Grand Bicycling Tour of Alsace and the Black Forest

Alsace to the Black Forest on bike
  • Length 14 days
  • From USD$7195
  • Style/Level Classic 3.0
  • Countries France
    Switzerland
    Germany
  • Begin/End Strasbourg/Constance
See related tours

Cross borders and sample a colorful combination of cultures as you cycle through France, Germany, and Switzerland. This unique corner of the world is home to stunning natural landscapes, from thick pine forests to crystal clear lakes nestled under the Alps. Enjoy peaceful rides past French vineyards and find yourself in charming towns with historic architecture unharmed by WWII bombings. Take a tour of cultural crossroads where French finesse meets German gusto meets Swiss sophistication – a perfect balance of architecture, nature, and gastronomy. Join us as we explore the wine roads and villages of Alsace, the colorful towns and lush forests of southern Germany, and the vast natural beauty of Switzerland. The rides are beautiful, the villages delightful and the combination of French, German and Swiss cuisine is perfect for cyclists.

Sounds great but don’t have 14 days? Join us for the first 8-days Bicycling the Vineyards of Alsace, or check out our 8-day tour Bicycling the Black Forest to Lake Constance.

Highlights

  • Some of France’s best cuisine, Parc Regional des Vosges du Nord, Alsatian villages, The Wine Road, Colmar, wine and beer tasting, Freiburg, border crossings, fairy-tale scenery, medieval towns, Constance

Includes

  • 14 days, 13 nights accommodation, meals as noted in itinerary, Munster cheese tasting, wine tasting, brewery visit, walking tour of Freiburg

  • All Classic tour inclusions


Date Price Private room fee Note
Jun 22-Jul 5, 2025 USD$7195 USD$1000 Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.
Jul 27-Aug 9, 2025 USD$7195 USD$1000 Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.
Sep 7-20, 2025 USD$7195 USD$1000 1 more to confirm the departure! Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.  
DateJun 22-Jul 5, 2025
PriceUSD$7195
Private room feeUSD$1000
NoteBook by November 1st and save $200 per person.
DateJul 27-Aug 9, 2025
PriceUSD$7195
Private room feeUSD$1000
NoteBook by November 1st and save $200 per person.
DateSep 7-20, 2025
PriceUSD$7195
Private room feeUSD$1000
Note1 more to confirm the departure! Book by November 1st and save $200 per person.  

Download Itinerary

We’ll send you a link to a full day by day tour itinerary that can be downloaded and printed so you can review all the details online and offline. This packet also includes details about what to expect on tour and arrival and departure details.
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  • Total distance 608 km (380 miles)
  • Average daily distance 51 km (32 miles)
  • Tour style Classic
  • Tour level 3.0

Highlights: Strasbourg, Capital of Alsace

We gather in Strasbourg this afternoon for a bike fitting at our starting hotel. As host to many of the European Union’s institutions, this town is bustling with activity and has been recognized by UNESCO for its historic city center. A crossroads between Germany and France, we encourage you to arrive early to visit this politically fascinating town. The famed Notre Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral was built in 1015 A.D. and now stands as one of France’s most famous architectural masterpieces. The glowing pink stone comes from the nearby Vosges Mountains and it was the world’s tallest building until 1874. Beyond its many architectural gems, Strasbourg is full of quaint neighborhoods such as La Petite France with its revolving bridges, canals and typical Alsatian-style buildings. We’ll suggest a warm-up ride this afternoon after we fit bicycles and before we meet for introductions and a welcome dinner.

Meals : Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Maison Rouge

Highlights: Canal de la Buche, Molsheim, Alsatian wine route, Obernai.

We pedal out of Strasbourg today via side streets, bike paths, and the peaceful Canal de la Bruche will lead us to one of the most importat WWI fortrification that had a key role to spare Alsace from destruction. We’ll then reach the heart of the Alsatian vineyards in Molsheim. From here the rest of our ride today is on a bicycle path along the famous Alsace Wine Route. You will have ample opportunities to do tastings at small family-run wineries, and we will visit one together in Obernai.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Le Colombier – Obernai

Highlights: Alsatian wine villages and vineyards, views of the Vosges mountains

We’ll return to our hotel in Obernai tonight so spend the day following our recommended cycle route to Mont Sainte-Odile or wander around the town at your leisure. The ride takes you high into the Vosges Mountains with spectacular views. If you prefer to enjoy a day off the bike, Obernai has a beautifully preserved medieval city center that dates back to the Renaissance and plenty of sites to visit. This evening we will enjoy a special wine tasting at a local producer’s.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Hotel Le Colombier – Obernai

Highlights: Wine villages of Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé and the Castle of Haut-Koenigsburg

We dive into in the heart of Alsace today, exploring its festive villages in the midst of vineyards, Renaissance house facades, expansive views across the Rhine River Valley, and the Haut Koenigsbourg castle. Take some time to visit the castle and then explore any number of the sixteen villages (Bergheim is probably the best preserved) of the local consortium on the way to our hotel in the center of Riquewihr. Take note of the different charms of these villages with populations ranging from 400 people to 5,000 in the town of Ribeauvillé.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Le Schoenenbourg

Highlights: The festive villages of the Alsace Wine Road

We are in the same hotel again tonight so you can choose your ride again today. We’ll mark a beautiful route going up into the mountains with spectacular views around Labaroche. The ride takes us to the Col du Linge where you can visit the memorial of this World War I battlefield, testimony to the “war of the trenches”. An exhilarating downhill takes us through Orbey and back to Riquewihr.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Hotel Le Schoenenbourg

Highlights: Gorgeous Munster Valley, La Maison du Fromage

Perhaps the best known town on your route today is Munster, founded by evangelizing Irish monks in the 7th century A.D. Here the monks used their cheesemaking skills to create one of the most famous cheeses in France, Munster cheese. We’ll stop at the Maison du Fromage and learn how this distinctive cheese is made. Plan on a lunch stop here or continue on to Colmar to explore the canals, museums, and great shopping. Colmar has been a famous market and wine center since the 13th century.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Le Colombier – Colmar

Highlights: Eguisheim, South Alsatian vineyards, Colmar

Today is a great day to explore Colmar’s half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, cozy cafés, and architectural wonders going back centuries. Should you decide to pedal today, you’ll cycle through lush vineyards to fairytale Eguisheim, known for its flower-decked streets that encircle the town’s 13th-century castle. Once back in Colmar, you might take a self-guided walking tour, or simply sip a crisp white wine and take in the colorful scenery.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Le Colombier – Colmar

Highlights: Freiburg

Freiburg is arguably one of Germany’s most beautiful cities with its impressive cathedral and colorful houses lining its streets. You will also find the old “Bächle,” an unusual system of gutters that run throughout its center. These Bächle were once used to provide water to fight fires and feed livestock. They have a constant flow of water diverted from the Dreisam River. During the summer, the running water provides a natural form of air conditioning and offers a pleasant sound of running water. It is said that if one accidentally falls or steps into a Bächle they will marry a Freiburger, or ‘Bobbele.’

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Oberkirch , Colombi Hotel

Highlights: Guided walking tour of Freiburg

Enjoy Freiburg, shopping museums, strolling around or for those who really want to pedal and climb we have the perfect ride for you, alternatively you can take the funicular up to the Shauinsland and enjoy the views and go for a hike. Or join us in a walking tour of town!

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Hotel Oberkirch

Highlights: Titisee, Schluchsee, Rothaus Brauerei with guided visit

Today’s ride takes you through stunning natural areas. Climb through the dense pine trees of the Black Forest up to the village of Titisee and enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Titisee and Schluchsee lakes. Or, if you’re in the mood to relax, jump on the Höllentalbahn – a train that passes through the impressive “Hell’s Valley.” No matter how you choose to get there, we will finish our day enjoying a guided visit of Germany’s highest brewery located right next our hotel in Rothaus. From our hotel you also have the option to take a 2 km hike to an isolated lake if you’re in the mood for a swim.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Brauereigasthof Rothaus

Highlights: Schlüchten gorge, Rheinfall, Schaffhause city of the orlies

This morning you’ll enjoy quiet roads descending through the stunning Schluenchten Gorge to the Rhein. This is actually referred to as the “Uping Rhein” since it’s still a small river and not the wide river most think of then they think of the Rhein. We will cycle right next to the breathtaking Rhein waterfall, supposedly the largest waterfall in Europe. If you’d like to stop by the Laufen Castle along the way you can overlook the falls for another stunning perspective. We will end our day in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. As you stroll through the “City of Bay Windows” enjoy this charming medieval town ornately decorated with oriel windows and extravagantly painted facades.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Kronenhof Hotel

Highlights: Crossing Germany and Switzerland borders, Diessingen wooden bridge

Today you’ll weave across the German and Swiss border about seven times as you take in the fairy-tale scenery and medieval towns. When you arrive at the point where the Rhine River becomes Lake Constance you’ll feel like you’re traveling back in time as you cross the wooden bridge into Stein am Rhein. Famous for its Old Town and the well-preserved monastery of St. Georgen, this town’s scenic streets and colorful history are sure to delight.

Meals : Breakfast
Lodging : Hotel Graf Zeppelin , Hotel Constantia

Highlights: Insel Mainau – island of flowers, Constance

Bisected by the Rhine River, sidling up to the Swiss border and outlined by the Alps, Constance sits in one of the most idyllic settings you could dream of. Spared from WWII bombing, this town has the mark of Roman emperors, medieval traders and 15th century bishops – a delightful backdrop to the lively buzz brought on by today’s university culture. Today you can enjoy a loop ride along quaint roads and rolling hills between Überlingen and Gnaden. If you prefer a day off the bike, enjoy the town’s lakefront views as you stroll its tree-lined promenade or take a boat trip to the island of Meinau, or Flower Island, named for its spectacular flower gardens. We will enjoy our final dinner together tonight in the Dominikaner Beer Garden.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Lodging : Hotel Constantia

Highlights: Enjoy the city

Our tour ends after breakfast today. Enjoy the rest of your travels around Europe or have a safe trip home!

Meals : Breakfast

Visit our Tour Level page to learn more about terrain levels and how we determine day and tour levels.



Pre-trip planning checklist

France travel planning page



  • Good bike rides with a couple good climbing days. Great scenery We used E-bikes which made it very enjoyable, but we probably could have done it with regular bikes if we wanted to.

    George R., Fort Collins, CO – July 2024
  • Beautiful scenery, lots of quaint towns and villages, interesting places to stay, and A LOT of climbing so be ready to work!

    Laura E., Tacoma, WA – July 2024
  • Lovely route especially along the Wine route of Alsace, through very pretty villages ablaze with flowers. Quite challenging in terms of hills!

    Heather B., Kirkcaldy, FIF – July 2024