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Alsace: Beautiful Villages along the Wine Route
offered by supplier M09630 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 8
day(s)
Group Size: 1
- 20
people
Destination(s):
France
Specialty Categories:
Bicycle Touring
Season: March - November
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 735 Euro (EUR)
Maximum Per Person Price: 735 Euro (EUR)
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With more than 4,000 kilometers of greenways, bikeways, bicycle paths, and lanes, Alsace is France’s bike-friendliest region. Young, old, fast, and slow riders share this extensive network that links places of amazing beauty, making cycling the best way—by far—to visit this very unique region of France.
And unique it certainly is! Having been fought over time and time again by France and Germany, the Alsace has inherited traits and characteristics from both cultures and countries and blended them together to create its own special character! A perfect example is the Alsatian language, which is neither French nor German…..it is Alsatian!
Our Classic Alsace tour celebrates the uniqueness of the Alsace. It will take you on bikeways and bike paths along waterways--including a short ride on the German side of the Rhine--and from picturesque village to postcard-perfect village and through vineyards of extraordinary beauty.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Strasbourg
Arrive in Strasbourg at the time of your choice. This multilingual city, home to the European Parliament, will no doubt seduce you with its charm, sincerity, and flavour. Your hotel is located in the Petite France - - the historic town centre surrounded by water - - and will allow you the perfect opportunity for strolling through the narrow cobbled streets and exploring the beauty of this European capital. With its 430 kilometer-network of bicycle paths, Strasbourg is a city built for bikes and respect for cyclists is not just a mere slogan here!
Day 2: Strasbourg – Huttenheim (or Sand or Osthouse) – 55 km (or 35 miles)
Following the “Rhone to Rhine Canal” on a traffic-free bikeway, you will leave Strasbourg behind and head toward your destination for the day. The bikeway will take you all to way to Sand in the heart of the “Alsatian Ried,” referring to the humid area that borders the Rhone. Rich in fauna and flora, part of the “Ried” has been turned into a nature reserve.
Day 3: Huttenheim (or Sand or Osthouse) – Horbourg-Wihr – approx. 55 km (35 miles)
Today’s ride takes you through some typical Alsatian villages, filled with beautiful houses showing off their distinctive architecture and clothed with colorful flowers. One of the many villages worth stopping in is Ebermunster, where you’ll discover a “German-baroque” church considered by many to be the best example of this style. Your destination is Horbourg-Wihr, a 5-minute ride from Colmar, one of the nicest towns we’ve been to! Colmar is so lovingly pretty that you may want to add a day or two here and make the most of it this Alsatian jewel.
Day 4: Horbourg-Wihr – Murbach – 53 km (or 33 miles)
The bicycle path will take you through the “Rhine and Ill” forest to the wine-growing region where beauty will overwhelm you! The first town on this tour is pretty Guebwiller, an ideal place to enjoy a quick lunch or to buy your picnic supplies—beautiful picnic spots are a bit further up. Guebwiller is also home to an open-air wine museum. Your final destination is Murbach, a small city located on the Wine Route, with an abbey that is definitely worth visiting.
Day 5: Murbach – Riquewihr – 47 km (or 30 miles)
Although today’s ride is short, we recommend an early start if you want to see it all! The pretty villages of Eguisheim, Turckheim, and Kaysersberg are on your way and all three are worth a stop. Lock your bike and walk around……you’re bound to find a terrace to linger in and what’s better than sipping a bit of Riesling while admiring the bountiful beauty all around?!
Day 6: Rest day in Riquewihr
Of all the villages you’ll see on this ride, Riquewihr is tops! Like Eguisheim from the day before, Riquewihr has been deemed so beautiful that it is now “Un des Plus Beaux Villages de France,” one of France’s prettiest villages. It is so beautiful that you may actually wonder if it’s real, or if perhaps you haven’t stepped into a movie set! You’ll have the whole day to enjoy it unless you choose to relax by the pool at your hotel.
Day 7: Riquewihr – Obernai – 45 km (or 28 miles)
The Wine Route will take you through even more beautiful villages today, including Hunawihr, Ribeauvillé, Bergheim, Andlau, Barr, and Boesh, which are all filled to the brim with charm and character. Each one has remarkable architectural wonders and should be visited “heads up!” Some of their tall sculpted, timbered houses are worth some neck stretching - ride carefully! Your final destination is Obernai, the second most visited town in the Alsace…and for good reason!
Day 8: Obernai – Strasbourg – 45 km (or 28 miles)
If you haven’t had time to do so, make sure you take a stroll though Obernai to discover its charms. A short walking tour will take you through some of the town’s most remarkable sites, such as the city hall, the Kapelturm (the belfry), a trip round the medieval walls, and much, much more. Your ride from Obernai will take you to Strasbourg, your final destination and resting point. Although this is the end of your tour, you may choose to stay an extra night or two in Strasbourg, which we can arrange for you beforehand.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Pricing: This trip has been priced at 735 euros per person. Single supplement is 270 euros.
Price includes:
- 7 nights in 3- and 4-star properties (5 nights in 3-star hotels, 2 nights in 4-star hotels)
- Daily breakfast
- Meeting with our local representative
- Detailed directions and route notes
- Marked maps
- Tourist information
- Telephone assistance
- Tax and service charges
Price does not include:
- Expenses of personal nature
- Travel insurance
- Rental bikes. Hybrids are available at the rate of 65 euros per person.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Bicycle Touring
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