Long before Riesling, there were the Celts. On the heights above Pommern, the Martberg was home to one of the great sanctuaries of eastern Gaul, and the village below was already growing the vines and orchards that gave it its name: Pomaria, the land of fruit. Boats sailing up the Moselle between Cochem and Trier drop their passengers here in one of the oldest wine villages in the valley.

Climbing to the temple

About 180 metres above the river, the Martberg plateau was for centuries a sacred site of the god Lenus Mars, healer and protector. Archaeologists have recovered thousands of offerings there, coins, brooches and jewellery, left by Celtic and then Gallo-Roman pilgrims. Part of the sanctuary has been reconstructed full-size: a painted cella, porticoes and altars, on a site freely open all year round, and guided tours bring the sanctuary back to life in season. You climb up on foot through the vineyards, and the reward is shared between history and the panorama, with the valley unwinding its meanders far below while birds of prey circle at eye level. Few sites in the region layer two thousand years of devotion with such a view.

The Lenus Mars trail

Hikers will reach the temple along the marked trail linking Pommern to Karden, five kilometres of ridges and forests dotted with wooden sculptures, Celtic warriors, a Roman lady and a local saint, that serve as waymarkers. The route takes a good two hours with breaks; in summer, setting out early spares you the heat of the slopes. Benches line the climb, and each clearing reframes the valley from a new angle, so your camera gets no rest. On the other side, Karden lines up its old churches by the water and lets you return to the village in a few minutes by road or along the return path.

A village that lives from its slopes

Below, Pommern remains a matter of winegrowing families. Open courtyards reveal presses and barrels; the tasting rooms serve dry and fruity Rieslings from the slate slopes, accompanied if you like by a platter of regional cold cuts and cheeses. No discount shops or packaged entertainment: you knock, you taste, you chat. The half-timbered houses and the Baroque church complete a stroll that fits into a peaceful hour, with alley cats and geraniums for company.

Cochem downstream

If the port call allows time, Cochem awaits a few kilometres downstream: narrow lanes, a lively square and the Reichsburg, a perched Gothic Revival castle that overlooks the bend in the river like a picture-book illustration and can be visited at set times. Onboard excursions often go there; independent travellers get there by bus or taxi in a few minutes. The contrast is amusing: Cochem presents itself in majesty, Pommern in confidence, and the valley needs both registers.

Port call tips

The climb to the plateau requires good shoes, water and at least an hour there and back; the archaeological site, freely accessible, has neither a ticket office nor a café, so plan accordingly. In the village, tasting rooms generally accept cards but appreciate cash, and a call from the agency or the ship lets them know a group is coming. Photographers will aim for late afternoon, when the light skims the slate slopes and gilds the half-timbering.

Heading back down to the river

At departure, your gaze climbs one last time from the landing stage to the line of the plateau, where pilgrims two thousand years ago caught sight of the sanctuary's roofs. The gods have changed, the vines have stayed, and the Moselle continues to carry travellers from one cult to another: yesterday Lenus Mars, today Riesling. The pilgrimage, in the end, has never stopped.