Gravelling in Alsace

In the east of France, on the border with Germany and Switzerland, lies the beautiful region of Alsace. Between the Rhine and the Vosges mountains, numerous gravel bike tours are waiting to be explored. Discover the two metropolises of Strasbourg and Colmar, along the Alsace Wine Route with its numerous refreshment stops or through the picturesque villages. The Alsace Ried also attracts visitors with its lively nature in alluvial forests and wet meadows.

A lovely tour to the beautiful city centre of Colmar starts in Ettenheim in Germany and takes you across the Rhine into Alsace. Via the Taubergießen nature reserve, the Canal du Rhône au Rhin and the Canal de Colmar, you reach Colmar and can take a break in the numerous cafés and restaurants. The Rhine ferry at Kappel/Rhinau takes you back to Germany, where you can catch a glimpse of the Europa Park before returning to Ettenheim.

One of the many sights that you should not miss on your gravel bike tour is a visit to the city of Strasbourg. The old town centre was even declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. With its picturesque half-timbered houses, the over 1,000-year-old cathedral and the enchanting La Petite France district, the city also offers you more than enough sights to relax after an extensive gravel tour and get to know French culture better.

The city is also a great starting point for discovering the beauty of Alsace while gravel cycling. On the Ettenheim - Strasbourg round trip, you will get to know the surrounding area better on relaxed cycle paths and gravel roads. The return journey finally takes you along the Canal du Rhône. You will cross various meadows, forests and fields and have great views of the Vosges mountains and the Black Forest. You should allow just under seven hours for the approximately 101-kilometre route. You will pass numerous refreshment stops along the way.

If you are longing for a few days of gravel and a varied landscape, the SaarLorLux cycle route is just the right choice for you. This gravel tour connects the German federal state of Saarland with its French neighbours Alsace-Lorraine, Luxembourg and Rhineland-Palatinate. On your gravel bike, you leave the Saar river behind you and cycle all the way to the Lorraine lake district. The magnificent views of the landscape and an atmosphere of lightness accompany you on this stage of your tour.