The Alsace Wine Route

More than 170 kilometres long, the Alsace Wine Route links the villages of Marlenheim and Thann, thus linking the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin regions. Winding its way through vineyards and villages typical of the region, this route invites travellers to discover Alsace's vineyards and many characterful towns, whose narrow streets reveal magnificent flower-filled houses.

Some of the not-to-be-missed villages along this route are, or are themselves, veritable little wonders, attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. These include Colmar, the capital of Alsace wines, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, the Alsace Ecomuseum at Ungersheim and the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg at Orschwiller.

Accessible to all travellers, the Alsace Wine Route can be explored in a variety of ways, depending on your preferences and the weather conditions.

The most independent travellers will prefer to travel by car (private or hire, with numerous agencies available near Colmar). To help you get around and plan your itinerary, Alsace Destination Tourisme provides travellers with a free interactive map of the main points of interest on the Wine Route. Consult the interactive map of the Alsace Wine Route.

Would you rather enjoy the summer sunshine and a sporting break? The Bucolic Alsace Wine Route is ideal for cycling and mountain biking. Whether you're a family or a group of keen cyclists, discover all the itineraries available on the Wine Route website.

Travellers who want to discover the Wine Route without the stress of organisation will also find something to suit them in Colmar! A few years ago, local agency LK Kunegel launched the Kut'Zig, a network of convertible buses linking the towns of Colmar, Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, Turckheim and Eguisheim.

With the Kut'Zig, you can travel the Alsace Wine Route in complete peace for a day, from just 26 euros per person. Themed outings (journey + visits and/or wine tastings) are also available. Find all the practical information on the Kut'Zig website.

From April to October, there's plenty of fun to be had along the Wine Route, thanks to the many events organised in the villages of Alsace. The villages, guardians of Alsatian tradition, come alive with folklore and local culture, to the delight of Alsatians and tourists alike!

Not-to-be-missed events include the Colmar Wine Fair, the Nuit du Nectar in Obermorschwihr, the Fête des Vignerons in Eguisheim, the Fête des Ménétriers (Pfifferdaj) in Ribeauvillé, the Marathon du Vignoble in Molsheim, and the Fête des Vendanges in several communes. You can find all the highlights of the year on the Wine Route website.

It's also worth noting that, as all over the region, the villages along the Alsace Wine Route are decked out in their finest decorations and host sumptuous Christmas markets in December. It's a warm, unique atmosphere you'll want to enjoy at least once in your life!