Cross-border cycling route "Orchards" (PAMINA Area)

Our tips for the 3-day routes:

South Palatinate stage:

The route starts in the fortified town of Landau, in the Palatinate. From there, the itinerary follows the Queichtal cycle path to Siebeldingen and along the Haardtrand in the Palatinate forest to Annweiler am Trifels. The route crosses the Palatinate forest to join the South Palatinate wine route near Klingenmünster. From there, you pedal between vineyards via Erlenbach near Kandel to the Rhine plain. Then you cycle along the Rhine to Germersheim. Returning across the Rhine plain towards the edge of the Haard, the route goes back to Landau.

North Alsace route:

Wissembourg is the starting point of this North Alsace route. The circuit crosses the French part of the Palatinate Vosges North biosphere reserve, passing through the potter villages of Betschdorf and Soufflenheim to the Rhine. At Drusenheim, you take the ferry to cross the Rhine to Greffern. From there, the route continues north to Plittersdorf (Germany), where you cross the Rhine again by ferry, this time to join Seltz on the French side of the Rhine. The visit continues along the Lauter valley cycle route to Wissembourg.

Black Forest-Kraichgau stage:

Ettlingen is the starting point of this tour. The route passes through Waldbronn then leads to Bretten, the town of philosopher Melanchthon. From Bretten, you cross Flehingen to reach Ubstadt-Weiher. Passing through Bad Schönborn and Philippsburg, the route continues towards the Rhine. You pedal southward along the Rhine via Rheinstetten to return to Ettlingen.

Description of the complete route:

From the old customs house in Lauterbourg head towards Mothern (Busch distillery) and continue on EuroVelo15 to Seltz (Fitterer organic farm and orchard). At Seltz, take the Rhine ferry to Plittersdorf (Germany).

A fruit producers market and jam-making workshop take place once a year in Seltz. On the German side, continue south on the Rhine cycle route - EuroVelo15 passing through Iffezheim to the Greffern ferry (Germany) - Drusenheim (France).

Here, you have two options:

Option 1: Take the Greffern (Germany) to Drusenheim (France) ferry and continue on the French side.

Option 2: Instead of taking the ferry to France, do a small loop (about 45 km) in the Lichtenau area between Bühl and Achern. Many farms offer direct sales. Enjoy green landscapes and tasty regional products. The "Hofladentour/Zwergentour" crosses seven small towns and villages and passes numerous farm shops. The route is especially suitable for families as it is mostly flat, mainly asphalted and lightly trafficked. Start at Lichtenau (Querfeldein agricultural shop) and head to Moos (Margots Paradies), Zell (Zeller Mühle Huber GmbH) and via Ottersweier (Seifermann's Bauernhof) to Haft (Mühlenhof, Obsthof Höß, Laufbachhof, Obsthof Engelmeier). Then through Sasbach and Sasbachried. From there, the loop continues via Großweier, Gamshurst, Memprechtshofen, Muckenschopf and Scherzheim to return to Lichtenau and again to the Greffern (Germany) - Drusenheim (France) ferry on the Rhine.

Continue along the RD429. At the roundabout, follow the direction of Haguenau (sign IC 23). Take the cycle path between Rohrwiller and Oberhoffen/Moder. Then between Oberhoffen and Kaltenhouse.

At Kaltenhouse, continue straight on towards Haguenau. Follow the IC 23 sign to Haguenau (cycle path).

At Haguenau, take Boulevard Hanauer and follow the direction of the station. Then follow the Wissembourg Gate along the Moder river. At the roundabout, continue straight along the Moder river. Cross the park on the left and join the Schirrhein road. Follow the signs for the Parc Rhénan route – South circuit. Take the central street to the right, then left onto Sachsenhausen street. Finally, left onto Soufflenheim road and right onto rue de l’Ours.

Follow the direction of Gros Chêne 2 (Krummstein forest road). Once at Gros Chêne, continue towards Betschdorf following the IC 24/25 sign. Take the Heuscheur forest road. At Parade crossroads, continue towards Betschdorf following the IC 24 sign.

Upon arrival in Betschdorf, turn left onto the IC 52 cycle path towards Woerth. Turn right onto rue du Moulin towards Schwabwiller.

At Schwabwiller, continue straight on RD199 towards Reimerswiller, then Hohwiller.

At Hohwiller, follow the direction of Soultz-sous-Forêt on RD28 (cycle path).

At Soultz-sous-Forêt, follow the "town center" direction on RD264 along the cycle path. Continue straight and then turn left onto frères Muntz street. Continue towards Ritschwiller, Memmelshoffen then Keffenach on RD170.

At Keffenach, turn left onto RD65, then right onto RD152 towards Birlenbach.

At Birlenbach, turn left onto RD152 towards Drachenbronn.

At Drachenbronn, continue towards Cleebourg, then Rott and Wissembourg on RD77.

Upon arrival in Wissembourg, turn left and follow the Lauter river along Boulevard Clemenceau to the swimming pool parking. Turn right and follow the Lauter along Faubourg de Bitche, then Quai du 22 Novembre. Turn left onto rue du Marché aux poissons and continue onto rue Bahnacker, then leave Wissembourg following the Windhof direction.

Arriving in the Palatinate, follow the Kraut und Rübenradweg route (Cabbage and Rhubarb), passing through Schweigen and Steinfeld in the heart of the Viehstrich to Minfeld, Kandel and Erlenbach.

At Erlenbach, the route switches from the Kraut und Rübenradweg to the Riesling cycle path at Sandre to Steinweiler, then passes the Rosenhof at Billigheim on the Klingbachradweg cycle path. Now, along the Klingbach, you pass through Klingenmünster, Silz and Gossersweiler-Stein up to Völkersweiler.

Continue to Annweiler am Trifels and on the Queichtalradweg cycle path to Landau. At the market square, held twice a week, villagers bring their fruits to sell.

Continue on the Queichtalradweg cycle path to Bellheim, then continue on the Kraut und Rüben Radweg cycle path to Zeiskam, Westheim and Schwegenheim.

Take the Rheinhausen bicycle ferry to cross from the Palatinate to Baden.

On the "Schönbornroute", pass through the Hardtwald forest. After a short detour beyond Philippsee, the route leads to the "Kraichradweg", which leads out onto the Kraichtal. Passing through the villages of Unteröwisheim, Münzesheim and Gochsheim, you reach Flehingen. From there, follow the "Panoramatour" to Bretten, Rinklingen and Dürrenbüchig. Then continue on the "ÖkoRegio Tour" towards Wössingen.

Further south, pass through Pfinztal, Grünwettersbach and the meadows and orchards of Waldbronn. Shortly after the outskirts of Grünwettersbach, the route takes a sharp turn and climbs through the fields. At the "Am Zehntpfad" sign, first turn left, then at the next opportunity, turn right and enter Busenbach on Friedhofstraße. Cross Ettlinger Straße to join Reichenbacher Straße. Cross Reichenbacher Straße and turn right at the end of Ostendstraße. At the roundabout, take the first exit onto Talstraße. At the next roundabout, take the second exit and follow Bergstraße until it becomes Gisela-und-Hans-Ruland-Straße. Turn left to follow the forest edge towards Reichenbach. Continue on Busenbacher Straße to turn right at the end of the road and travel a short distance along K3561. Then turn onto Pforzheimer Straße. After Kurhaus, turn right onto Etzenroter Straße. After a short detour on dirt paths to the Etzenroter Straße barbecue area, the route continues on the Baden-Württemberg cycle network, passes the S-Bahn stop "Reichenbach Kurpark" and joins Herrenalber Straße. After the bus stop "Busenbach Bahnhof", cross the tracks to follow Pforzheimer Straße and take a left along the "Spinnerei" industrial zone, then turn left and pedal among the factory buildings to reach the other side of the valley.

Follow the Graf-Rhena-Weg along the railway to Waldstraße. Continue on Schöllbronner Straße, past the Albgau outdoor swimming pool. Turn right onto Luisenstraße. Turn left along Alb street and Pforzheimer Straße onto Albstraße. Follow Albstraße to the Albstraße/Kronenstraße/Marktstraße junction. Left onto the town hall bridge through the arcade. From Ettlingen market square, follow Rheintal-Radweg/Ortenau-Weg a short distance to Badener Tor Straße. Cross the road here and pass Erbprinz Ettlingen along Rastatter Straße. Before the large intersection, turn right and continue on Goethestraße, which becomes Einsteinstraße. Turn right and follow Malscher Landgraben until reaching L607. Turn right here. Cross Rudolf-Plank-Straße at the traffic light and continue on the Baden-Württemberg cycle network towards Rheinstetten.

Take the Neuburg am Rhein ferry and return to the route's starting point in Lauterbourg in Alsace.