From the road leading to Orschwiller, Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle suddenly appears, standing proudly on its promontory. Its massive silhouette is silhouetted against the clear sky, inspiring respect and admiration in anyone who sees it for the first time. Even from afar, its ramparts and towers stand out clearly, like sentinels watching over the Alsatian plain.

That day, the cold November light bathed the landscape in an almost crystalline glow. The snow, which had fallen the day before, still clung to the roofs and battlements, tracing fine white lines against the reddish stone. This contrast between the ochre warmth of the sandstone and the whiteness of an autumn with wintry hues gave the castle an aura of a medieval tale.

One can imagine centuries passing beneath these walls: knights crossing the drawbridge, banners snapping in the wind, fires being lit in the great hall. And yet, at that moment, everything seems frozen — a suspended moment where past and present merge, linked by the light and silence of the mountain.