Strasbourg - Luxembourg
Cycle through three countries.
Arrival in Strasbourg
Check-in at the hotels and explore Strasbourg!
You leave Strasbourg by the European Parliament. The cycle trail leads you along the towpath of the Marne-Rhine canal to reach Saverne. Many towns and villages surround the cycle path, as Brumath, the capital of Alsace in Roman times and Hochfelden, famous for its brewing tradition. You arrive to the picturesque town of Saverne with its impressive double lock. Cycle along the marina and enjoy a fantastic view at the Rohan Castle!
Today you will cycle again along the Marne-Rhine canal and its locks. You pass by the Saint Louis Arzviller inclined plane. This impressive structure enables the canal to bypass a set of 17 locks. It is the only shiplift in Europe of a transversal type! Another peculiarity is the pond of Gondrexange, it was created in the Middle Ages by fish-farming monks. Then the canal winds through the magnificent valley of the river Saar to Mittersheim. In the evening, you will have a transfer from Mittersheim to Saarbrücken, a baroque city.
You will follow the Saar cycling route which takes you to cultural highlights as the World Heritage Site “Völklinger Hütte“ (former ironworks). Covering an area of more than 600.000 m², the gigantic foundry is the only fully preserved ironworks from the heyday of industrialisation in the world. Then you pass in the city of the Sun King, Saarlouis, before you arrive in Merzig where you will be staying for two nights.
Take a relaxing break in the small town of Merzig or cycle in the heart of the “Merziger Äppelkischd”, which means “apple box”, so named because of the many local apple orchards. On the way, you will see numerous apple trees, vast cornfields, rapeseed fields and maize fields. You will discover many pieces of art (carved stones) that invite bikers to an extraordinary cycle day at the German-French border.
After breakfast, you will be cycling a few kilometres to pass the first hightlight, the Saar Bow, which is a unique natural wonder. From there you will cycle to Mettlach where you can visit the famous Ceramics manufacture Villeroy & Boch. Behind the Baroque facade, you can experience more than 260 years of ceramic and corporate history. The route leads you to Saarburg a picturesque town where you can admire a waterfall of 20 meters high. Continue to the vast vineyards right and left of the river Moselle until Trier. Take your time to visit the Porta Nigra, the amphitheater, the Imperial Baths or the magnificent cathedral.
You begin this stage at the Römerbrücke and cycle again along the Moselle before you reach the border. You cycle now on small country roads, through little villages, through hilly landscapes with green forests and colourful fields. You arrive in Luxembourg, a modern and cosmopolitan city where you can visit the Ducal Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the impressive casemates registered on the UNESCO world heritage list.
Departure or extension
Tour character
You will ride mainly on cycle paths along the canals and waterways. The paths are mainly flat until Trier. Day 5 and 7 are a little bit hilly, on cycle paths, minor agricultural tarred roads or on little secondary roads without much traffic.
Category: 3***-Hotels (Frensh classification)
Included:
- Accommodation as already mentioned
- Breakfast buffet or an extensive breakfast
- Welcome briefing (GER, EN, FR)
- Luggage transfer between the hotels
- Best elaborated route
- Detailed travel documents 1x per room (GER, EN, FR) with route maps, route description, local attractions, imortant telephone numbers
- 1 Transfer Mittersheim – Saarbrücken incl. bike
- Signposting
- GPS-data is available
- Service hotline
Optional:
- Half-board evening meal (mostly multi-course, sometimes outside the property, payable with voucher), Luxembourg only BB
- Bike rental, including rental bike insurance
- Return transfer by minibus to Strasbourg every Saturday, Minimum number of participants: 4 persons, costs € 85 per person incl. your bike, to be paid on spot, reservation is necessary
Arrival / Parking / Departure:
- Strasbourg train station
- Strasbourg, Luxembourg or Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden airport
- Guarded and covered car park costs EUR 60 per week, no reservation possible, to be paid on spot
- Good train connections from Luxembourg to Strasbourg
Things to note:
- Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price!
- Extra nights in Luxemburg upon request
- Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
