It is that time of year when the colors of nature are changing into warm yellow and red tints. Let us have a look at some places where you can see the slow action of autumn colors in France, Germany, and Spain.
Wine trails of Burgundy in France
The foliage in Burgundy and especially the Morvan forest is a feast for the eyes. Where there is no forest you can admire the fields and farmhouses. The Chemin des Grands Cru is a 90 km hiking trail that passes through wineries and vineyards. You could also opt for a shorter but no less enjoyable hike around the village of Vosne-Romanée. Follow the trail around the vineyard that produces the Domaine de la Romanée Conti wines and marvel at the colors.
Alsace is synonymous with fine wines and rolling hills for many a traveler. Combine a longer walk in Kayserberg Valley with sampling the wine in medieval towns, just after the wine harvest season has come to an end in autumn. The tones of red and gold colors will most certainly give you plenty of moments to admire the landscape and snap a memorable photo or two.
Chartreuse is yet another option and one tip is to check out the Gresivaudan Valley which is between Chartreuse and Belledonne mountain. Chartreuse has a range of unspoiled forests with meadows and waterfalls to take a break at.
Autumn colors in Spain
The Faedo de Ciñera forest by León has a tree variant Fagus and is known as one of the better cared-for forests in Spain.
If you are looking for a vast landscape to go hiking in Spain, then Selva de Irati with its 17,000 hectares of nature is a good bet to satisfy your hiking wishes. This is also a special protection area for birds so for any ornithology enthusiast this will be a treasure cove to explore. Also, there are 16 paths in the forest, all marked and covering the nature reserves Tristuibartea, Lizardoia, and Mendilatz.
Sierra Cazorla is in the province of Jaén and the Borosa River flows through this mountain range. This natural park has botanic gardens open to visit where paintings by Collado del Guijarral and Cañada de la Cruz are open to admire.
Experience autumn in Germany
The Palatinate forest has a hiking trail that is around 60 kilometers long. Keep in mind to note the 300-year-old chestnut trees and the beech forests that are glimmering with golden colors in autumn. With chestnut trees come chestnuts this time of year, so indulge yourself to a handful and be proud of your foraging effort as you hike through the forest.
The Moselsteig trail is in Perl and is quite a varied hiking trail. With its 365 kilometers with 24 stages, it sports areas for shorter scenic walks as well as multi-day hiking adventures. The trail starts in the border town of Perl and continues to the artificially created land piece Deutsches Eck in Koblenz, where the Mosel river meets the Rhine river.
Finally, Lüneburg Heath in Lower Saxony is worth a visit. It is quiet and a very calm heathland. For a variety of color mixes, Lüneburg Heath does not disappoint as it sports purple colors.
