Itinerary
There are regular, high-speed connections from Paris by train to Strasbourg, making your travel to the region easy. Once you have settled in to your hotel, time to explore! Strasbourg, seat of the new European Parliament, is an ancient and lively city, filled with treasures. It was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988, the first city to be honoured with the title in its entirety. Meander the canals, cobblestoned streets, and small boutiques of Strasbourg. Visit the old town, its picturesque quarters and half-timbered houses in the neighbourhood known as “The Petite France”. Visit the Gothic cathedral and its famous astronomical clock, and the European Parliament. Our Trip Manager will meet you at the end of the afternoon to check your bike fitting and go over your trip package with you. Dinner tonight in one of our favourite restaurants.
Head westwards from Strasbourg, leaving the city along a great bike path, parallel to the Canal de la Bruche. After warming up on this easygoing riding, you approach the vineyard hillside, and some more rolling terrain through a lineup of pretty villages. Your route will bring you through the lively but ancient town of Molsheim, over 1000 years old. It is all at once a university town, a wine village, a historic site (with the oldest church in all of Alsace) and the home of the famous Bugatti enterprise, founded here by Milan-born Ettore Bugatti in 1909. Continue through little Rosheim: as well as its wine making, it is renowned for the very pretty Saint Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, and for having the only Romanesque house still left in Alsace, recently restored. Take some time to enjoy the remains of the ramparts, and the small walking tour we provide, before continuing the short distance to Obernai, your home for the evening. You’ll love Obernai, with its medieval squares, and lovely Renaissance buildings in the main market square (Place du Marché). There is a stunning six-pail fountain to admire, and be sure to explore the picturesque butcher’s quarter and perhaps take a photo of the old corn exchange building.
A much shorter ride today, but not one for the faint of heart! You are heading up into the Vosges Mountains this morning – a beautiful ride, and a favourite with cyclists in the region. Start by passing through the vineyard village of Boersch, with its three impressive fortified gateways, and the magnificent Renaissance town hall. Continue onwards (and upwards) and arrive at last to the Abbey of Saint Odile. Also known as Hohenburg Abbey, this site is an ancient nunnery, founded in about 690 by Saint Odile, daughter of the Frankish duke Adalrich of Alsace at Obernai. Many legends are told about this extraordinary woman, born blind, and who miraculously recovered her sight after being baptised. Wander the abbey, taking in the truly extraordinary views into the valley, before enjoying the fantastic downhill afterwards, passing at the end of the ride through Ottrott, where you could reward yourself with a glass of wine before continuing the short distance back to Obernai.
Today’s ride is stunning, starting with a beautiful ride along the Alsatian Wine Route. Winemaking in Alsace has a long history; it is a region that produces primarily white wines, with its famous Rieslings and aromatic Gewurtzraminers, but you can also get a very drinkable and inexpensive red pinot noir here. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and taste wine, as you hop from village to village (you actually ride through 19 different villages over the course of the day! Save some energy for the end of the day, when your ride takes you up another of the regions big climbs for local cyclists, heading up to the extraordinary Haut Koenigsbourg. This impressive medieval-esque castle is nestled at a strategic location on a high hill overlooking the Alsatian plain; as a result it was used by successive powers through the centuries. In 1900 it was restored under the direction of Emperor Wilhelm II who hoped the German styling would reinforce the bond of Alsatians with Germany, as they had only recently (1871) been incorporated into the German Reich. After your visit, you have a fantastic downhill to finish the day. Tonight you stay in tiny Ribeauville, with beautiful half-timbered buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, and a variety of shops, wineries, and historic sites.
Your ride is a bit longer today, but is much more easygoing as we take you out into the plains to the east of the Vosges Mountains, and towards the Rhine River and Germany. Once you cross the bridge (and now invisible border) between the two countries, you are in the scenic, and more rolling Black Forest region. Famous for its cuckoo clocks, and as the setting for many of the Grimm Fairy Tales, the area, it is also known for its scenic lakes and beautiful pine forests (whose dark colour are the origin of the area’s name). There are vineyards here as well, on impressive terraced hillsides. The route brings you to medieval Breisach, where you can stop for explorations and lunch, before crossing back into France, and passing through Vaubun-designed Neuf-Breisach (all of his fortified towns have been classified by UNESCO), with its typical protective walls and wheel-spoke design. The route to Colmar at the end of the day is again very easy-going.
This ride takes you out of Colmar back towards the Wine Route – and through some of the region’s highlight villages, each with their individual personalities and charms. Ride through gorgeous Riquewihr, covered in flowers. It has much of its Medieval fortifications and a castle still intact as it largely escaped damage during the Second World War. You’ll also want to stop for some explorations in both Turckheim, nestled in the Fecht River valley, and Kaysersberg – voted the favourite village by the French. One of the last villages you’ll see is Eguisheim, whose concentric streets within the former moat are filled with a collection of medieval and half-timbered houses. We provide small walking tours for many of the villages. Return to Colmar for a second night, and take some time to explore the charms of this small city; the colors and atmosphere still embody much of the Middle Ages. Churches, cloisters, half-timbered houses, facades with ornate wood sculptures, paintings, and edifices from the Renaissance abound.
After a final breakfast, you’ll find connections easy out of Colmar train station for your further travels – Bon Voyage!
What's included
- 6 nights’ accommodation in the comfort level of your choice * CLASSIC, CLASSIC+ or DELUXE
- All hotel taxes
- All breakfasts, 3 dinners (drinks not included with dinners)
- Fully equipped high quality carbon road bike **
- Orientation and bike fitting with our Trip Manager
- Detailed maps and step-by-step route instructions
- Regional information and advice
- Uploadable GPS file of the route to use on a free APP in your smartphone ***
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel
- Train back to Strasbourg from Saverne
- Phone call support 7 days a week
* Price based on double room occupancy – please contact us for details on single room supplements
** E-bikes on request (supplement)
*** Can be used without international internet plan (offline)
Hotel Details
Classic Tour
1720 € / pers.
1 Night
Hotel Roses – Strasbourg
2 Nights
Hotel le Gouverneur – Obernai
1 Night
Hotel de la Tour – Ribeauvillé
2 Nights
Hotel Turenne – Colmar
Classic + Tour
1890 € / pers.
1 Night
Hotel Beaucour – Strasbourg
2 Nights
Hotel le Colombier – Obernai
1 Night
Hotel du Mouton – Ribeauvillé
2 Nights
Hotel Rapp – Colmar
Deluxe Tour
2530 € / pers.
1 Night
Cour du Corbeau – Strasbourg
2 Nights
La Cour d’Alsace – Obernai
1 Night
Hotel Spa le Parc – Saint Hippolyte
2 Nights
Maison des Têtes – Colmar
Our bikes
The high quality, Stevens STELVIO light-weight aluminum-frame road bike is the default bike included in our Challenge tours in Alsace. They are the classic drop handlebar style, and include a small front handlebar bag for essentials, tire repair kit (with hand pump and new inner tube), lock, water bottle holder and new water bottle.
Upon request, you can have a touring bike or a pedal-assist touring-style electric bike – ask us for details.
Ahead of the tour, we will ask you if you wish to use our helmets, and if you want toe cages on the pedals or wish to bring your clip-in shoes with your pedals.
Each of our regions has its own bike fleet, often with a couple of different bike makes depending on sizing – if you want to know the specific bike details for your tour, just contact us, and we’ll be happy to send you the specs!
ROAD (racing) bike (included in trip cost)
Touring Bike - Men's Frame
Touring Bike - Women's Frame
E-bike - Men's Frame
E-bike - Women's Frame