St. Remigius Wine Fair Alf

Alf is one of the smaller Moselle villages, but it is located in one of the most spectacular spots on the river: opposite Bullay, at the entrance to the famous Moselle loop near Bremm, with a view of the steep Calmont. The Catholic parish church of St. Remigius gives the annual fair its name and its timing: the patron saint's festival of St. Remigius (Bishop of Reims, died around 533) is celebrated ecclesiastically on October 1st, but is popularly associated with the extended October weekend with the 'Remigius-Kirmes'.

The wine fair developed from the medieval tradition of patron saint markets. These markets traditionally took place on church holidays, bringing together traders, livestock, travelling showmen, and pilgrims, and were the economic backbone of many Moselle villages. In Alf, this tradition has survived to this day as a mixture of fair, October market, and wine festival.

The wine stands of the local vintners serve Rieslings, Spätburgunder, and Federweißer from the steep slopes around Alf. In addition, food stalls with Moselle-typical specialities — Schwenkbraten (grilled pork neck), Riesling wild ragout, Bratwurst, and Reibekuchen (potato pancakes) — characterise the culinary offerings. The 'Oktobermarkt' with travelling showmen and stallholders brings an additional fairground atmosphere to the village centre.

Anyone who wants to experience the Moselle autumn in all its diversity — from wine tasting to village festival to centuries-old market tradition — will find the right occasion in Alf on the first weekend of October.