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Villages & Vineyards of Alsace

Between the Rhine & the Vosges Mountains
 
Featuring leisurely cycling routes and warm hospitality, this self-guided holiday reveals picturesque and historic villages. Sample local wines and rich gastronomy as you cycle from hotel to hotel through this beautiful region, while your luggage is transported.
Villages & Vineyards of Alsace. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Villages & Vineyards of Alsace. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A cycling holiday in Alsace

This holiday explores the very heart of Alsace. Staying in three welcoming hotels – in Eguisheim, Kaysersberg and Bergheim – you are ideally located to discover this fascinating and beautiful area, rich in culture, gastronomy and heritage, by bicycle. Our routes are flexible – meander along quiet country backroads through pretty villages or opt for a more challenging day by cycling up to visit one of the many hill-top châteaux that boast magnificent views across the valley.
The valleys are dotted with picturesque villages and crisscrossed with country lanes, which, when combined with comfortable accommodation and fine traditions of gastronomy and hospitality, provide all the ingredients for a wonderful discovery on two wheels.
 

Book with confidence

What we’re doing so you can book and travel with confidence >
Our flexible booking policies >
Check the destination entry requirements >
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on almost any day of the week, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 6 7 11 15 19 22 24 25 21 17 10 7
    mm 66 68 68 58 62 68 70 63 62 65 75 90
  • Arrival in Eguisheim
    Night 1: at Hostellerie de la Ferme du Pape (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of cycling.
  • Choice of routes from Eguisheim: 29km or 40km

    Circular route from Eguisheim: 29km
    Take time to explore the town before setting out on your bike. Eguisheim was the birthplace of wine-growing in Alsace and its magnificent cobblestone streets of 16th and 17th-century timberframe houses radiate out from the village square in concentric rings. Our suggested cycle ride is a varied route to the south of the town through lovely forests, vineyards and floral villages which makes a good introduction to the many delights which this region has to offer.

    Circular route from Eguisheim via Turckheim: 40km
    A longer option follows undulating countryside first to Turckheim, whose beauty belies a poignant World War II tragedy, and then heads along pleasant riverside tracks to historic Munster, named by the Irish monks who founded an abbey here in the 17th century, and famed for the only cheese produced in Alsace.
    Eguisheim
    Circular route from Eguisheim: 29km
    Circular route from Eguisheim via Turckheim: 40km
  • Eguisheim to Kaysersberg: 25km; shorter option: 22.5km
    On leaving Eguisheim, a delightful riverside route leads into the centre of historic Colmar, a beautiful city with a network of canals lined with pastel-coloured houses adorned with spectacular flower displays. Take time to explore before continuing through vineyards to Kaysersberg, where you stay at the Hotel Les Remparts for one night. If you have spent a long time visiting Colmar, you may like to follow our shorter, more direct route from here to Kaysersberg.
    Route from Eguisheim to Kaysersberg
    Eguisheim to Kaysersberg: 25km
    Eguisheim to Kaysersberg shorter option: 22.5km
  • Kaysersberg to Bergheim: 19km; longer option: 31km; direct route: 15km
    Leaving Kaysersberg on your bike, you set out along quiet country lanes, enjoying lovely views to the west across rolling vineyards towards the Vosges Mountains beyond. Our preferred option passes through vineyards and the wine villages of Bennwihr and Beblenheim to reach Hunawihr, where you can visit a stork sanctuary and butterfly house. Alternatively, for different scenery, take the longer option which includes a meander through the dappled forest of Colmar before reaching the pretty riverside village of Illhaeusern – the perfect spot for lunch. There is a third, more direct, route if you would prefer an easier day.  Whichever of the three routes you choose, your destination is the fortified town of Bergheim, where you stay for the next two nights at La Cour du Bailli, a working domaine viticole.
    Kaysersberg to Bergheim: 19km
    Kaysersberg to Bergheim longer option: 31km
    Visit the stork sanctuary in Hunawihr
    Kaysersberg to Bergheim direct route: 15km
  • Out-and-back cycle from Bergheim: 35km; longer option: 44km
    This easy two-wheeled option is a leisurely there-and-back ride north to the flower-filled town of Dambach-la-Ville, cycling beneath imposing castles perched on rocky outcrops. Take time to relax and, perhaps, stop for a lunch of local game and Munster cheese accompanied by a chilled Gewürztraminer or Tokay Pinot Gris. On your way back, you may wish to visit the castle at Kintzheim which holds spectacular demonstrations of free-flying birds of prey.
    For those who prefer a longer day in the saddle, there is the option to continue beyond Dambach-la-Ville to the highest point of the holiday before a well-earned downhill stretch overlooking the very pretty Giessen Valley, after which you follow an ancient Roman trading route (now a cycle path) through woodland.
    La Cour du Bailli in Bergheim
    Out-and-back cycle from Bergheim: 35km
    Out-and-back cycle from Bergheim longer option: 44km
  • Bergheim to Kaysersberg: 15km
    Your final day's cycling is a fitting end to your discovery of Alsace. The route is short but hilly and you really will earn the views as you pass through the jewels of La Route des Vins: Ribeauvillé, with its three ruined castles; medieval Riquewihr, perhaps the most renowned and attractive of all the Alsatian wine villages; and Hunawihr, where the views from the fortified hill-top church extend all the way to the Alps. En route you have the chance to visit a butterfly pavilion and a remarkable stork sanctuary where you get up close to this striking bird, the emblem of Alsace. You return to the cobbled streets of charming Kaysersberg for your final night at the Hotel Les Remparts.
    Bergheim to Kaysersberg: 15km
    Approaching medieval Riquewihr
 

Accommodation

Three wonderful, yet very different, hotels offer a real taste of Alsace.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 6 nights: 10 April 2022 - 10 October 2022

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    10 Apr - 21 May 2022 £835 £330
    22 May - 24 Sep 2022 £880 £340
    25 Sep - 4 Oct 2022 £835 £330
    3rd & 4th person discount -£40
    Single traveller supplement £40

    Includes accommodation, meals, bike hire, luggage transfers and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus cycling notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Electric bikes available:  £84 in 2022 per person


    If twin room required in Bergheim add £68 per person

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

    6 nights: 10 April 2022 - 10 October 2022

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    10 Apr - 21 May 2022 £1095 £330
    22 May - 24 Sep 2022 £1145 £340
    25 Sep - 4 Oct 2022 £1095 £330
    3rd & 4th person discount -£65
    Single traveller supplement £65

    Includes all elements in the 'cycle price', plus standard-class travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras or Ebbsfleet International to Lille or Paris, with onward travel as described below.

    Electric bikes available: £84 in 2022 per person

    Included travel: UK–Paris (Eurostar), Paris–Colmar (TGV), approx duration 5h-7h & taxi transfer (out 0h25/home 0h45).
    > More about 'by rail' prices
    > The 'rail experience': what to expect

    If twin room required add £68 per person

    If you book your holiday less than 10 months in advance of your travel date, seats may no longer be available at the tariffs on which our prices are based, but we may be able to offer you seats on the same services at a supplement.

    6 nights: 10 April 2022 - 10 October 2022

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    10 Apr - 21 May 2022 £930 £330
    22 May - 24 Sep 2022 £965 £340
    25 Sep - 4 Oct 2022 £930 £330
    3rd & 4th person discount -£120
    Single traveller supplement £120

    Includes all elements in the 'cycle price', plus a return Channel crossing between Folkestone and Calais with Eurotunnel for your party and one car.

    > More information about travelling self-drive

    Electric bikes available: add £84 in 2022 per person

    If twin room required in Bergheim add £68 per person

    A supplement of £65 per car per single journey applies for outbound travel on 1-2, 8-9, 14-15 & 29-30 April, as well as for inbound travel on 9-10, 16-18 & 23-24 April. A supplement of £42 per car per single journey applies for outbound travel on 27-28 May; 2-3 Jun; 15-16, 22-23 & 29-30 Jul; 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 & 26-27 Aug; and 21-22 Oct, as well as for inbound travel on 2 May; 4-5 Jun; 30-31 Jul; 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 & 27-29 Aug; 3-4 Sep; and 29-30 Oct.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hostellerie de la Ferme du Pape, Eguisheim
    Superior: 10 Apr - 10 Oct 2022 £13
    Hotel La Cour du Bailli, Bergheim
    Appartement Supérieure: 10 Apr - 10 Oct 2022 £34
    Junior Suite: 10 Apr - 10 Oct 2022 £22

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Prices include an extra day’s hire of a standard bike. If you are upgrading to an e-bike, add a further £15pp per day.
    Hostellerie de la Ferme du Pape, Eguisheim (B&B) Double room Single room
    10 Apr - 10 Oct 2022 £88 £140
    Hôtel Les Remparts, Kaysersberg (B&B) Double room Single room
    10 Apr - 10 Oct 2022 £82 £118
    Hotel La Cour du Bailli, Bergheim (B&B) Double room Single room
    10 Apr - 10 Oct 2022 £88 £150
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Basel or Paris CDG
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Paris CDG. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Paris CDG Air France,  KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Paris CDG KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Basel easyJet 
    Bristol - Paris CDG Air France,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Basel easyJet 
    Edinburgh - Paris CDG Air France,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Humberside - Basel (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Paris CDG jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Basel easyJet 
    Gatwick - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Basel British Airways 
    Heathrow - Paris CDG British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Basel easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London Southend - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Basel easyJet 
    Manchester - Paris CDG Air France,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Paris CDG Air France,  KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Paris CDG. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above except those operated by Ryanair. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Basel

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Basel airport to hotel (1h) £62 flexible
    bus Basel airport to St Louis (0h10 pay locally), rail St Louis to Colmar (0h35), taxi Colmar to hotel (0h20) £28 1600
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Basel airport (1h20) £72 flexible
    taxi hotel to Colmar (0h40), rail Colmar to St Louis (0h35), bus St Louis to Basel airport (0h10 pay locally) £32 1200

    Connecting travel options - flying via Paris CDG

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Paris CDG airport to Colmar SNCF (3h30), direct taxi Colmar SNCF to hotel (0h20) £84 1500
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Colmar SNCF (0h40), rail Colmar SNCF to Paris CDG (3h) £90 1500
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 2 dinners
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • high-quality bicycle
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 6 reviews
  • Mr S Fowler
    Bedford
    29 April 2022

    Another fantastic well-organised holiday from Inntravel. We waited two years for this and after several Covid delays, this trip was as good as ever. It's a real pleasure to use Inntravel - what a great professional team.

  • Georgina near Hastings
    04 September 2021

    A superb holiday with beautiful unspoilt scenery, stunning villages and excellent e-bikes that made the cycling effortless.

    Tips: We found the best way to follow the routes was by using a phone on the handlebars to save keep stopping to look at notes. Most restaurants in Kaysersberg were closed on Monday night, however we found Restaurant Le Kasersberg open and the food was excellent with waterside dining. It is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays though. 

     

  • Ms J Sweet
    Manchester
    30 September 2019

    Great time of year to go as we saw the grape harvest in full flow, but be prepared for changes in the weather.  Fantastic opportunities for wine tasting, and they didn't seem to mind we could buy only 1 or 2 bottles.  Local people very helpful and welcoming. Cycling on the little roads in the vineyards with hardly any traffic and views of the Vosges and the Black Forest mountains on the other side was truly idyllic.  

  • Mrs S Bearcroft
    Cambridge
    04 August 2019

    We would highly rate Inntravel and the local cycle company in this area for the exceptional help they gave us when we had various problems with our bikes early on in the week and also after my daughter had a cycling accident on the last day which resulted in her being taken to hospital (fortunately it was all fine thanks to her wearing a helmet). On each occasion we rang Inntravel who immediately arranged for the cycle company to come and rescue us. Aside from the various issues mentioned we thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, beautiful villages, the friendly French people and the wines of the Alsace. 

  • Mrs H Grant
    Swaffham Prior
    28 July 2019

    This was a great holiday. Everything worked perfectly and the accuracy and design of the routes couldn’t be faulted. It was an idyllic week rolling through sunlit vineyards and stopping at cafes in pretty villages or picnicking by tranquil rivers. A comfortable hotel and a good meal at the end of the day and our luggage delivered - who could ask for more. Particularly loved all the details in the route notes for interesting diversions and historical information. We’re planning our next one! 

  • A&G, Adelaide, Australia
    06 June 2019

    Overall we loved the Walking Lake Lucerne hiking holiday, and would not hesitate doing another similar holiday.

    However, our experience with the Alsace Cycling holiday was not so good, primarily due to being provided with inappropriate bicycles. Also, Bergheim was too quiet a town, with not one restaurant open on the second day of our stay there. We would probably not recommend this holiday unless these issues were addressed.

    All arrangements and communications with Inntravel were excellent, and we would be more than happy to use them again in the future.

    Inntravel
    response

    Thank you for writing a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your time in Lake Lucerne but are sorry to hear that Alsace was not so successful.

    We have received a number of comments about some of the towns and villages in Alsace being particularly quiet in June this year and we are greatly surprised by this; it is usually a pleasantly lively and bustling area throughout the entire Summer season.

    With regards to the bikes, please do contact us during your holiday in future if there is a similar problem and we will do our utmost to resolve it. The cycle hire company we work with in Alsace is very quick to respond and usually receives great feedback. We are sure that they would have provided replacement, smaller-sized bikes for you, if they had known that you were struggling with their size.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • If your holiday plans go awry because of Coronavirus, rest assured that we’ll do right by you. Since the start of the pandemic, our flexible booking policy and prompt issuing of refunds to customers who prefer not to defer their holiday have earned us high praise in the national press.
  • We sincerely hope that your holiday experience will be as enjoyable as it would have been before the pandemic – cycling holidays are ideal in these times of social distancing, and we’re not operating holidays if the key highlights can no longer be delivered – but, naturally, there will be some changes to ensure your and other people’s safety, not least proving your vaccination status or taking a test in order to travel.
    Your holiday experience: what to expect >
    Safety measures being taken by hoteliers & others >
    Entry requirements for non-UK destinations & for re-entering the UK >
  • Our chosen bike rental shop will provide you with a hybrid bike with 18 gears; a waterproof map case on handlebars; panniers/saddlebags; pump; puncture repair kit; and a lock. Electric bikes are available as an upgrade (see price panel), subject to availability, and must be requested at the time of booking.
  • While we would always recommend that you take your own well-fitting helmet, they can be hired locally for a small fee. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to hire a helmet.
  • Yes, we will provide GPX tracks for this holiday prior to departure so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. (We also provide maps and our tried-and-tested route notes, which remain the principal means of navigation).
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. On mornings when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation so that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.
  • You are responsible for damage to or loss of the rental bike while it is hired to you. Always be careful to lock it up, ideally to an immovable object, and remove all easy-to-steal accessories whenever you leave it unattended.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines (but not, currently, with Ryanair). As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to take out a policy with our recommended provider (if you live outside the UK you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    We'll ask you for the details of your policy (insurer, policy number and medical emergency phone number) so that we can help out if the worst happens while you are on holiday. It's up to you, though, to check that your policy covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs; we don't check alternative policies.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to France, but not a visa. If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is French. The currency is the Euro. French time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.

    At Inntravel we work in close partnership with our hoteliers, taxi drivers and other local suppliers to provide our self-guided holidays directly to you. We are entirely confident that you will continue to receive the usual warm welcome from them, regardless of what is happening in the European political sphere.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 5/24/2022 12:24:31 PM