Alsace is on the eastern border of France with Germany and is undoubtedly one of the world’s best wine destinations. However keen you are to experience the stunning wines, you can’t help but be struck by Alsace’s beauty. It has been awarded the title of World’s Best Region for Wine Tourism for good reason – it ticks all the boxes: natural beauty; quality & diversity of wines; amazing hotels & restaurants; historical & cultural attractions; dedicated cycling tour pathways – yes, yes, yes, yes & yes!
Tour de VinesStraddling the eastern edge of France on the German border, this unique and renowned wine region is a dream destination. Incredible natural beauty, world-class wines, charming Germanic style villages and a ‘moreish’ cuisine (not to mention the beer) makes Alsace one of the world’s best wine and travel destinations. Perched along the left bank of the river Rhine, Alsace has a character and ambience quite different from the rest of France. From the gothic script on street signs and hotel and restaurant names to the half-timbered medieval houses, there is a Germanic flavour mixed with French traditions — a unique and enticing combination.
The tastes of the region are as distinct as the architecture. Strasbourg is famous for its sausages and also for choucroute, the Alsatian take on sauerkraut, made with cabbage cooked in local wine loaded with chops, sausages and other meaty delights. Coq au vin is made here with local Riesling wine. Pride of place in Alsace goes to foie gras, here served in a pastry crust, and some notable cheeses like Munster made with milk from the Vosges pastures. For a quick snack, try flammeküeche: famous and delicious Alsace pizza. For the wine lovers, the distinctive slender bottles of the region contain wines of some equally distinctive grape varieties. Gewurztraminer with its golden colour and heady aroma of lychees and passion fruit; complex Pinot Gris with smoky undertones and apricot fruit; delicate Riesling with citrus notes and floral hints; and Sylvaner with notes of fresh cut grass and elderflower. Beer lovers are also catered for — Strasbourg is home to Kronenbourg and Fischer, and a host of artisan breweries are found throughout the region.
The geography of Alsace is effectively in two halves; the Alsace plain is a strip of land running alongside the Rhine from Strasbourg to the Swiss border; flat, with fields of vines, wheat and sunflowers, interspersed with orchards growing apples, pears and quince. Rising like a natural border to the west are the Vosges Mountains; the round-topped peaks are here known as balloons. Heavily wooded with chestnut and oak, then pines and mountain ash at higher altitude. The forests provide welcome shade in high summer. The cycling is mixed, with days of flat riding along valley floors shouldering by endless rows of unfathomably steep vineyards, interspersed with days of moderate hilly climbs. This tour can be enjoyed by anyone with a little cycling experience, knowing that the support vehicle is never far away.