The Alsatian wine route, the Vosges Mountains and the "Route des Crêtes." Impressive Romanesque buildings, wine villages and half-timbered architecture "à volonté." And: onion tart, Baeckeofe and Kugelhopf, or "haute cuisine française".
"What a beautiful garden," was the exclamation of Louis XIV upon his first view over the Alsace. Rotalis will lead you along storybook routes through this fascinating treasure trove, through a varied landscape with magical half-timbered vintner villages, to the art city of Colmar, and to a people who welcome their guests with warm hospitality. No place else offers the same mix of French and German lifestyles as this truly European region.
Tour Details
Duration
5 Days/4 Nights
Location
Alsace
Season
May 12-16; June 2-6; June 30-July 4; July 14-18; September 1-5; September 8-12
Tour Type
Road Touring
Nearest City
Strasbourg
Physical Condition Required
Fair
Destination(s)
Alsace, France
Skill Levels Accommodated
Almost exclusively on minor roads and field or forest paths. On the second and the last stage some occasional disturbing traffic. The second day requires some extra energy. Altogether an easy to medium level of difficulty.
Fully Guided
Yes
Support Vehicles
Yes
Bike Rentals Available
Yes
Accommodations
Good , comfortable medium-level hotels with friendly personnel.
Dining
Good to very good Alsatian cuisine.
Rates
$971.00per personCurrency Converter (Rates shown are in US Dollars. Rates and terms are subject to change.)
Additional Rate Info
Single Room Supplement: € 147 (approximately $193 USD)
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Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday Strasbourg - (0 miles)
By 4:30 p.m. the group will assemble at the hotel "Monopole Métropole," where the Siegel family will welcome you. It is possible to arrive by car, train or airplane. The Rotalis team will be happy to help you find the best solution. Strasbourg, the "Capital of Europe" is an excellent choice to prolong your trip. In addition to the huge gastronomical offering, the city is a fascinating symbiosis of French and German culture, creating a unique atmosphere that lured Goethe and Gutenberg.
At 5:00 p.m., meet up for a thorough tour of the "Little France" and old city neighborhoods, as well as a visit to the Cathedral, one of the most beautiful creations of the Gothic style. In the evening you'll try the city's best choucroute in one of the locals' favorite "Winstubs."
Day 2: Sunday Strasbourg - Ottrott-le-Haut (27 miles)
Strasbourg is known as the most bicycle-friendly of all French cities, which permits you to leave town on a nearly traffic-free route. Ride along romantic isolated paths, along ponds and rivers to the Dompeter, the oldest house of worship in the Alsace. Then, cycle through isolated vineyards to Rosheim and Obernai, with its splendid Renaissance fountain and perhaps the loveliest medieval square in the region. Ever changing views of the nearby Vosges provide the backdrop into medieval Ottrott-le-Haut. You'll be spoiled by the excellent and well-known cuisine of Patrick Fritz of the hotel "A L'Ami Fritz." His wife runs the comfortable hotel.
Day 3: Monday Ottrott-le-Haut - Riquewhir (26 miles)
Today’s cycling route travels south along the foot of the Vosges. Along the way is Andlau with its abbey church, Kintzheim, where you can sample excellent "Tarte Flambée", as well as charming Bergheim. The path leads you over partly flat and partly gently rolling terrain, through expanses of vineyards and quaint wine villages. Today's destination, Riquewihr, is considered the "Pearl of the Vineyards." After reaching your Hotel "Le Riquewihr," nestled amongst the vines, you'll take a walk around the wonderfully preserved medieval village. A gastronomic extravaganza awaits you tonight at Jean-Luc Brendel's "La Table du Gourmet." (Michelin Star 2004)
Day 4: Tuesday Riquewihr - Colmar (19 miles)
After a short ride you'll reach Kaysersberg, the idyllic birthplace of Albert Schweitzer, along the Weiss River. Throughout the morning you'll visit the loveliest wine villages around Colmar, capital of Alsatian winemaking. Ammerschwihr, Katzenthal and Turckheim will delight you with their varied Alsatian style houses. You'll sample the precious local nectar at a well-known vintner. On the way to Colmar, a short detour takes you to the painterly circular vineyard village of Eguisheim. Tonight’s hotel is the well-managed "Hotel Mercure." Your farewell dinner is in the excellent local-style restaurant "Les Halles."
Day 5: Wednesday Colmar - (0 miles)
Today is dedicated to exploring Colmar, which has impressively retained its late-medieval character. Few can resist the charm of Colmar's half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets and splendid renaissance showpieces. You'll visit the loveliest sights: the Tanner's Quarter, Little Venice, the Pfister House, Koifhus, Arcade House, House of the Violin as well as the old Guard House. The Dominican Church houses the Martin Schongauer masterpiece, "Madonna in a Rose Bower." A high point of the tour is a visit to the Unterlinden Museum and the world-famous "Isenheim Altar" by Matthias Grünewald. The journey ends around noon at the Colmar train station. From here you can easily reach flight connections in Strasbourg and Basel.
Notes
2007 Tour Dates: May 12-16; June 2-6; June 30-July 4; July 14-18; September 1-5; September 8-12
Arrival: You should arrive in Strasbourg by 4:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The tour begins at 5:00 p.m. with a visit of the city and a subsequent dinner. You can arrive in Strasbourg by plane (the best connections are from Paris) or by train either from Germany (Frankfurt airport) or Paris. If you choose to arrive by car, the Hotel Métropole Monopole rents parking spaces for the duration of the trip.
France: Cultural bike tours through France have been a major part of the Rotalis program for over twenty years. Culture, climate, wonderful nature, "savoir vivre," the special lifestyle of the French, make it an unforgettable country. It is ideal for bicycle touring, not least because of its tight network of agricultural paths and roads, most of which are paved.
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