Cross-border bike tour "Wine et terroir" (PAMINA)

Our tips for 3-day tours:

Stage 1: Alsace-Baden (approx. 172 km)

We cycle the tour as described below from Schweigen, via Wissembourg, Seltz, Iffezheim to the southernmost point of the route in Bühl. From there we head towards Kuppenheim. Between Kuppenheim and Rastatt, however, we leave the big circular tour. Instead, we cycle through Rastatt and always along the Murg until we meet the Rhine cycle path (EuroVelo15). We continue northwards and take the Neuburgweier-Neuburg ferry. On the Palatinate side, we now cycle along the PAMINA cycle path Lautertal through the Bienwald and then via the Fassbodentour back to the starting point, the Deutsches Weintor in Schweigen.

Stage 2: Baden (approx. 106 km)

The tour starts at the baroque palace of Bruchsal in the palace garden. From here we start as described below and ride the actual enjoyment tour to Karlsdorf. Here we leave the large circular tour and keep left at Karlsdorf station in the direction of the town centre. Here, at the roundabout, we again come across the signs with the little asparagus man: the Tour der Spargel. It leads us along the Pfinz River through the communities of Neuthard and Spöck. From here we follow the everyday cycle network further south, along Stutenseer Allee into the fan-shaped city of Karlsruhe. A rest in the Karlsruhe Palace Park is recommended before continuing to Durlach. Here we rejoin the Baden Wine Cycle Route and thus our big circular tour. We follow this in a northerly direction via Weingarten and Untergrombach back to Bruchsal Castle.

Stage 3: Southern Palatinate (approx. 114 km)

The starting point of this circular tour is Bad Bergzabern. This is where we leave our big circular tour. Via the Fassbodentour 2, the Peronella Rhine cycle path and the cycle path "From farm to farm" we go via Oberhausen, Hergersweiler, Winden and Freckenfeld to Kandel. From Kandel we follow the Kraut-und-Rüben cycle path via Hayna, Herxheim, Offenbach, Ottersheim, Knittelsheim, Bellheim and Zeiskam to Lustadt. In Lustadt we meet up with the big circular tour again. Here we follow the Kraut-und-Rüben cycle path via Weingarten, Schwegenheim to Freimersheim - as described below in the large circular tour. From here we follow the large circular tour to our starting point in Bad Bergzabern.

Route description of the entire route:

The starting and finishing point is Schweigen-Rechtenbach:

We start our tour at the German Wine Gate in Schweigen. From here, head south along the B38 towards the German-French border.

We cross the border on the RD264 towards Wissembourg on the cycle path. In Wissembourg we go through the hypercentre Rue Bahnacker, Rue Nationale, Quai du 24 Novembre, Faubourg de Bitche. We then leave Wissembourg on Boulevard Clémenceau (RD334). We turn right onto the RD77 towards Rott, drive through Rott and follow the road to Cleebourg. In Cleebourg we follow the signs towards the centre. We turn left at the Hotel Keimberg into Rue du Moulin, then take Rue des Vignes and are now through the vines. We then turn right and immediately left, then right again. Then turn left towards Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg. In Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg we turn left and take the main road. Then we turn right onto Rue des Vignes and then past the vines. We then turn right onto the RD3 and then turn onto the RD264 towards Wissembourg. At the roundabout, we keep right in the direction of Lauterbourg and follow the IC51 sign to Scheibenhard. We cycle on the PAMINA cycle path Lautertal on the German side to Lauterbourg. In Lauterbourg we follow the EuroVelo15 (EV15) along the cycle path to Seltz and there we take the ferry from Seltz to Rastatt-Plittersdorf.

From the crossing of the Rhine at Rastatt-Plittersdorf, we follow the PAMINA Rhine floodplain cycle path southwards. Past the Iffezheim barrage and the Baden-Airpark, we follow the Rheinauen cycle path to Greffern. Here we change to the PAMINA Cycle Path South and continue eastwards. We pass some smaller and larger but all idyllic villages and finally arrive in Bühl. As soon as the PAMINA Cycle Path South turns left in Bühl, we leave it and follow Leopoldstraße towards the railway station and Bühl town centre. We cross under the station and follow Eisenbahnstraße past the Stadtgarten to the church and town hall. Here, in the centre of Bühl, we can take a long break and enjoy the gastronomic delights the town has to offer. Strengthened, we continue from the town hall along the main road on the Baden Wine Cycle Path in a northerly direction (coming from Eisenbahnstraße, we keep to the left). We follow this path past Sinzheim, some districts of Baden-Baden, Kuppenheim, Rastatt-Rauental to Muggensturm.

Coming from Malsch, we cycle along the L607 on the Baden Wine Cycle Path to Ettlingenweier. Through Ettlingenweier we cycle along the Römerstraße, Morgenstraße and Scheibenhardter Straße to Ettlingen. We cycle along Middelkerker Straße, past Horbachpark Ettlingen onto Baptist-Göring-Straße and then into Türkenlouisstraße. Then we cross the S1/S11 tracks and via Schlossplatz we turn into Marktstraße. Across the Marktplatz and under the archway of the town hall, we cross the Albbrücke bridge into Kronenstraße. Continue along Durlacher Straße and shortly before leaving Ettlingen turn left into Alexiusstraße. At the next opportunity we turn right again and follow the Baden Wine Cycle Path along the B3 to Wolfartsweier.

Coming from Ettlingen, we follow the Baden Wine Cycle Path in the direction of Karlsruhe. The cycle path leads us under the A8 to Wolfartsweier. We follow the Steinkreuzstraße past the Zündhüttle, cross the Tiefentalstraße and follow the B3 for a short time. At the Tiefentalgraben we cross the B3 and follow the field path past the Turngemeinde Karlsruhe-Aue 1895 e.V. until we reach the Basler Tor, through which we pass and turn right into Amthausstraße. We follow Amthausstraße past Durlach town hall straight on into Zunftstraße, which becomes Bienleinstorstraße. We turn right into Lederstraße and a short distance later right into Seboldstraße. At the end of the street we turn right into Pfinzstraé and immediately left into Hubstraße, where we cross the river Pfinz. Follow Hubstraße until you reach the railway tracks, where you turn right. From here, continue on the Badischer Weinradweg (Baden Wine Cycle Path) along Alte Weingartener Straße in the direction of Weingarten.

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Detour to the Turmberg with great views and refreshment stop

Those who would like to see more of Durlach and climb high up should not miss the Turmberg. To get there, turn right from Amthausstraße with the Durlach town church and Durlach town hall at the market square into Pfinztalstraße, then follow Pfinztalstraße past the Schlossplatz and then turn left into Hengstplatz Straße. We stay on this road until the next crossroads. There we turn right onto Blumentorstraße, this street runs slightly to the right and then becomes Grötzingerstraße. Follow Grötzingerstraße and turn left at the crossroads in the direction of Bruchsal. Now we turn into Neßlerstraße and continue straight ahead until the next crossroads. At the crossroads we turn right into Reichardstraße, which leads us past the Turmberg fountain to the very top of the Turmberg. From the Turmberg terrace we have a fantastic view of the vineyards of the Durlach state winery, over the Rhine plain and the urban area of Durlach and Karlsruhe. For a culinary break we stop at the Hofbistro/Restaurant Anders on the Turmberg. Strengthened, we continue on Reichardstraße, which becomes Jean-Ritzert-Straße. Now we continue straight ahead until the end of the street, where we turn right onto Rittnertstraße in the direction of Durlach. We then stay on this road and continue straight ahead into the city. We then cross the B3 and continue straight on towards Badenerstraße. Along Badenerstraße we get back to Pfinztalstraße at the second crossing when we turn left. Now we follow Pfinztalstraße and return to the market square, back to the starting point of this sporty detour.

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In Weingarten at the end of Kanalstraße we leave the Baden Wine Cycle Path. Here we now turn right into Bahnhofstraße. Then we turn left into Luisenstraße. At the intersection with Burgstraße, we continue straight ahead into Breitwiesenweg along Breitwiesengraben out of Weingarten along the B3 in the direction of Untergrombach. In Untergrombach turn left into Brühlstraße, right into Weierstraße and then left into Bachstraße. Then turn right and zig-zag a little with left and right again into Ernst-Renz-Straße. At the end of the street we turn left, drive over railway tracks, after the tracks we immediately turn right and then onto Wendelinusstraße. At the end of the street we turn right into Jöß-Fritz-Straße. Here we come to the "Tour de Spargel" cycle path with the little asparagus man. This leads us along the Untergrombach quarry pond, through the forest to Bruchsal with its castle and castle gardens.

From the castle garden we cycle north on the Heidelberg Black Forest-Lake Constance Cycle Path. Passing vineyards, orchards and the Klumpp vineyard, we follow the main road to Ubstadt. Immediately after entering the town, we turn left into the residential area and follow the same signs. We drive into a district of Ubstadt: Stettfeld. Here a visit to the Roman Museum is worthwhile not far from the route.

At the roundabout in the centre of the village, continue straight on towards the next district of Ubstadt. Along the country road we pass fields and enter Zeutern. In the quaint village centre at the big left-hand bend, follow the signs for the Kraichgau-Hohenlohe Weg straight ahead. The 3-brooks circular trail also runs parallel here and we follow the small Katzbach stream into the small but beautiful Kraichgau village of Odenheim. Here we find the Heitlinger Winery and the Adrian Zimmer Winery. 

 At the end of the village, we change to the Riesling tour, drive to the small wine village of Tiefenbach and past the Kreuzbergsee to Eichelberg. Follow the Riesling Tour through a large forest to Waldangelloch and then to Angelbachtal.

It is worth taking a short break in the castle park at Eichtersheim moated castle, which is well worth seeing.

The Riesling tour then takes us along the main road to Östringen. Here, too, wineries invite you to taste their wines. At the crossroads in the centre of the town, we leave the Riesling Tour and head straight on to the Baden Wine Cycle Path. Shortly afterwards, we change to the well-being tour and arrive in the spa town of Bad Schönborn (Mingolsheim). 

After the Catholic Church, we turn right and then reach the next municipality via the Kraichgau-Hohenlohe Weg: Kronau. The tour originates here.

The crossroads in Kronau leads us back to the Heidelberg Black Forest-Lake Constance Cycle Path and the Tour de Spargel with the signs. Via the long Kronau avenue, past the lake, we cycle through the forest along the Heidelberg Black Forest-Lake Constance Cycle Path through the municipality of Forst. After leaving Forst and crossing the country road at the next junction, we leave the Tour de Spargel and cycle a short distance to the right on the everyday cycle network towards Karlsdorf. At the railway station, we keep left towards the centre of the village. At the end of the road we turn right into the Alte Bundesstraße. Follow this straight ahead until you reach the B35. Then turn left at the district road until you reach the "Tour de Spargel" cycle path again. Follow this to the right until you reach Graben. In Graben we leave the "Tour de Spargel" and follow the Rheinstraße to the left. Along the K3533 we turn right through the forest to Rußheim. In Rußheim we follow the Rheinstraße. After the recycling centre, first turn right and then left until you reach the Rhine cycle path (Eurovelo15) on the Baden side. Follow it northwards until you reach Germersheim on the cycle path that accompanies the road B35 over the bridge.

Once we have crossed the bridge, we turn left twice in succession, driving along Rheinsheimer Straße in the direction of the Rhine. Drive under the B35, turn right into Heilbronner Straße and then into Alte Schiffbrückenstraße. This is where the river Queich flows into the Rhine. We can enjoy the hustle and bustle on the river at the Germersheim Rhine foreshore and fortify ourselves with a delicious portion of fresh fish at the Rhenania restaurant. Here we also join the Rhine cycle path (EuroVelo 15) on the Palatinate side. We follow this through Germersheim to Lingenfeld. In Lingenfeld we leave the Rhine cycle path and continue along Berliner Straße instead. At the end of the street we turn right through a small alley and then along Wörthweg. We cross the intersection and continue straight ahead through Lauxengartenstraße. We follow the cycle path along the railway tracks via Westheim to Lustadt. Shortly before Lustadt we come to the Kraut- und Rüben-Radweg (white badge with carrot). We follow this marked cycle path and turn right towards Lustadt. Always following the Kraut-und Rüben cycle path, we go via Weingarten, Schwegenheim to Freisbach.

From Freisbach, continue on the Kraut-und-Rüben cycle path westwards via Böbingen to Freimersheim. Here, at the western end of the village, we continue straight ahead through the vineyards through Großfischlingen to Edesheim. In Edesheim we follow the state road on the right and immediately turn left again. The path leads us through the vineyards to Rhodt. Here we follow the wine road via Hainfeld to Burrweiler. In Burrweiler we take the German Wine Route cycle path. We follow this further and further south through the many wine villages along the Southern Wine Route. We also follow the German Wine Route cycle path within Bad Bergzabern until we leave the town in the south and continue a few kilometres back to the German Wine Gate in Schweigen-Rechtenbach.