Another cycling route, and another chance to sample the wines along the Main River. The Main River valley is famous for its wines and its long-distance bike trail, the Main Radweg. It is one of Germany’s most popular cycling itineraries, justifiably beloved for its combination of pretty scenery, easy riding, welcoming towns and villages, and its wine culture. Many cyclists complete the entire Main Radweg. It is almost 400 kilometers long, and is not a circuit. This endeavor calls for time as well as careful advanced planning, which are usually in short supply for most of us. The Geniesser Tour cycling itinerary however is a wonderful alternative. Depending on stops, it is a half-day to a day-long circuit through one of the quietest sections of the Main Radweg in the Franconian wine region’s eastern Maindreieck district.
Beginning in Dettelbach, a well-known wine village, the trail followed along the river on the Main Radweg for about three kilometers. At Mainstockheim, the Geniesser Tour route peeled off into the hills above the river. The GWF, or the Winzergemeinschaft Franken, to give it its full name, came into view after passing through Buchbronn. GWF wines can come from grapes from various wine districts of Franconia. But the closest were found along the trail in the vineyards outside little Repperndorf. The trail entered Kitzingen shortly thereafter. It is undoubtedly the largest town in the area, with an historic center that is well worth the 500-meter detour. But if you push on, not to worry: the route does circle back to Kitzingen, albeit on the other side of the river.
The trail soon meandered along the Main again, on a cool, green stretch of beautifully maintained bike path. Here though, the Geniesser Tour route was not following the Main Radweg, which from Kitzingen’s historic center crossed to the other side of the river. The point is that nice bicycle paths exist on both sides of the Maindreieck’s river frontage, enabling cyclists to choose which side of the river they would like to visit. Additionally, a sufficient number of bridges, and even ferries, along this section of the river allow cyclists to rejoin a trail on the opposite bank with ease.
Sulzfeld am Main, a pretty little village set a bit off the river, soon came into view. Like Kitzingen, it also has an historic center well worth a detour. Hidden behind its well-preserved town walls, it is normally quieter and more compact than that of its larger neighbor. But the day I was there, a rollicking festival right along the trail made for a convivial atmosphere as I walked my bike through the crowd lining the river walk. In any event, whether quiet or more raucous, it is a charming village.
At Segnitz, the circuit then crossed the Main. Up to this point, the trail had headed downriver. Now the upriver as well as the other uphill section began. Joining Main Radweg at Marktbreit, the Geniesser Tour itinerary left it outside Marktsteft to proceed on a long but gentle incline to the quiet village of Sickershausen. Then it headed downhill to Kitzingen’s left bank.
More than its historic section, Kitzingen’s extensive and well-laid-out riverside park on this side of the Main is truly impressive. In early July, the flowers were blooming, the tree leaves a rich, dark, mature color, and the vista of the town center opposite unimpeded and intriguing. The Main Radweg also follows along the same route for a while, but crosses the old bridge heading into the town. Instead, the Geniesser Tour headed straight along the river path past Etwashausen and Albertshofen to Mainsondheim, and its old palace.
A couple of kilometers later, the trail rejoins the Main Radweg to cross the Main River again. The two itineraries continue together to Dettelbach, to the start and end of the Geniesser Tour circuit. I had cycled part of the Main Radweg before, from Wuerzburg to Volkach. Even with my best friend providing vehicle support, it wasn’t easy to judge the pick-up time at the end of this stage, and I missed him at Dettelbach, where we’d planned to have lunch. The Geniesser Tour circuit itinerary provided a great alternative, and covered much of the same route, with the advantage of visiting both sides of the river in this little-visited section of the Maindreieck wine district.
