A Taste of Alsace - 5 Days
FranceAlsace

A Taste of Alsace - 5 Days

5 Days
Moderate

A Taste of Alsace - 5 Days

from $1,580 / person

Overview

Walk one of France's most enchanting regions on this five-day journey along the Alsace Wine Route. The trails thread through the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, connecting medieval villages of half-timbered houses, feudal castle ruins and grand cru vineyards in a landscape that feels lifted from a fairytale. Iconic towns like Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr deliver the full Alsatian experience, with the option to visit family-run cellar doors and sample the local wine. Evenings are spent in characterful local accommodation, with traditional Alsatian cuisine and regional wines waiting at the end of every walk.


Highlights

  • Auswalk through the wine-laden streets of Barr
  • Discover the medieval charm of Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr
  • Savour exquisite Alsatian wines paired with rustic dishes
  • Enjoy breathtaking views from the Three Castles of Ribeauvillé
  • Experience the vibrant atmosphere of local markets in Barr and Kaysersberg
  • Explore lush forests and rolling vineyard landscapes

Itinerary

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What's Included

Accommodation

3-star Hotel (1 night), 4-star Hotel (3 nights)

Meals

4 breakfasts

Transfers

  • Private Vehicle Transfers
  • Luggage Transfers

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • Walking App for Navigation
  • 24/7 on-trip support

How We Rate This Walk

3

Auswalk Walking Grade

Moderate

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Expect some hills and longer walking days. A reasonable level of fitness will help you enjoy the experience.

View Fitness Guide

3

Days on the trail

13-15 km

Daily distance range

476-644 m

Daily ascent range

5/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

Nights are spent in handpicked three and four-star hotels throughout the region, each chosen for its character and comfort. Warm Alsatian hospitality and a good night's sleep are guaranteed after every day on the trail.

What You'll Eat

A hotel breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included, giving you the freedom to explore Alsace's rich culinary scene at your own pace. From village bakeries and casual cafes at lunchtime to characterful winstubs in the evenings, where hearty Alsatian dishes and regional wines are never far away.

More About This Trip

The closest international airports are Frankfurt (Germany) and Paris (France), both with train connections to the region of around 3.5 hours. Alternatively, we can arrange a private transfer from Strasbourg airport directly to your hotel. The walk ends in Kaysersberg, from where a local bus connects to Colmar, with onward trains to Strasbourg or Paris. Speak to your destination consultant if you'd like help arranging transfers.

This walk is available from 1 April to 31 October. Spring and autumn are particularly rewarding. May and June bring the vineyards to life with blossom, while September and October offer harvest season on the wine route, with the added bonus of quieter trails and golden autumn colour through the Vosges foothills.

Local markets are one of the best ways to experience Alsatian food and culture up close. Depending on the day you start your walk, you may have the opportunity to visit morning markets in Riquewihr on Fridays, Barr and Ribeauvillé on Saturdays, and Kaysersberg on Mondays.

Prefer a more relaxed pace with more time to enjoy the food and wine of the region? Shorter walk options are available on days two, three and four, with transfers covering the sections you skip at an additional cost.

Day 2: Walk Barr to Andlau — 8km, approximately 2.5 hours, 300m elevation

Day 3: Start in Thannenkirch for an easier day — 8km, approximately 2.5 hours, 320m gain and 540m descent

Day 4: Transfer to Riquewihr for the shorter walk — 10km, approximately 3.25 hours, 340m gain and 400m descent


You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around four weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Start Date

Pick any available date — this is your trip, your schedule

August 2026

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Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Route des Vins d'Alsace is the oldest wine route in France, inaugurated in 1953. It runs 170km along the transition zone between the Vosges foothills and the Rhine Plain, threading through medieval wine villages where the vineyards literally press against the town walls. Unlike most French wine regions, Alsace labels by grape variety rather than village — Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, and Pinot Noir are all produced here. There are 51 designated Grand Cru plots, each reflecting the extraordinary mosaic of granite, limestone, volcanic rock, and sandstone soils that change every few hundred metres across the foothills.

Your main luggage is transported between accommodations each day while you walk — it will be waiting for you when you arrive at your next property. You carry only a daypack on the trail. Bags should be left at reception by the time specified in your walk notes. Keep valuables, medication, and important documents in your daypack, never in your transferred bag.

A comfortable daypack with a waterproof cover. Key items include a quality waterproof jacket, warm layer, sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 15+ minimum), comfortable walking boots, 1–2 litres of water, your packed lunch, a first aid kit, some cash, your phone, and your walk notes and map. Walking poles are optional but can be useful on the steeper Vosges sections in the 8-day itinerary. Bring binoculars if you have them — the white storks that nest across Alsace are one of the great wildlife sights of the region.

Very much so — it's actively encouraged. Many of the trails, including the dedicated Sentier des Grands Crus, pass directly through working estates and are designed to educate walkers on the different grape varieties as they go. Stopping at a cellar door mid-hike is a completely normal part of the day in Alsace, and the farmhouse inns (ferme-auberges) dotted along the routes make equally good reasons to pause.

The region is extraordinarily dense with things to see. Alsace has one of the highest concentrations of feudal castles in Europe — the Three Castles of Ribeauvillé and the imposing Haut-Koenigsbourg offer panoramic views across the vine-covered foothills. The medieval villages of Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé are among the most beautiful in France, with cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses that look unchanged from the 16th century. White storks — the symbol of the region — can be seen soaring above the vineyards, particularly around nesting season in spring.

France uses the Euro (€). Cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, and larger shops. Carry some cash too — smaller village cafés, ferme-auberges, and cellar doors sometimes prefer it, and you'll want coins for the odd boulangerie or market stall.

Tipping is not mandatory in France, but rounding up the bill or leaving a few Euros for attentive service at a restaurant is always appreciated. There are no fixed expectations.

Flag any allergies or dietary needs at the time of booking. Alsatian cuisine is meat and dairy-forward, so vegetarians and those with complex requirements will find things more manageable in the larger towns and cities than in the more rural ferme-auberges. Auswalk can advise at the time of booking on which properties are best placed to accommodate your needs. Bring supplementary snacks if your requirements are specific.

Want to Know More?

The Alsace Experience

Wonder
Walk sunlit vineyards between Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg’s half-timbered beauty
Discover Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg and Ribeauvillé’s Three Castles above shaded forest trails
Savour tarte flambée, kougelhopf and local Riesling in cosy Alsatian cafes
Wellness
Gentle Wine Route trails and moderate climbs with sweeping plains panoramas
Revivie each evening in charming 3 and 4-star village hotels
Taste farmhouse produce and regional wines at organic farms and family vineyards
Nature
Vineyards, wooded hills and Vosges forests unfolding beyond Barr and Itterswiller
Rolling meadows of the Green Canton dotted with traditional Vosgien farms
Peaceful trails from Château Hohnack to Munster through hamlets and mountain valleys