Alsace Wine Route Short Break

5 Days & 4 Nights

Discover the treasures of the Alsace wine region in north-eastern France.
Walk between picture-perfect villages of Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé and Eguisheim
Enjoy extensive views over rolling landscapes dotted with medieval castle ruins
Try Alsatian delicacies like Tarte Flambée and Kugelhopf
Relax at the end of the day on a sunny terrace with a glass of aromatic Riesling

Walk through the unique French region of Alsace, from the famous village of Ribeauvillé to the lively village of Eguisheim, one of the ’Plus Beaux Villages de France’. Alsace retains a rich Germanic character; which can be traced back to when it was under German control. It now exudes a unique culture, taking the best of French and German influences; evident in its beautiful architecture and delicious food and drink. Spend your mornings on the trail, and the afternoon relaxing and exploring. As you walk between the picturesque towns and villages, you will truly experience the best Alsace has to offer. Enjoy carefully maintained vineyards, welcoming wine cellars, gourmet restaurants, peaceful forest trails, fairy-tale villages and sweeping views of the Vosges mountains and the Black Forest. You are sure to relish our special walking adventure in this exceptional region of France.

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What To Expect

This tour is ideal for those looking for a classic hotel to hotel itinerary which combines interesting walks with charming towns and villages. It is especially suitable if you are short on time, or would like to combine this itinerary with other tours. The walks are relatively short but undulating, so be prepared this along the way. The length of the walks allow plenty of time to explore and enjoy the gastronomic delights of Alsace. Stay in comfortable, family run 3 star hotels.

Tour Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active trip.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | A classic point to point walking trip, staying in a different location each night

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Foodie Adventures, Wine, Whiskey & More..., Historical Journeys

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded ‘easy-moderate’ overall. The walking days are fairly short, but the trails are undulating with some steep sections. The optional loop walk from Orbey (Day 4) could be considered moderate-strenuous due to the ascent/descent and length. The second optional loop walk (Day 7) could be considered moderate, due to the ascent. You should be in good shape to get the most from this tour. The terrain is a mixture of forest trails, grassy vineyard paths, and paved country lanes and quiet country roads.

Navigation

The routes are waymarked to varying degrees. We also provide you with detailed turn-by-turn route notes and maps. You will also have access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App enabling you to follow the route using your phone's GPS so you will have no problems finding the way. You can simply download the GPX tracks to your phone for offline use and off you go!

Accommodations

Spend 7 nights in high-quality, handpicked 3* hotels. We regularly use the following properties but may accommodate you elsewhere if these are not available. However, they will be of a similar standard.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. We also welcome solo walkers on this tour, again a supplement is payable.

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning. Lunch is not included. On some of the walking days it will be essential to take a packed lunch as there are no cafes or restaurants en route (your route notes will give you these details). However it will be very easy to buy a baguette, fruit, drinks, etc from a local bakery or a sandwich shop. 1 Dinner is included at your hotel in Thannenkirch. This will be a three course meal based on regional and French dishes, using fresh local ingredients. For all the other dinners there are plenty of local restaurants to choose from.

Included

4 Nights accommodation in 3* hotels and B&B’s
4 Breakfasts
Luggage transfers
Train station transfers on Day 1 and Day 5
Detailed information pack, route notes and access to our App
24/7 telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel insurance (required)
Lunches
Drinks and snacks
Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
Personal equipment

Extras

Additional nights before, during and after the walk

When To Go

You can start this walking tour anytime between the beginning of April and the end of October. Please be aware that the loop walk from Orbey may not be walkable in April/May or October. Due to its altitude, there may still be snow on the trail.

Getting to the Start

There are a number of different options available when getting to Sélestat. You can fly into Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, Strasbourg Airport or even Paris. Take a train from any of the above airports to Sélestat; approx. 1.5 hours from Basel airport, 1 hour from Strasbourg airport and 3 hours from Paris CDG. From Sélestat, you will be collected by taxi and taken to your first hotel in Thannenkirch. Train timetables and ticket prices can be found at www.sncf.com/en Please check the SNCF website for more details on schedules and prices.

Getting from the End

You will be collected from your last hotel in Eguisheim and taken by taxi to Colmar train station. From Colmar, you can take the train back to the above mentioned airports, or a wide range of other French/European destinations.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

The reviews for this tour up until December 2019, are based on a previous itinerary. As of December 2019, minor changes and improvements have been made.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.