Overview
Four days in Alsace, based in Colmar, cycling the Route des Vins with the regional train network leapfrogging us to each starting point — bikes travel free on TER trains. Each morning a train drops us at one end of a stretch of the route and we cycle back through the vineyards, villages and wineries.
Friday afternoon: train to Thann — the official southern terminus — and the 30km ride back through the quieter southern wine villages. Saturday is the big day on the northern stretch with winery visits en route. Sunday swaps bikes for boots: a walk through the Vosges to the ruined Château de Haut-Andlau, descending into Barr for the final day of the Fête des Vendanges. Monday home.
Getting There
| Outbound | Friday 2 October — easyJet, Gatwick → Basel (BSL) 8:30am, arrive 11:05 — ~£39 one way |
| Return | Monday 5 October — BA Basel → Heathrow (as drafted ~£82; consider a later flight now Monday is off) |
| Basel → Colmar | Le Car shuttle (~€20 each) or split taxi (€60–80 total), ~45 min |
Day by Day
Friday 2 October — Arrive & southern route
- Morning flight to Basel; shuttle to Colmar by midday. Check in, collect hired bikes after lunch.
- Early afternoon TER to Thann with bikes (via Mulhouse, ~1h) — the southern terminus of the Route des Vins.
- Cycle north ~30km back to Colmar: Cernay, Guebwiller, Rouffach, Eguisheim — almost entirely flat, the quieter and more authentic villages.
- Wine visit at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim on the approach to Colmar (book ahead).
- Dinner at Winstub Brenner: tarte flambée, choucroute, carafe of Riesling.
Saturday 3 October — Northern route
- Train from Colmar via Strasbourg to Marlenheim — the northern terminus — and cycle the full 70km back south, with the whole day to do it. E-bikes keep it fun.
- Tastings en route: Domaine Weinbach near Kaysersberg (book), Trimbach in Ribeauvillé (book), and a free walk-in at Hugel & Fils in Riquewihr.
- Lunch in Riquewihr — one of the most beautiful villages in France.
- Back in Colmar late afternoon; return bikes. Blow-out dinner at L'Atelier du Peintre (Michelin-starred — book well ahead).
Sunday 4 October — Fête des Vendanges
- A day on foot: train from Colmar to Epfig.
- Walk up through the Vosges to the ruined Château de Haut-Andlau — 3–4km of gentle climbing, views across the whole Alsace plain.
- Descend into Barr for the final day of the Fête des Vendanges: wine stalls, producers, live music, street food, a town in full harvest celebration.
- Dinner in Barr (ask at the festival), train back to Colmar for a last drink in Little Venice.
Monday 5 October — Home
- With Monday off, book a middle-of-the-day Basel flight rather than the dawn one — the difference between a 3:15am alarm and a civilised departure.
- Colmar breakfast, a last pâtisserie and a wander through Little Venice, then the shuttle to Basel.
- Early-evening flight home.
The Festival
The Fête des Vendanges de Barr is one of Alsace's great harvest festivals; its 73rd edition runs 2–4 October 2026 — exactly our weekend. We arrive on the final day in the best possible way: on foot, down through the Vosges from the ruins of Haut-Andlau, the vineyards spread out below. Wine stalls from local producers, food, live music, the corso parade, and a community celebrating the harvest coming in.
The Region in Brief
A little history
A Rhine borderland that changed nationality four times between 1871 and 1945 — which is why German grape names carry French appellations and the villages have names like Riquewihr and Kaysersberg. Alsace wines were among medieval Europe’s most prized exports down the Rhine; the Route des Vins, created in 1953, is France’s oldest wine road; and the storks on the church towers are a conservation success story.
October weather
The Vosges rain shadow makes this one of France’s driest climates: early October is typically 7–17°C, crisp mornings giving way to warm, dry, sunny afternoons, with the vines turning gold. Ideal cycling weather.
The wines
The four “noble” varieties — Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat — across 51 grand crus, almost all bottled in the tall flûte. Plus Crémant d’Alsace (France’s best-selling sparkler after Champagne), Pinot Blanc, and late-harvest Vendanges Tardives for the cellar.
The food
Choucroute garnie, tarte flambée, baeckeoffe slow-baked under a bread-sealed lid, Munster cheese with cumin, kougelhopf for breakfast — rich, Germanic-French cooking that Riesling was made to cut through.
Where to Stay
Hostellerie Le Maréchal (4★)
16th-century building with rooms over the canal; the most atmospheric hotel in Colmar.
La Maison des Têtes (5★, Relais & Châteaux)
Spectacular 17th-century building with a Michelin-starred restaurant attached.
Hôtel Le Colombier (4★)
Solid, central, well-priced — if we'd rather spend the money on wine.
The Wineries
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
Olivier Humbrecht MW's estate — some of the most sought-after wines in Alsace, 5km from Colmar on the Friday route. Appointment essential, ~€25, book 2–3 weeks ahead.
Domaine Weinbach
Biodynamic estate in a walled clos below Kaysersberg; mineral, long-lived Rieslings. Appointment essential.
Maison Trimbach
Thirteen generations; bone-dry, laser-focused Rieslings, including the legendary Clos Sainte Hune. Book ahead.
Hugel & Fils
One of Alsace's great names, tasting room in the centre of Riquewihr. Walk-ins welcome, free.
Eat & Drink
| Friday | Winstub Brenner — tarte flambée, choucroute, Riesling. What eating in Alsace should feel like |
| Saturday | Lunch in Riquewihr; blow-out at L'Atelier du Peintre (Michelin-starred, book far ahead) |
| Sunday | Festival food in Barr; dinner locally; nightcap at L'Épicurien in Little Venice |
| Monday | Depends entirely on which flight we book |
Useful Links
- Fête des Vendanges de Barr — town site — official Barr pages for the festival
- Visit Alsace — festival listing — regional tourism entry with each year’s dates
- Vins d’Alsace (CIVA) — the official Alsace wine board — grapes, grand crus, producers
- Véloroute du Vignoble — Alsace à Vélo — official route page for the vineyard cycle route
Practical Notes
- Bikes on TER trains: free but limited spaces — reserve when buying tickets on SNCF Connect. Most important Friday and Saturday.
- Bike hire in Colmar: Colmar Vélo / Vélodocteurs, Le Vélo Libre (app-based Moustache e-bikes), Les Bicyclettes de Louise. E-bikes recommended.
- Book ahead: Zind-Humbrecht, Weinbach, Trimbach; L'Atelier du Peintre; hotel — Colmar fills up in October.
- Weather: crisp and clear with autumn colour; cold mornings on a bike, warm afternoons. Layers.
- Currency: euros. Cash for markets and small caves de dégustation.