Follow the night watchman’s rounds in Turckheim
The night watchman’s round
A living tradition at the heart of Alsatian nights
Night falls on Turckheim. The cobbled streets gradually empty out, the half-timbered facades take on a softer light… and suddenly, a voice rises from beneath the town gate. Lantern in hand, black cape draped over his shoulders, the night watchman begins his rounds.
A tradition
Who wakes up at nightfall
From May 1st to October 31sy, every evening at 10pm on the dot, he appears under the ramparts and announces the time in a clear voice. In the past, his mission was to watch over the town while the inhabitants slept: to prevent fires, point out dangers and watch over the streets. Today, the tradition continues, and you can walk alongside him!
An evening stroll
In medieval Turckheim
The patrol takes to the narrow streets of the historic center. The lantern lights up the cobblestones, the old signs and the flower-filled balconies.
The watchman sometimes stops, recounts an episode from village life, then calls out into the night. The sound echoes against the houses, giving the walk an almost timeless atmosphere.
Turckheim reveals itself in a different light: quieter, more mysterious, almost as if the village had frozen in another era. More than just a tour of the village, many anecdotes punctuate the watchman’s tour: why is there a French flag over the church? What does his song mean? So many questions to be answered on this hour-long tour…
An experience
Living in Alsace
A night watchman’s tour is a different way of visiting a village on the Wine Route. No traditional tour, but a walk by lantern light, halfway between local history and nocturnal ambience.
Once the tour is over, all that’s often left to do is enjoy the silence of the alleyways for a while longer… before gently closing the city gates behind you.
in French only
