Rhine Valley Cycle

Arrive in the University and port town of Strasbourg and settle into your hotel. Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace and home to some great museums which are worth visiting. The old city is dominated by the Cathedral made out of pink sandstone from the Vosges. There are many interesting narrow streets where you can find some interesting churches, restaurants and shops and the city has a number of covered bridges which cross the Ill River. Overnight Strasbourg.

An easy and flat stage takes you from Strasbourg on a dedicated cycle path through deep forests along the Rhine bank. Some short sections along the Rhine are on unsealed paths. Overnight in Ettenheim, a picturesque town in Germany, or a surrounding town.

A flat stage leads you through villages to Freiburg in the Black Forest region, officially Germany's warmest town. Medieval Freiburg has fairy tale gabled houses, cobblestone lanes, picturesque squares and a beautiful cathedral. It is an old university town with many pubs and cafes and a busy nightlife, making it a great night stop.

Leave Freiburg this morning and cycle west towards the Rhine again. The stage is mainly on cycle paths and minor rural roads. The 13th century Breisach Cathedral towers imposingly over the banks of the Rhine. Cross the river and border here to Neuf-Brisach in Alsace, a 17th century octagonal fortified town. Continue to the beautiful town of Colmar, one of the most delightful cities along the French wine route.

There's time to further discover Colmar before cycling along tracks and quiet roads to Riquewihr. It's a little hilly between Eguisheim and Wettolsheim for about 1 km, and from Kientzheim to Riquewihr there are two short but quite hard climbs of about 1km each. At the foot of the Vosges mountains, Riquewihr nestles among the other Alsatian Grand Cru wine-making villages of Eguisheim, Turckheim and Kaysersberg. Your accommodation this evening may be in Riquewihr or a nearby town.

Cycle along the wine road and discover the villages of Barr, Andlau with its abbey, Bergheim, Ribeauville and Hunawihr. It's a little hilly as you ride on cycle paths and quiet rural roads, and through the vineyards there are a few climbs. Continue to Obernai, an important centre for wine and beer production. This was the birthplace of St Odile, daughter of the Duke of Alsace and the Patron Saint of Alsace - and of good eyesight! Your accommodation this evening may be in Obernai or a nearby town.

On your last cycle day you ride back to Strasbourg. Leaving Obernai there's a climb of approx 100m then some small hills to Bischoffsheim (about 2km). After Molsheim you ride on the cycle path along the canal into the city centre of Strasbourg. The strong German influence over the past centuries has given Strasbourg a distinctive style, and it has many historical and cultural sights. Its Cathedral is the highest medieval building in Europe and its channels encircle the city centre, providing a peaceful and picturesque ambiance.