Zum Schockelgaul

The 800-inhabitant winegrowing village of Forst lies between lush vineyards and the beautiful Palatinate Forest. If you had to describe it in one word, you would probably say tranquil. Just right for celebrating the good life, calming your soul and taking in the wonderful natural surroundings. If you stroll towards the center of the village, you will find a very imposing sandstone building in a narrow alley. This is the Schockelgaul—a traditional wine bar, village store and guest house all in one. Owner Nana and her family have breathed new life into this traditional Palatinate inn. She kept the pub almost exactly as it had been for a long time—adorned with rustic tables and chairs, an old tiled stove, Bundt cake molds decorating the walls and lots of rocking horses dangling from the ceiling. This quaint village idyll is complemented by five modern and lovingly designed vacation accommodations. The high-quality interior design has been carefully selected with a practiced eye for aesthetics. You will find design classics next to vintage pieces, bright splashes of color among muted feel-good nuances, solid wooden beams combined with characterful sloping ceilings. The room concept is clean-lined and minimalist, leaving room for some personality while enticing you to stay and enjoy its urban coziness. The link between everything is the associated “urban” village store where you’ll find lots of small exquisite specialties from all over the world, plus special design products from designer friends and often a range of delicacies from the region. This makes the Schockelgaul in tranquil Forst more or less a cosmopolitan center directly on the German Wine Route. And there’s only one answer to the question of whether this tiny village is worth a visit: Ajooh! as the Palatinates like to say.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• There’s probably no one in Forst and the surrounding area who doesn’t know the Schockelgaul—it’s a place where all kinds of stories have been written. In the wine bar, you can celebrate original Palatinate conviviality, delicious Riesling and the best cordon bleu far and wide.
• Sustainability and regionality are important and practiced values: Everything from the building materials to the organic comforters is sustainable, plastic is avoided wherever possible and most of the food comes from within a radius of 10 kilometers.
• The colorful village store is located a little further down the street, where you can find (almost) everything from soap, pickled salty lemons to wine, selected design products and, depending on the season, cheese and baked goods—most of it from small businesses, artists or regional producers that the family also knows personally.
• The four vacation apartments Parterre, Petite Maison, Beletage and Mansarde are between 38 and 58 square meters in size, designed for two to four people and equipped with a kitchen. They also come with bed linen, towels, iPad, games—everything you need for a proper break from it all.
• From summer 2024, the renovated barn offers larger groups of up to 12 people in particular an extremely spacious and very special temporary home from home.
• The practical bread roll service at the weekend is highly recommended, and there’s also a guest fridge with drinks and ice cream from the manufactory.
• There’s also an XXL garden on the premises, which guests are welcome to use; it’s equipped with sun loungers, a barbecue and garden furniture for true immersion in the atmosphere of Tuscany in Germany.
• There’s an indoor play area and outdoor play equipment for children, as well as table tennis and boules.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• A bottle of the hotel’s own Riesling is part of the basic package, as well as coffee and everything you need for very good emergency pasta if all else fails.
• The Palatinate is known for its good wines, especially for the “king of wines”—Riesling; there’s a lot going on along the wine route—young Palatinate winegrowers have joined forces, there are natural wine projects going on and special wine bars popping up.
• There is a great choice of gastronomic options in the Palatinate, in fact, there are seven restaurants in the village alone. The in-house wine bar Schockelgaul is open Monday to Friday from 5 pm.
• Forst is the ideal starting point to get to know the idyllic, sun-drenched Palatinate up close; in the village itself, you can marvel at beautifully blossoming almond trees in spring, pick figs in late summer or admire the cypress trees all year round.
• Just ten minutes away by bike is the neighboring village of Deidesheim, where the outdoor pool is located in the middle of the Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten (‘paradise garden’) vineyard—the name says it all, we promise!
• The Palatinate Forest is practically on the doorstep, with countless hiking routes and single trails. A trip to Hambach Castle and the Hohe Loog is a must.
• A day trip to the historic city of Speyer (around 30 minutes away by car) is recommended for every guest, including a visit to the cathedral, a walk along the Rhine and at least one stop at one of the many delicious ice cream parlors.
• A trip to the Luisenpark in Mannheim is also worthwhile—especially with children (around 30 minutes away by car).
• With the modern e-mobile fleet of “Mobility on Demand” (MOD)—a state-of-the-art 24/7 shared ride service from the region—you can explore the entire wine route without your own car and return safely to the Schockelgaul after a visit to a pub in the next village.
• Highchairs, baby beds, an extra mattress, washing machine and dryer are available on request.
• For stays of five nights or more, there is a 15 percent discount on top.