From the Northern Vosges to the Wine Road

After leaving the medieval town of Wissembourg, the most northerly in Alsace, the trail goes through the Northern Vosges Nature Reserve and its first part follows the piémont of the Vosges. From Cleebourg, famous for its vineyards, to Niederbronn-les-Bains, the thermal spa town, the trail runs along the edge of the forest. The road then becomes more hilly , punctuated by the valleys of the North Zinsel, the Moder , the Zinsel and the Zorn. Orchards and pastures are in abundance in the East, whereas in the West, mountains and forests occupy the countryside. As he goes by, the visitor will notice the silhouettes of the Romanesque churches of Neuwiller-les-Saverne, Saint-Jean-Saverne and further on, Marmoutier . In Saverne, site of the château of the Rohans, we leave the Northern Vosges Nature Reserve. After crossing the Marne-Rhine canal and the EuroVelo 5 - Via Romea Francigena, the cyclist is accompanied by the middle Vosges. Picturesque villages, huddling at the foot of the mountains, succeed one another until the Westhoffen pass. Then the vineyards appear and dominate the scenery. From Marlenheim, the Alsace Wine Road cycle trail takes you down to Colmar and Thann.