Q.&A.
Music, Lace and Wine
Q.  Many amateur musicians may know of the French town of Mirecourt, which is noted for cello-making and is also near the Alsatian Wine Road. We wanted guidance on visiting both the Wine Road and a maker of string instruments as well as on seeing the sights, attending festivals and finding a place to stay. -- Betty and Tom Cox, Dallas
A.  Over the years, Mirecourt attracted not only artisans who made string instruments but lace makers as well. The town, in the departement of Vosges, is 25 miles south of Nancy.
Mirecourt began developing as a center for the makers of stringed instruments (not just cellos) in the late 18th century. With the founding of conservatories at that time, there grew a need for more and cheaper 'factory fiddles,' in the words of The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. The best known of the violin makers from Mirecourt was probably Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, who went on to set up shop in Paris.
String instruments are still being produced in Mirecourt. Of the dozen makers, several can be visited by appointment. Among them are Jean-Jacques Pages, 70, rue Chanzy, telephone (33-3) 29.37.11.33, and Alain Carbonare, 22, rue Georges Clemenceau, (33-3) 29.37.41.78.
A museum for string instruments, the Musee de la Lutherie, is currently housed in the Town Hall and will be transferred on April 30 to the halles, where the market stood.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of women were engaged in bobbin-lace making, a technique that requires plaiting, twisting and interweaving the threads. Today, only two lace makers are left in town; both are full-time employees of the Maison de la Dentelle, 1 bis, rue Chantaire; telephone and fax: (33-3) 29.37.3959. But over 100 local residents who make lace as a hobby visit the maison regularly and make small doilies. The maison is open daily from May 1 to Sept. 30 and closed Saturday during the rest of the year. More information: Mirecourt Tourist Office, telephone (33-3) 29.37.01.01, fax (33-3) 29.37.52.24.
There is no particularly note worthy hotel in Mirecourt. The closest town of some importance is Epinal, 21 miles to the southeast. The nicest hotel there is La Fayette, where the rate is about $70 for a double room; (33-3) 29.81.15.15, fax (33-3) 29.31.07.08. Epinal also has a restaurant, with one star in the Michelin guide, called Relais des Ducs de Lorraine; (33-3) 29.34.39.87, fax (33-3) 29.34.27.61.
To reach the Wine Route (Route des Vins d'Alsace) from Epinal, drive east 57 miles through St-Die, over the Vosges Mountains and into Ribeauville or Riquewihr, two villages famed for their wines. The villages have a Web site, www .ribeauville-riquewihr.com, that includes a list of hotels. Officially, the 106-mile route -- which actually comprises several roads -- runs from Marienheim south to Thann. But the map shows it extends a bit farther north (to Gimbrett) and south (to Leimbach). The Wine Route has a site, www.vinsalsace .com/rte