Route des vins d'Alsace - Route des vins d’Alsace

Route des vins d'Alsace, Alsace Wine Route, as a bike tour

Tourist information sign

The Alsatian wine route (French Route des vins d'Alsace) is one of the most famous wine routes Europe and the most famous in France. It runs for about 170 km to 190 km (depending on the vehicle (car / motorcycle / bicycle) in north-south direction along the foot of the eastern French Vosges, of Marlenheim at Strasbourg to Thann at Mulhouse and touches around 1,000 producers and over half of the around 120 wine villages with theirs Winstubs, where you can stop to enjoy a glass of wine or have a bite to eat. On both sides of this tourist road, the vineyards of Alsace, which also include Grand Cru locations, extend in different widths (1 to 3 km). The road runs through the two departments of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin, the former being the more interesting in terms of tourism and wine.

background

The Alsatian Wine Route was launched at the end of May 1953. It has since enjoyed growing popularity with tourists of all stripes. This sometimes leads to a lack of parking spaces, crowds and overcrowding in the old towns and restaurants in the July / August season. Every year the traditional autumn wine festivals take place in many places. Many communities have set up wine (educational) trails and also offer guided hikes through the vineyards followed by Degustation ("Wine tasting"). Those who do not need to visit during the holiday season should use the holiday-free times.

preparation

There are hardly any more preparations to be made than when traveling within Germany. You can get brochures, mostly also in German, about the places to be visited from the tourist information offices, as well as road maps or tour plans from the clubs and associations for the respective means of transport.

getting there

The journey from Germany depends on the chosen starting point. It is described in the respective local article. This also applies to departure.

Driving / hiking / let's go / ...

While the villages themselves can usually be explored on foot, the routes between the municipalities are to be covered on well-developed roads by bike or car.

By bicycle

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Alsatian Wine Route, Marlenheim to Thann a 135 km long wine cycle path with its own logo (Alsace à Vélo) set up. Difference in altitude: 1,350 m, the entire route is paved. Mostly well-paved bike paths or less frequented side streets. GPS tracks for free download at this address. There are bike rental stations, including e-bikes, in eight towns along the route. There are bicycle workshops in 17 towns along the route.

horse

There are specially marked bridle paths and wine farm trails where you can go on discovery tours on horseback.

The places on the Alsace Wine Route

The following places are on the Alsace Wine Route, from north to south. The abbreviations in the column headings indicate the presence of sights or noteworthy features:
B. = B.urg or medieval ruin, K = Worth seeing Kchurch or chapel, M. = M.useum, S. = S.beautiful view, G = Grand cru location, W. = W.festivals or fairs,
E. = E.adventure or wine trail, T = TRegional express transport

1st sector: Vignoble de Strasbourg

Marlenheim, in the foreground the Grand Cru Stone block

Nordheim, socio-cultural center

Name of the place	B.	K	M.	S.	G	W.	E.	T
Marlenheim		K		S.	G	W.	E.
Nordheim				S.
Kuttolsheim		K
Cheeks	B.					W.	E.
Kirchheim	B.					W.
Odratzheim	B.	K
Westhoffen	B.	K		S.			E.
Traenheim		K		S.			E.
Scharrachbergheim		K		S.	G
Dahlenheim				S.	G		E.
Osthoffen	B.	K
Balbronn		K
Mountain areas					G		E.
Dangolsheim		K
Soultz-les-Bains		K
Wolxheim		K		S.	G		E.
Ergersheim		K					E.
Avolsheim		K
Molsheim	B.	K	M.		G	W.	E.	T
Dirty	B.		M.				E.	T
Dorlisheim		K					E.	T

2nd sector: Cœur d'Alsace

Rosenwiller, Mairie

Rosheim, city gate

Bœrsch, Mairie

Barr, Place de l'Hôtel de Ville

B. = B.urg or medieval ruin, K = Worth seeing Kchurch or chapel, M. = M.useum, S. = S.beautiful view, G = Grand cru location, W. = W.festivals or fairs,
E. = E.adventure or wine trail, T = TRegional express transport

Name of the place	B.	K	M.	S.	G	W.	E.	T
Rosenwiller		K					E.
Rosheim	B.	K		S.		W.	E.	T
Bischoffsheim		K						T
Bœrsch		K
Ottrott	B.	K
Obernai	B.		M.	S.		W.	E.	T
Bernardswiller							E.
Saint-Nabor		K
Goxviller		K						T
Heiligenstein	B.			S.		W.	E.
Bourgheim		K
Gertwiller		K						T
Barr		K	M.		G	W.	E.	T
Mittelbergheim			M.		G	W.	E.
Zellwiller		K
Saint-Pierre	B.
Stotzheim	B.
Eichhoffen		K			G			T
Andlau	B.	K			G	W.
Bernardvillé		K
Reichsfeld
Albé			M.	S.			E.
Villé		K		S.
Itterswiller		K		S.
Epfig		K		S.			E.	T
Emergency stop					G
Blienschwiller	B.	K			G	W.	E.
Dambach-la-Ville	B.	K			G	W.	E.	T
Dieffenthal		K
Scherwiller	B.	K		S.			E.	T
Châtenois	B.	K		S.			E.	T
Kintzheim	B.				G	W.
Orschwiller	B.

3rd sector: Terre et Vins au Pays de Colmar

The Schlossberg at Kaysersberg

At Niedermorschwihr

Colmar, downtown

Hattstatt, Grand Cru location Hatschbourg

Westhalten

B. = B.urg or medieval ruin, K = Worth seeing Kchurch or chapel, M. = M.useum, S. = S.beautiful view, G = Grand cru location, W. = W.festivals or fairs,
E. = E.adventure or wine trail, T = TRegional express transport

Name of the place	B.	K	M.	S.	G	W.	E.	T
Saint-Hippolyte	B.	K			G
Rodern	B.	K			G
Rorschwihr		K
Bergheim	B.	K	M.		G		E.
Ribeauvillé	B.	K	M.		G	W.		T
Hunawihr		K			G		E.
Cell Mountain	B.			S.	G		E.
Riquewihr	B.	K	M.	S.	G		E.
Beblenheim					G		E.
Mittelwihr					G		E.
Bennwihr					G		E.
Sigolsheim		K		S.	G		E.
Kientzheim	B.	K	M.		G		E.
Kaysersberg	B.	K	M.				E.
Ammerschwihr	B.	K			G	W.
Katzenthal	B.				G
Ingersheim		K			G			T
Colmar		K	M.			W.	E.	T
Niedermorschwihr		K			G
Turckheim	B.	K	M.	S.	G	W.	E.	T
Zimmerbach
Walbach	B.							T
Wihr-au-Val		K		S.				T
Wintzenheim	B.				G
Wettolsheim	B.	K			G	W.
Eguisheim	B.	K			G	W.	E.
Husseren-les-Châteaux	B.			S.
Voegtlinshoffen		K		S.	G	W.
Obermorschwihr	B.	K
Herrlisheim	B.	K				W.	E.	T
Hattstatt		K			G		E.
Gueberschwihr		K			G		E.
Pfaffenheim		K		S.	G	W.	E.
Rouffach	B.	K	M.	S.	G	W.	E.	T
Westhalten					G		E.

4th sector: Route des Vins Sud-Alsace

Soultzmatt, in the background on the right the Grand Cru location Pewter head

Cernay, St. Stephen's Church

B. = B.urg or medieval ruin, K = Worth seeing Kchurch or chapel, M. = M.useum, S. = S.beautiful view, G = Grand cru location, W. = W.festivals or fairs,
E. = E.adventure or wine trail, T = TRegional express transport

Name of the place	B.	K	M.	S.	G	W.	E.	T
Soultzmatt	B.	K	M.	S.	G		E.
Orschwihr	B.	K		S.	G		E.
Bergholtz cell		K
Bergholtz					G
Guebwiller		K	M.		G	W.	E.
Soultz	B.	K	M.
Wuenheim	B.				G	W.	E.
Wattwiller		K
Uffholtz	B.			S.
Cernay	B.		M.					T
Steinbach		K		S.
Vieux Thann		K			G			T
Leimbach		K
Thann	B.	K	M.		G	W.	E.	T

security

Anyone who travels the road in winter, e.g. to get to the Vosges, should - depending on the level of information - prepare for winter conditions. Inquiring at the destination whether it can be reached despite snow and ice is recommended.

Celebrations and events

Around 50 harvest and wine festivals take place in the towns along the Wine Route from April to October here to see.

Every year the "picnic at the independent winemaker" takes place. The changing dates can here to be checked.
Also every year there is the "Marathon du vignoble d'Alsace" through the Alsatian vineyards. At this major sporting and cultural event, wine and food are offered at the refreshment stations. Click hereto learn more.
The folk festival "La Foire aux Vins d'Alsace", a fair and at the same time a well-attended music festival, takes place every year, the best opportunity to taste Alsatian wines. More can be found here.

Museums

Kientzheim: Regional museum of vignoble et des Vins d'Alsace
Ungersheim: Écomusée d'Alsace (Open air museum)
Mittelbergheim: Viticole Museum
Andlau: Atelier de la Seigneurie
Strasbourg: Alsacien Museum
Colmar: Unterlinden Museum

literature

Alsace: Upper Rhine - Alsace Wine Route - Sundgau. The 50 most beautiful valley and mountain hikes (Rother hiking guide) February 6, 2013 ISBN 978-3763343133
Motorhome travel book France: Alsatian Wine Route [Kindle Edition], Udo Dreher (Author),

Web links

http://www.tourisme-alsace.com - Official website of the Alsace Wine Route

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