There are three distinct wine districts in the Franconian Wine Region: The Mainviereck, the Maindreieck and the Steigerwald. Vineyards here can face more challenges than elsewhere in the region. While the first two districts follow along the Main River, the Steigerwald wine district does not. This means that the climate-moderating effects of a river do not apply. Additionally, the highest vineyards in the Franconian wine region lie in this district, some at almost 400 meters above sea level. Therefore, the elevation, as well as the distance from the Main River means that spring weather effects can come later, and fall weather effects can come earlier, and have more impact, than elsewhere in this wine region.
It should have been a bike ride with family. But we couldn’t find nearby bikes to rent. Then due to time and impending weather constraints, it had to be right then and there. So, in the end, it had to be a hike of the trail we intended to bike. And as we went along, I realized this circuit trail truly was ideal for bicycling as a family with young children (tweens, at the oldest), or with family members out of shape (or practice) biking.
From the shady parking area at the trailhead, which provided a great spot for a group preparing to embark on an adventure, the trail went along D8, the main road following the around the peninsula that is Anglars-Juillac, as defined by one of many loops created by the Lot River. The Lot River is famous for its sinuous course on its way to the Garonne, and its many twists and turns offer countless perspectives on the river and its landscapes. (If you want to make an easy half-mile detour to see the river, it is best to do so within a half mile of the trail’s start, following D67, before heading away from the water, and into the vineyards covering more than half of this peninsula.)
Trail Name: Au Travers du Vignoble de Cahors (AKA 1)
Trail Type: Short-distance bicycle circuit; well-maintained with hard (paved or packed earth) surfaces; marking for this itinerary is very good.
Length:
Total – 6.3 kilometers/3.9 miles
Convenient to: Cahors
Marking:
Very well marked, if following clockwise, by rectangular green and white signs with a white stylized bicycle and rider, and a named trail sign in black lettering at the start. (See comments.)
Like last month, the pandemic has left me without many cycling options for 2021. Therefore, I would like to take the time this month to note some of my favorite cycling itineraries passing through vineyard areas in Europe, in the hopes that someday soon, we can all get out there again to enjoy outdoor and wine tasting adventures with friends!
The Place: Germany (Baden) and France (Alsace)
No boundaries! See great wine producing districts on both sides of the Rhine.
The Activity: Cycling a 235-kilometer-long circuit, the Romanik und Wein/Style Roman et Vin
Why this one: This cycling itinerary offers great diversity: From Black Forest Mountains to the Vosges Mountains, through bucolic fields, woods, and vineyards of course, through hamlets, picturesque villages and the city of Strasbourg, passing from easy, to moderate, to more challenging cycling segments. Cyclists will discover quiet, charming, unspoiled locations in which to take a break, and enjoy the atmosphere. Then comes Strasbourg, with its almost overwhelming sights and opportunities for food, wine, cultural events and people-watching from numerous cafes. Finally, while there is some street riding (although very little of it through Strasbourg as this itinerary passes through the city’s extensive pedestrian zones), much of this itinerary is vehicle-free, using agricultural access lanes, bike paths and even canal tow paths, repurposed and maintained (!) for bicycles.
Caveats: I did not cycle the segment between Wasselonne and Hagenau because this area has no vineyards and it had the most street-riding along the whole itinerary. Therefore, I cannot address any issues there. Most cyclists would require at least three days to complete this circuit, cycling at least 78 kilometers/48 miles a day.
Winning Wine Discovery: Two very different wine cultures and both are delicious!
From East to West:
The Black Forest Mountains, Germany
On the Trail: Fields by Hofweier, Germany
Heading to Strasbourg on the Rhone to Rhine Canal
Strasbourg, France
The Vosges, France
The Place: Switzerland, the Valais Canton
The Activity: Cycling the 82-kilometer-long Chemin du Vignoble trail from Martigny to Leuk
Why this One: The Alpine scenery is spectacular, no doubt about it. The mountainsides rise dramatically all around, the blue-green Rhone River pours through the valley between them, and cyclists pedal along, enjoying the beauty of it all.
Caveats: This route is listed as difficult, and two days are suggested to complete it. (Sion is the suggested intermediary point.) However, if you reverse the itinerary (from Leuk to Martigny), it is much easier, as it follows the river valley downhill, vice uphill. Mind, there will still be some inclines, but except for the long uphill segment between St Leonard and Grimisuat, they were not show stoppers.
Winning Wine Discovery: Arvine, also known as Petit Arvine, is a white grape varietal indigenous to the Valais region, and very rarely found elsewhere. It is nicely crisp, with unique mineral and citrus flavors. All combined to form a memorable palate of tangy, salty, and slightly sweet (due to ripe, white stone fruit flavors), making a uniquely delicious wine.
From the Chemin du Vignoble, Switzerland
The Rhone by Martigny
St Pierre de Clage, Switzerland
Rhone River Valley by Sion
The Place: Italy, Bozen/Bolzano
The Activity: Cycling the Weinradroute Nord/Itinerario Nord/Vino e Bici circuit
Why this One: Set in the beautiful Dolomites in the well-regarded Suedtirol/Alto Adige wine region of northern Italy, this district is much less frequented by tourists than many other regions of Italy. But that is not to say it is not visited. It is a popular spot for vacationing Germans and Austrians who take full advantage of the area’s great hiking and biking trails, and the good and plentiful lodging opportunities. In fact, this itinerary is just one of three interconnected (via the Etsch/Adige bike trail) wine-themed cycling circuits. Thus, while the German names might confuse those not familiar with the rich cultural history of this area, relax – it is still Italy after all – enjoy the great weather of this sunny side of the Alps and take the time to cycle all three!
Caveats: There are some segments of street cycling along narrow roads, with little or no shoulders. Bring a good map or navigation device, as the trail markings were not always where they needed to be.
Winning Wine Discovery: Lagrein is a red grape varietal grown both in the Suedtirol and the neighboring Trentino region. It vinifies as a red wine that produces powerful red berry aromas and flavors.
Finally, the Sentiero Valtellina gets an honorable mention here. The trail itself is marvelously laid out along the river valley floor, with views of vertiginous mountainsides, covered with vineyards on the lower stretches, and followed by forests and snow-capped peaks. But most impressive is the fact that five communities work together to keep this trail in great shape, and unusually for Italy, much of this trail’s itinerary is on dedicated bike path!
The Alsatians call their sparkling wines Cremant. But these were not the only bubbles (“bulles”) that I found along this “Bulles et Bugatti” cycling itinerary. There were wineries and taverns offering the Cremant of Alsace, of course. But equally enjoyable were the bubbling creeks along much of the way, from the Dachsteinerbach, the Bruche and its canal, the Mossig, Frankenbach and Kehlbach, finally, the Stillbach, (it wasn’t), a melodious stream bubbling its way to the Bruche.
Confluence: Stillbach, Muehlbach and the Bruche
The Bruche empties into the Ill, a tributary to the Rhine, by Strasbourg. Starting in the Vosges mountains, it ultimately flows by the vineyards in the foothills of the Vosges, before entering the flat fields surrounding Strasbourg. This geography lesson just to let you know that the itinerary did have some hills, but also some very flat stretches. Especially memorable for its peaceful, rural aspect was the section riding along the Bruche Canal, a paved and beautifully maintained bike path. It is even possible to follow this trail all the way to the heart of Strasbourg!
Along the Bruche Canal
But this itinerary also included the hills and dales in the heart of the Bas Rhin vineyards. Departing Molsheim, and passing Dachstein, a medieval walled and effectively moated village, the ride proceeds mostly on a flat bike path, which is a delight, to the canal. The hills begin where the canal ends, at Soulz-les Bains.
Dachstein: Manmade Walls, Natural Moat
As the name implies, there is a spa in Soulz, a small village with a wonderful bakery, and Lucien Doriath’s excellent restaurant dedicated to foie gras. (Don’t worry, you can work it all off while on the numerous hiking and cycling trails passing through the village.) In addition to the Bruche and its canal, the Mossig also runs through this area. In fact, this whole itinerary sits in a watershed, and water is impossible to avoid.
Sunlit Vineyards by Soulz-les-Bains
From Soulz, the itinerary climbs. As it does, vineyards replace fields, and the wine village of Bergbieten with its Grand Cru vineyard appears. Balbronn, another well-known wine village, is picturesquely surrounded by vineyards. Between there and Flexbourg, the higher elevations of the Vosges mountains come into view providing magnificent photo opportunities.
Beyond the Vines: Fields and Vosges
Once out of the hills, more rivers and streams appear. A marvelous confluence of several of these appear on the approach to Dinsheim sur Bruche. I cycled along the Stillbach, to where it joins the Bruche, then over the Muhlbach to cross the Bruche once again just before re-entering Molsheim. On the outskirts is the Bugatti factory. Bugatti was founded in Molsheim, and it still produces fantastic cars of distinction there. I must confess though, I saw few cars, much less Bugatti ones (the least expensive model starts at over two million dollars), while cycling, making this a relatively car free itinerary overall.
Molsheim: Bugatti Plant
Molsheim is a small town, but the largest in this area. It is known to the wine world as the site of the Grand Cru Bruderthal, a “production” site as much esteemed locally as the Bugatti plant. The town itself boasts a couple of charming squares, fronted by historic and attractive half-timbered buildings. It is a nice place to base, if spending some time in the area. It has several restaurants serving good food and local wines, as well as a couple of wineries. Fortunately, all food and wine offerings, even the Cremant d’Alsace wines, cost only miniscule fractions of the cost of a Bugatti, hence may be happily enjoyed by all!
Anspruchsvoll – demanding, as in challenging, the one word I did not know in the German language online description of this trail. Everything else in the description was comprehensible, and seemed ideal – rural, mostly on trails, two Swiss cantons/wine districts- so what difference could the final word make?
The Basel-Land vineyard area is found high above the Rhine River. To get there from Rheinfelden required a two-mile-long uphill climb. But while I felt like celebrating by the time I looked down on Olsberg and its famous former convent, looking toward the horizon, I realized that this would be a climbing itinerary.
Above the Olsberg Cloister
By the third hill, I wondered about that one word. Being lazy (I had read it online, too lazy even to google translate!), I would not have ordinarily attempted this itinerary, as there were indeed mountains (albeit not the Alps) to cycle up – starting with the first one, the slog from the Rhine River, past the train station and along the lovely allee up to the official start point, and then some.
Top of the Allee
But being very determined, I also wouldn’t stop. So, continuing to follow the itinerary over hill and dale, I cycled past miles of pristine working farms, orchards and fields, all the way to Liestal, the only real town on the route. It lays in a narrow valley along the river Ergolz, a tributary to the Rhine. Its old town center still has a part of medieval wall with a tower. It would have been a good place to walk a bit to enjoy the sights at a snail’s pace, and to relax my thigh muscles.
Liestal: Old Gate Tower
Instead, I found myself walking when halfway up the Brunneberg, as I risked rolling backwards downhill pedaling so slowly. While it was only about three-quarters of a mile to the Edleten Hut, this part of the itinerary was rather steep. The hut itself was typical of the hiking huts found in the German-speaking hiking world, with a nice overhang to protect against rain, a picnic table, and in a cool clearing in the middle of the woods. Almost at the very top, it was a great place to stop for a water break.
Waldhuette Edleten
From this point on, the hills were easier. To reach Wintersingen, then Buus and the first vines I would encounter, I had to pass through Hersberg and Nusshof (uphill, again). Nuss means nut, the name giving an indication of what its claim to fame had been. Passing the village hall, the village flag on display showed three nuts, which turned out to be red hazelnuts. Maybe a lack of oxygen at this point caused me to hallucinate about the Piedmont, in Italy, where hazelnuts likewise grow in close proximity to vines, on similarly steep hillsides.
From Hersberg
There is a climb out of Wintersingen, but rewardingly, it led to Buus, a village set quite attractively against tree-topped hills and vines in the sun. For the next few miles, vines predominated in this overwhelmingly agricultural landscape. And Maisprach seemed to be the center of viticulture for this part of the Basel-Landschaft wine district. The lush vineyards looked down from their lofty positions above the village. The little village was compact, and proverbially tidy. It even had a couple of eateries featuring local wines.
Buus, Switzerland
On leaving Maisprach, the itinerary leaves the Basel-Land canton. I was back in the Aargau, about to close the circuit, first going through Magden, then along a great shaded trail at the edge of the woods to the start point. But the best part for this lazy cyclist was the downhill gradient all the way to the Rhine, and my hotel!
Switzerland does indeed have vineyards, and produces its own quality wines under a system similar to the French appellation system. Only about two percent of all Swiss wine is exported, and most of that to neighboring Germany. Furthermore, the largest and best-known vineyard areas are in southern Switzerland, in the Cantons of Valais, Vaud and Ticino. Less well known are the wines of the Deutschschweiz, or German Switzerland, in the northwest corner of Switzerland.
The cycling itinerary I followed traversed vineyards in the Basel-Landschaft Canton, and the Aargau Canton, in the northwest corner of the Deutsche Schweiz. Like many places north of the Alps, viticulture in this part of Switzerland arrived with the Romans, and picked up again as Christian monasteries took root in the area. This whole history is neatly encapsulated in two towns lying side by side: Basel-Landschaft’s Augst, formerly the Roman colony of Augusta Raurica, with a large Roman era archeology site today; and the Aargau’s Kaiseraugst, an imperial stronghold and site of a monastic foundation in the medieval era.
Within the Deutschschweiz, there are several appellations, often named after the cantons. Both the Aargau and Basel-Landschaft cantons produce wines, which are bottled under eponymous appellations, albeit on a smaller scale than other Deutschschweiz cantons, like Schaffhausen or the Graubuenden. Both produce predominately red wines, as Pinot Noir is one of the primary red grapes grown here. Only about one third of the grapes are white, mostly Chasselas and Pinot Gris.
While there are plenty of vineyards, there were few wineries on the ground to visit (only about six along the whole route). As is often the case in smaller wine-producing regions, the local grapes are often vinified in a nearby cellar that will produce wine from the harvests of small, independent vineyards.
What I Tasted
2017 Blanc de Noir, Trocken, AOC Basel Landschaft, Siebe Dupf Kellerei (Liestal): A dry red grape (Pinot Noir) wine, vinified white; with pale gold color, fruity nose with ripe berry fruit flavors; very smooth, velvety mouthfeel, pure fruit flavor shines through with virtually no tannins or acidity TDA
2017 Pinot Noir, Maispracher Pinot Noir, Trocken, AOC Basel Landschaft, Siebe Dupf Kellerei (Liestal): A dry red wine with medium ruby red color; nose of vanilla and cherry and flavors of the same; medium tannins
Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit bicycling itinerary; well-maintained with hard (paved or packed earth) surfaces; no marking for this itinerary.
Length:
Total – 40.7 kilometers/25 miles
Convenient to: Basel or Rheinfelden, Switzerland
Marking: None specific to the itinerary
Trail Description: While starting in a small city, this trail leads uphill to the hinterlands above the Rhine, through a variety of agricultural landscapes (orchards, fields, vineyards), as well as through forests and riverlands. No doubt the hills will be challenging to many, given the numbers of them, (even though the gradients never got above the 8-10 percent range), due to the length of some of them.
Trailhead:
Official: Rheinfelden: Olsbergerstr/Rueschelenhaldenweg x Bergweg
Mine: Train station to Alleeweg to the official start
Parking:
Rheinfelden center: None free, but parking garages and lots, one of each on Schutzenweg, closest to the trail;
Rheinfelden outskirts (Riburgerstr): Park and Pool (at the traffic circle) (24-hour restriction), Sportanlagen Schiffacker
Arisdorf: Parking Kaenelmatt on Kaenelmattstr
Public Transportation Options:
Information for both rail (Basel to Rheinfelden or Liestal), and bus services from these towns to the villages listed below, may be found at the Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz (TNW) website at tnw.ch/fahrplan-liniennetz/online-fahrplan (as of October 2020)
Rheinfelden: Forest trail, Rheinfelderweg, Rheinfelderstr; Olsberg: downhill through fields and vineyards, Hofgutweid, through Chloster grounds (formerly Olsberg Cloister), Hagachermatt, Hauptstr; Arisdorf: Arisdorferstr, Olsbergerstr, Hauptstr, Winkel, Kaenelmattstr, underpass beneath highway, fields, Arisdorferstr; Fuellinsdorf: Obererhofackerstr, down a flight of stairs at Obererhofackerstr x Huempelweg, Liestalerstr; Uetental: Uetentalweg, Suttenbergweg, Oberer Burghaldenweg, Erzenbergstr; Liestal: Gaststr, Rheinstr, path to Kasernenstr, Militaerstr, Kasinostr, over highway, Heidenlochstr; Lausen: Gartenstr, Weiherhofstr, Ringstr, Apfelhurststr-Edletenweg, up the mountain to Waldhuette Edleten, through woods for a while; Hersberg: Hersbergerstr, Hauptstr; Nusshof: Hauptstr, left onto Sissacherstr, Breitenhof path to Wintersingen; Wintersingen: Im Graben, Hauptstr, Buelweg, Dorfmattstr, fields, Rickenbacherstr briefly, then fields along the ridge overlooking town; Buus: Wiebentalweg, Hauptstr, Laigweg, path paralleling Hauptstr; Maisprach: Buuserstr, Magdenerstr, Hauptstr; Magden: bike path to Salzackerweg paralleling Hauptstr, Buenn-Sonnenplatz, Hauptstr, Bruelstr, Waldweg, Mooshaldenweg
Representative Trail Photos:
Representative Hard-Packed Surface
Representative Unpaved Trail Segment
Restrooms:
Rheinfelden: Froeschweid, a pay toilet by the parking garage (Only one seen, and not on the trail!)
Attractions on or near Trail:
Nothing wine-themed, other than the tranquil scenes of vineyards!
Tasting along the Trail:
Magden, Maisprach Buus and Wintersingen all have taverns serving local wine, although hours are limited. Olsberg also has a tavern, the Weinresidenz, in the village center. The larger towns, Rheinfelden and Liestal both have lots of cafes and restaurants that sell wine by the glass, although they might not be local. Liestal has the Siebe Dupf Kellerei, which is a cellar vinifying grapes from local farmers, and has a shop open Monday through Saturdays all day!
Alternative Options:
Hiking: The 13-kilometer long Syydebaendel & Rebenweg, trail (not a circuit!) from Maisprach to Wintersingen, through mostly vineyards and fields.
