges), begin in the north of Donon and are made up mostly of red sandstone. They extend beyond the Franco-German border and into the nature park of the German Palatinate (Naturpark Pfälzerwald). The two parks were given the prestigious title of International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1991, a title which is only shared by some 320 sites worldwide. (www.frenchmoments.eu)

The main fortifications of the Maginot line extended from La Ferte (thirty kilometers east of Sedan) to the Rhine River, but fortifications also stretched along the Rhine and along the Italian frontier. The fortifications on the northeast frontier included twenty-two huge underground fortresses and thirty-six smaller fortresses, as well as many blockhouses and bunkers. The French placed most of their largest fortresses in the northeast because of their desire to protect the large population, key industries, and abundant natural resources located near the Moselle valley.

Unfortunately, the line covered the French-German frontier, but not the French-Belgian. Thus the Germans in May 1940 outflanked the line. They invaded Belgium on May 10, continued their march through Belgium, crossed the Somme River, and on May 12 struck at Sedan at the northern end of the Maginot Line. Having made a breakthrough with their tanks and planes, they continued around to the rear of the line, making it useless.

The first attack by the Germans against the Maginot line itself occurred on May 16, 1940, and was directed against the isolated fortifications at La Ferte on the extreme western tip of the line. The Germans managed to capture the casemates only after four days of hard fighting, and with the support of large amounts of heavy artillery and high-velocity 88-mm fire. Despite the use of massive force, the Germans failed to capture a single major fortress before the armistice on June 25. Though designed to withstand attacks from Germany, the Maginot line fortresses could be defended against attacks from the rear; consequently, the Americans had no easy task fighting their way through the line in 1944-1945.
(www.history.com, www.britannica.com)

The German Wine Road (German: Deutsche Weinstrasse) starts in a small town named Schweigen-Rechtenbach with a big gate, the "Deutsches Weintor". This impressive Arch marks the start of the 55 mile long route, one of the oldest touristic roads in Germany. It connects many towns which are famous for its wineries.