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An easier version of our Alsace Cycling Holiday with shorter daily rides that allow plenty of time to explore the beautiful wine villages that punctuate this sublime cycle route. Quiet lanes, vineyards stretching to the horizon and quaint, colourful, medieval villages. Suitable for newcomers to cycling holidays and families.
This relaxing cycle route leads you along the famous Alsace Wine Route from Strasbourg to Colmar. The easy daily rides lead you along quiet vineyard-lined lanes to the most beautiful wine villages in Alsace.
Cycling near Riquewihr
Your first night is spent in Strasbourg where you can visit the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral, with its intricate astronomical clock, the baroque style Opera House and ‘Petite France’ – a picturesque area between the two rivers crammed with half-timbered houses and narrow cobbled streets. You then cycle beside the meandering Canal La Bruche out into the wine region and begin following the famous wine route south.
You’ll stay in beautiful wine villages each night and cover, on average, around 22 kms each day (more on some days, less on others). These short daily rides are designed to give you plenty of time to explore the plethora of gorgeous Alsatian villages that pepper the route. Half-timbered, brightly painted medieval houses line the narrow winding cobbled streets of these well preserved villages where little has changed for centuries.
Highlights of this trip include Strasbourg and the villages of Obernai, Barr and Andlau. The village of Riquewihr is especially charming and Eguisheim was recently voted the country’s favourite village by the French themselves. You’ll also love the simple pleasure of the daily rides through the endless vineyards with the green flanks of the Vosges Mountains in the distance and the stone church spires rising above the vines.
The final night in the bustling town of Colmar with its picturesque ‘Little Venice’ centre is a fitting finale to this very enjoyable route.
This route is easy and can be enjoyed by anyone with a basic level of fitness. There are some undulations along the way but they are always mercifully short. You’ll be riding on quiet lanes and cycle paths most of the time. E-bikes are an available option on this route.
Make your way to your hotel in Strasbourg and check-in. The rest of the day is yours to explore this wonderful old city. The beautifully preserved centre is perfect for exploring on foot and must-sees include the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral with its intricate and mesmerising astronomical clock and the baroque style Opera House. Petite France is a picturesque area between the two rivers, crammed with half-timbered houses and narrow cobbled streets. In the evening we recommend preparing yourself for the following day’s exertions with a plate of Sauerkraut and sausages accompanied by a glass of fortifying Alsace beer!
Your first ride will lead you out of the city on an idyllic cycle path beside the canal “La Bruche”. The canal was built in 1692 and was used to transport wine from the outlying regions to the city. Navigation is easy so enjoy the ride and let the meandering canal lead you past open farmland, forests and small villages to the charming Alsatian town of Molsheim. We recommend stopping for a snack or refreshment in the town’s beautiful old square before heading south, past the villages of Dorlisheim and Bischoffsheim, to the beautiful old town of Obernai where you will spend the night. Enjoy a stroll along the narrow winding streets lined with traditional half-timbered houses. Eventually you’ll find yourself in the town’s bustling and picturesque square.
Today’s ride is quite short and is so-designed to give you plenty of time to explore the succession of delightful wine villages you’ll pass through along the route. A quiet, cycle-friendly lane leads you south from Obernai into the glorious countryside. Meadows and fruit orchards line the path and it’s not long before you reach the peaceful village of Goxwiller. A little further on the extensive vineyards on either side of the lane indicate that you have arrived in the famous Alsace Wine Region. Stop for a wander around the traditional wine village of Barr with its winding narrow streets and brightly painted medieval houses. A few kilometers further on the pretty village of Mittelbergheim seems marooned in a sea of vineyards. In all these villages you will find many wineries offering tours and tasting sessions of their products. More gentle cycling through the vineyards brings you to the charming wine village of Andlau, nestled at the foot of the Vosges Mountains, and here you will stop for the night.
Today’s ride unveils more glorious wine villages adrift in the vineyard sea. The Vosges mountains provide an impressive backdrop to this pleasant scene which has changed little in centuries and the gently rolling terrain entices you to to see what’s over the next brow or around the next bend. Settle into the rhythm and enjoy the vineyard-lined lanes, interrupted every now and then by pretty medieval villages. The brightly painted houses with their traditional, steep tiled-roofs are reminiscent of the illustrations from children’s’ fairy tale books. You’ll spend the night in the delightful village of Saint Hippolyte.
By now you are firmly in the rhythm and can look forward to another day of pedalling through the vineyards and villages of Alsace. Bergheim is a nice little place to stop for a look around and perhaps a coffee. From there, a lovely, quiet lane guides you through the vineyards to Ribeauville, another impossibly picturesque village where you might also be tempted to enter the decadent Chocolate Factory of Daniel Stoeffel!
Riquewihr, has to be one of the prettiest Alsatian villages – and that is really saying something – so plan to stop here for a good look around its beautiful, quaint, cobbled streets. It would also be a good spot for a leisurely lunch as from here it’s just a pleasant 5km ride to your overnight stop in the pretty village of Kaysersberg nestled in a valley at the foot of the Vosges.
After breakfast mount up and continue south on your wine-village adventure. Vineyards cascade down the slopes of the Vosges to your right while ahead, church spires give away the location of more quaint villages on your route. First up is Ammerschwihr with its many wineries, a couple of kilometers further on the small village of Katzenthal sits in its own secluded valley. 8 more kilometers of peaceful cycling bring you to the larger town of Turckheim – a good choice for a lunch break maybe?From Turckheim it’s an easy 6km pedal to your overnight stop at Eguisheim. This beautiful village was voted the country’s favourite in 2013 and you’ll really enjoy wandering around its quaint streets. The central square with its fountain surrounded by medieval houses sums up the essence of what makes this region so appealing.
Your final ride is relatively short and after a few kilometers of countryside riding you arrive in the charming old town of Colmar. The town is the capital of the Alsatian Wine Region and has a wonderfully preserved, historical centre called ‘Little Venice’ – so named because of the Lauch river that flows through it. The ancient, bustling streets are packed with artisan shops selling local delicacies and artwork – this is the place to purchase something typically Alsatian to take home with you. You’ll spend the night in this lovely old town
After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure. Catch the train from Colmar back to Strasbourg – the journey takes about 30 minutes and there are trains every hour. The train ticket is not included in your package and costs about €20 per person.
Let us know if you would like to book an extra night in Strasbourg at the end of your trip and we will give you a quote for this.
On this tour you can choose between a regular bike or an E-bike.
Regular bike: Is an alloy framed model with 21 speeds and a comfortable, relaxed riding position, perfect for a leisure cycling holiday. Minimum height for bike is 150cm. The minimum height for a male specific bike is 165cm. The bike comes equipped with a pannier and handlebar bag. Per room a lock and repair kit are provided.
E-BIKES: These unisex/step through electric bikes are a popular option on this route and ensure riders can enjoy the scenery along the way, whilst not working too hard at the climbs. Minimum height is 155cm. E-bikes come equipped with a pannier and handlebar bag. Per room a lock and repair kit are provided.
Helmets are not supplied, so you will need to bring your own.
Below you will find examples of the types of accommodation typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.
Superior: Good quality hotels and guesthouses.
Strasbourg: Best Western Monopole
Obernai: La Cour d’Alsace
Andlau: Le Kastelberg
Saint Hippolyte: Le Parc
Kaysersberg: Les Remparts
Eguisheim: Le Ferme du Pape
Colmar: Rapp Hotel
Local taxes
Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. This fee varies and is ever changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night
Fly to Strasbourg or Basel. There are regular, direct trains between Basel and Strasbourg, the journey time is 1 hour and 20 mins.
Research flights from the UK here
At the end of the holiday you can take the train from Colmar back to Strasbourg (not included and to be booked locally). This takes about 30 minutes and rains run roughly every hour and more frequently at certain times of the day.
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