Alsace

[Shadow]

A super place to visit with a bike, touring, adventure or otherwise. I have not seen so many electric bikes in use in one region/area, seriously outnumbered leg powered bikes. But dont let that put you off, there is plenty of space for all. Very bike friendly routes and paved bike only paths through the vineyards, very friendly folk too. As flat or as hilly as you might care for. And amazing food and wine. What more could anyone want?

 

[All uphill]

Sounds good. Lots of interesting history too.

How did you get there? Ferry and train?

Any advice on good places to visit or avoid?

 

[Shadow]

How did you get there? Ferry and train?

By car. This is one reason why you wont find many (any?) Brits in the area because its not (relatively) easy to get to. You could ride there, it could make a good tour, however, it would probably take the best part of a week, obvs depending on daily average distance.

Any advice on good places to visit or avoid?

The Veloroute is 170 km long running north to south. All the towns/villages along the route are good places to stay or visit. Some more touristy than others.
What sort of 'places'? (towns, wine producers, restaurants, hills to ride...?)

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Sounds good. Lots of interesting history too.
How did you get there? Ferry and train?
Any advice on good places to visit or avoid?

This is a magical part of the world for cycling. My best method of approach without a car is via a Eurostar train from St Pancras. You can buy a single Eurostar ticket to any station in Belgium; so get the train to Brussels where you change for a train to Arlon in the same station (Bruxelles Midi). Arlon has an ApartHotel and an Aldi next to the station, should you need them. In any case Arlon is right against the Luxembourg border so one long, or two short days, in the saddle and you are in Alsace, having passed through some of the most unspoilt hilly country in Europe. Enjoy.

 

[All uphill]

This is a magical part of the world for cycling. My best method of approach without a car is via a Eurostar train from St Pancras. You can buy a single Eurostar ticket to any station in Belgium; so get the train to Brussels where you change for a train to Arlon in the same station (Bruxelles Midi). Arlon has an ApartHotel and an Aldi next to the station, should you need them. In any case Arlon is right against the Luxembourg border so one long, or two short days, in the saddle and you are in Alsace, having passed through some of the most unspoilt hilly country in Europe. Enjoy.

Thanks. It's on my list now.

 

[mjr]

In any case Arlon is right against the Luxembourg border so one long, or two short days, in the saddle and you are in Alsace, having passed through some of the most unspoilt hilly country in Europe. Enjoy.

Might as well ride over the border and use Luxembourg's free trains to get even closer. Might even be worth using the two TERs needed to get to Alsace: both take bikes but no reservations possible.

I rode there last year but took the bike in a car because Eurostar were being funny again. Left the car at Hotel Arc en Ciel, Colmar, staying there each end of the loop of the VdV southbound and canals northbound. Excellent routes, although Thann to Mulhouse wasn't great signage. In Mulhouse, there's a bike route sign for "Londres"!

 

[Gillstay]

We have really enjoyed Alsace even when I had forgotten the pegs for the tent. Good wildlife such as storks and Red breasted flycatchers.

Good food esp at Munster and the Shlumpf museum. Interesting WW2 history as well.

 

[Donger]

I've only had the one holiday there with my bike, but it's the place I most want to go back to. I stayed in a gite in Luttenbach pres Munster and concentrated on the local climbs that had been in the TdF .... the Petit Ballon, the Platzerwasel and the Routes des Cretes as far as the Grand Ballon. Fantastic cycling. I only had one ride down in the Rhine Valley along the edge of the Vosges, but some of the fantastically beautiful little wine villages in the Colmar area.... Kaysersberg, Turckheim, Eguisheim, Riquewihr etc ..... are scattered along the edge at regular intervals making for great cycle touring through the vineyards. The Colmar area has it all.

 

[T4tomo]

Alsace is the destination for next years "definitely not a tour" cycle holiday. Staying in a suburb of Colmar and I will plan some day rides / routes.

The girls have requested we avoid TdF style hills, But I'm not sure I can fully resist!

 

[Donger]

Alsace is the destination for next years "definitely not a tour" cycle holiday. Staying in a suburb of Colmar and I will plan some day rides / routes.

The girls have requested we avoid TdF style hills, But I'm not sure I can fully resist!

Enjoy! My best tip if you plan to stay mostly in the Rhine plain is to stay as close to the edge of the Vosges as you can. All the best villages are along the Route du Vin and the closer you get to the Rhine the less beautiful it gets.

 

[Alex321]

Only been to that area once, must have been about 30 years ago now. We had teenage kids with us, and went with our touring caravan.

Did take bikes (a ridgeback hybrid with V-brakes in my case), and I got a few rides in, including riding up the Ballon D'Alsace, but didn't ride as much as I would have liked, given it was a general family holiday.

 

[Webbo2]

I went last year we stayed in a place called Reinhardmunster near Saverne. We were supposed to be there for two weeks but Mrs W and my grandson Cameron were not impressed with Gite we hired so we went to the Alps.
However I did get out for a couple of rides while we were there. The second of which I went over the Col des Pandours? I did 29.5 miles and 3,277 feet of climbing. I would have liked to seen more of the place but when where you are staying is abit Gothic horror movie, you have to go with the flow.

 

[T4tomo]

Enjoy! My best tip if you plan to stay mostly in the Rhine plain is to stay as close to the edge of the Vosges as you can. All the best villages are along the Route du Vin and the closer you get to the Rhine the less beautiful it gets.

Yes, we can go both ways on the Vineyards route & circle back to Colmar plus explore the side valleys without having to tackle too much altitude, but get some nice scenery / pretty villages. I dare say we'll pop over the Rhine to Germany at some point too