This gentle 7-night cycling holiday follows Alsace's incredible 'Route des Vins' (wine route), on a linear ride through mediaeval villages and vineyards, between the great Rhine river and the timeless Vosges Mountains. Bordered by Switzerland to the south and Germany to the east, Alsace offers a delicate balance of French and German, which combine to give it its own unique culture and a truly fascinating history.
Just a short distance from one of Europe's great modern cities, Strasbourg, you'll discover traditional, unspoilt towns and villages, including several of France's most beautiful: Eguisheim, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr, full of half-timbered houses - painted bright as candy and lifted straight from the pages of a story book. Take your time to visit atmospheric hilltop ruins and fortresses such as the crumbling Chateau St Ulrich and the mighty Haut-Koenigsbourg, once home to great lords, but whose empty halls and towers now watch silently over the fertile plains below. The almost continental weather provides the ideal environment for the area's all-important wine production and this, in turn, gives rise to the wine route that runs the length of the region.
At the end of each day you will be rewarded with some of the region's most historic towns. Kaysersberg with its mediaeval streets and old fortress ruins is perfect for a day's exploring. Your home for the night in Selestat was once a Cistercian abbey, then the stately former home of a colonel in Napoleon's army. Today it is the Hostellerie Abbaye de la Pommeraie, in a tranquil spot but close enough to explore Selesat. Your final hotel is the one-time home of the Barons of Gail, tucked away in the centre of historic Obernai, a fascinating town which sits between the vineyards of Alsace and the Vosges mountains.
Arrive in Colmar and transfer (25 mins) to the village of Rouffach on Alsace's famous Route des Vins. (Staying at Hostellerie A La Ville de Lyon, Half board)
Set off along the 'Wine Route' through the vineyards, enjoying spectacular views. Stop in beautiful and ancient Eguisheim, officially one of the most beautiful villages in France, and holder of the prestigious 4* ville fleuri award (the highest award) for its town garden planting. Explore the narrow streets before heading on to pretty, mediaeval Turckheim and picking up the Camino de Santiago to Kaysersberg. (Staying at Le Chambard, Breakfast only)
Spend the day exploring the mediaeval streets and take a stroll up to the ruins of the old fortress. Alternatively, take a taxi to Colmar whose historic old town and riverside 'Petite Venise' area feature half-timbered, half-painted houses, offering a picture of Alsace as it was hundreds of years ago. (Staying at Le Chambard, Breakfast only)
Highlights today include Riquewihr, still enclosed by its mediaeval walls; Ribeauville, with its Renaissance fountains and hillside ruins (the most impressive being the crumbling Chateau St Ulrich, offering spectacular views) and home to many of the region's best wine producers; and Kintzheim, dominated by the remains of its C13-C15 castle, once property of the Merovingian kings, now home to numerous eagles, falcons and vultures. (Staying at Hostellerie de la Pommeraie, Breakfast only)
Explore the mediaeval streets of this one-time Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire, taking in the wonderful architecture, listed buildings and traditional shops, as well as the Selestat Humanist Library - the greatest of its type, one of the three treasures of Alsace and a site inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. There is also the option to take a taxi to mighty Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle for a visit along with some unforgettable views. (Staying at Hostellerie de la Pommeraie, Breakfast only)
Following tranquil lanes through the vineyards, stop for coffee in pretty, mediaeval Dambach-la-Ville and visit the Chapel of St. Sebastian, parts of which date to C12. For lunch, Barr makes a perfect place to stop, full of impressive half-timbered houses, typically dating from the C16-C18. (Staying at A La Cour d'Alsace, Breakfast only)
Take some time to explore the fascinating town of Obernai that sits between the three main features of Alsace; the vineyards, the Vosges mountains and the Alsatian Plains. The town's numerous historic architectural features are well worth investigating but for spectacular views take a ride (perhaps by taxi) up Mount St Odile to Hohenburg Abbey. (Staying at A La Cour d'Alsace, Breakfast only)
Morning transfer (5 mins) to the station for your onward journey.
Please note that cycling helmets are compulsory in France for children under 12. As we are unable to provide these, we strongly recommend that you bring your own.
Please see our Planning your holiday page for full details.
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking. If you'd like to keep your bikes with you for any extra nights we can arrange this for you for just £25 per adult per day.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades are not available at this hotel.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
| Dates | Deluxe Superior | Suite |
| 13/05/2018 - 30/09/2018 | £36 | £36 |
All prices shown above are valid from 28/11/2017. Supplements are per person per night based on 2 sharing. The Deluxe Superior is a large room (45m2) with lounge area with Nespresso coffee machine and offers a view of the chateau, the vineyard or the village. The Suite is larger still, has spa bath and lounge area with Nespresso coffee machine and offers a view of the vineyard or village.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
| Dates | Deluxe Room | Suite |
| 13/05/2018 - 30/09/2018 | £23 | £36 |
All prices shown above are valid from 18/11/2017. Prices are per person per night based on 2 sharing. The Deluxe rooms are all decorated in Florentine style and have marble bathrooms. The Suites are very spacious at 60-75m2.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
| Dates | Superior Room | Deluxe Room | Privilege Room | Junior Suite |
| 13/05/2018 - 30/09/2018 | £14 | £25 | £44 | £81 |
All prices shown above are valid from 20/11/2017.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades are not available at this hotel.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
Please call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com to arrange flights and connecting transfers to your hotel.
Here at Headwater we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can continue to develop, and where necessary improve, our services and ensure our holidays continue to be the best they can be. However, as this is a relatively new holiday, we don't yet have any customer reviews available.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday. Find out about The Headwater Price Promise to ensure you're getting the very best value for money.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
| Jul 2018 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 22nd Jul | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 24th Jul | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 26th Jul | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 28th Jul | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 30th Jul | US$1815 | Check availability |
| Aug 2018 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 3rd Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 5th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 7th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 9th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 11th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 13th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 15th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 17th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 19th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 21st Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 23rd Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 25th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 27th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 29th Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| 31st Aug | US$1815 | Check availability |
| Sep 2018 | Tour only | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Sep | US$1735 | Check availability |
| 4th Sep | US$1735 | Check availability |
| 6th Sep | US$1735 | Check availability |
| 8th Sep | US$1735 | Check availability |
| 10th Sep | US$1735 | Check availability |
| 12th Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
| 14th Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
| 16th Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
| 18th Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
| 20th Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
| 22nd Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
| 24th Sep | US$1685 | Check availability |
The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided cycling Managed locally by Headwater appointed rep.
Departures
every two days from 22nd Jul 2018 to 24th Sep 2018, for 7 nights.
Meals
All breakfasts and 1 evening meal
Tour only
Transfers included from Colmar train station at 14:05. Return transfer 5 mins payable locally.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for . Simply complete the form below and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 to discuss your requirements in more detail.
We've been creating high-quality relaxed activity holidays since 1985 and our wealth of experience means we're able to build the perfect tailor-made tour for you. Our 'Gold Trusted' rating on Feefo, the independent review site, underlines our exceptional levels of customer service, and our ATOL bonding and ABTA membership guarantees your holiday is safe with us.
