Strasbourg to Nancy
France Bike + Barge Tours
A bike and boat tour in the Alsace region of France
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€1180 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
This is bike and boat tour features the Alsace and Lorraine region of France.
You will cycle an idyllic landscape, dominated and protected by the mountain range of the Vosges. Castles and ruins perch on the mountain tops and world-famous vineyards grace the terrain.
The romantic Alsace cycling route features the European city of Strasbourg. The lovely city center, which is surrounded by the canals of the River Ill, was the first city center to be classified as a World Heritage Site.
This is a region with a blending of French and German history and culture. Fought over heavily in many wars, it is now a beacon for European reconciliation and unification. As a result of the mix of cultures, you can enjoy both good wine and good beer all along the route!
Highlights
- Dynamic Strasbourg, home to world-renowned historical heritage sites
- Wingersheim: capital of hops
- Bouxwiller, Tudor town center
- Parc Regional de Vosges, a wooded and natural area with many castles
- Alsace wine, famous worldwide
- Alsace beer, not as famous but just as good
- Sauerkraut, if not famous for many, famous for a few!
Would you like to see other bike and boat tours in France? Please click here for a complete list of all our bike and barge tours in France.
Itinerary
Strasbourg to Nancy
Day 1: Strasbourg, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Strasbourg - Wingersheim, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 3: Wingersheim - Dettwiller, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: Dettwiller - Saverne, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 5: Saverne - Niderviller, 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 6: Niderviller, sailing to Gondrexange, cycling to Lagarde, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 7: Lagarde, sailing to Hénaménil, cycling to Nancy, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 8: Nancy*All distances are approximate. The above-planned itinerary is subject to change, even on very short notice, due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, docking location changes, lock repairs, etc.
Day 1: Strasbourg, 9 mi. (15 km)
Embarkation begins at 12 pm - 2 pm. You can bring your luggage on board at 11 am but your cabin will not be ready for check-in. Embarkation should be completed by 2 pm and you will then enjoy a short ride to the village of Kehl in Germany to try out your bike to be sure all is well. In the evening, a guided walk in town will be offered.Day 2: Strasbourg - Wingersheim, 22 mi. (35 km)
You will start the week with an easy, flat ride through the Parc Pourtalés and then through the villages of La Wantzenau and Hoerdt.Day 3: Wingersheim - Dettwiller, 25 mi. (40 km)
First, on the agenda is a ride along the canal to Hochfelden where the famous Meteor brewery (since 1640!) can be found and visited. Later, there is opportunity to visit the old 15th-century Jewish cemetery in Ettendorf. Around lunchtime, you will be in Bouxwiller, one of the nicest villages in the North Alsace. The city center is adorned with Tudor style buildings, museums, churches, and a synagogue. The barge will be moored near the village of Dettwiller.Day 4: Dettwiller - Saverne, 25 mi. (40 km)
Today you ride through the hilly area of Parc Regional Vosges du Nord, on rural roads towards la-Petite-Pierre, a picture-perfect village with a beautiful castle. On the way back to Saverne, you pass by tiny Graufthal with its medieval troglodyte dwellings. The Benedictine Abbey that once existed here was the center of life in the 12th century. Now sandstone arches remain. The surrounding steep sandstones cliffs weres filled with caves carved into the rocks and were used as storage for the monks and were later occupied as homes, or houses of the rock. Listed as historical monuments in 1984, these dwellings were converted intopicturesque museum reconstituting the life as it once was. The periwinkle blue facades of these dwellings are the only manmade feature. The interiors are all carved from the rock. Your mooring place today is in the middle of town in Saverne. From the ship, there is a great view of the Vosges hills. If you do not want to ride in the hills (total altitude gain of about 600 meters) there is always the possibility to ride the shorter flat road along the canal.Day 5: Saverne - Niderviller, 19 mi. (30 km)
A morning visit to the Haut Barr castle near Saverne is a must and can be done by bike, on foot (1,5 hours), or by taxi. After the morning program, you ride mainly through the woods on a bike path along the canal and through the Vallée des Eclusiers to Niderviller. In Arzviller you can see the boat elevator (Saint-Louis-Arzviller Inclined Plane), part of the Marne-Rhine Canal. A magnificent piece of engineering, it enables the crossing of the Vosges Mountains. Before, the construction of this, a series of locks was necessary. Today's destination, Niderviller was very famous for its porcelain pottery. Although the factory is no in existance, the village still has a Niderviller porcelain shop.Day 6: Niderviller, sailing to Gondexage, cycling to Lagarde, 25 mi. (40 km)
You will enjoy a 4 hour morning cruise along the Rhine-Marne Canal, as the Clair de Lune sails from Niderviller to Gondrexage. Here you disembark for an easy flat ride through the nearby wetlands. Along the way, you pass Bataville. Bata is a well-known brand of shoes. The industrial complex in Bataville is built in the Bauhaus style of the Twenties. The factory closed in 2001 and is now a historical monument for industrial architecture which you will have opportunity to visit. Afterward, you continue along the canal on the traffic-free bike path to Lagarde.Day 7: Lagarde, sailing to Hénaménil, cycling to Nancy, 31 mi. (50 km)
Once again, you will enjoy a morning cruise, this time to Hénaménil where you disembark for the last ride of the week. First, you can visit the city of Luneville with its cathedral. At Luneville, you pass the frontline of WW1. This city was heavily fought over in 1914 and has an impressive French cemetery and necropolis. You can also visit the local museum on the Battle of Leomont Hill nearby. In St-Nicolas-Port the cathedral is worth a visit before you enter Nancy, city of museums, parks and lovely squares.Day 8: Nancy
Disembark before 10 AM.Nancy to Strasbourg
Day 1: Nancy, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Nancy, cycling to Hénaménil and sailing to Lagarde, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 3: Lagarde, cycling to Gondrexange and sailing to Niderviller, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: Niderviller - Saverne, 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 5: Saverne - Dettwiller, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 6: Dettwiller - Wingersheim, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 7: Windersheim - Strasbourg, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 8: Strasbourg*All distances are approximate. The above-planned itinerary is subject to change, even on very short notice, due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, docking location changes, lock repairs, etc.
Day 1: Nancy, 9 mi. (15 km)
Embarkation begins at 12 noon. You are asked to be on board by 2 pm. You can bring your luggage on board earlier but not before 11 am. You can take a test bike ride in the surrounding countryside and the evening , you will enjoy a guided city walk in town in the evening.Nancy is situated on the left bank of the river Meurthe, about 10 km upstream from its confluence with the Moselle. The Marne–Rhine Canal runs through the city, parallel to the Meurthe. The oldest part of Nancy is the quarter Vieille Ville – Léopold, which contains the 14th century Porte de la Craffe, the Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine, the Porte Désilles and the 19th-century St-Epvre basilica. Adjacent to its south is the quarter Charles III – Centre Ville, which is the 16th–18th century “new town”. This quarter contains the famous Place Stanislas, the Nancy Cathedral and the Opéra national de Lorraine. Place Stanislas, a large square built between March 1752 and November 1755 by Stanislaus I of Poland to link the medieval old town of Nancy and the new town built under Charles III in the 17th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 2: Nancy, cycling to Hénaménil and sailing to Lagarde, 31 mi. (50 km)
Today, you cycle along the Meurthe River to St-Nicolas-Port. If you would like, the cathedral here is worth a visit. You then continue on to the city of Lunéville with its castle. At Lunéville, you pass the front line of the Great War. This city was heavily fought over in 1914 and has an impressive French cemetery and necropolis. You can also visit the local museum on the Battle of Leomont Hill nearby. After a leisurely ride, you arrive in Hénaménil where the Clair de Lune is waiting for you to board and sail to Lagarde.Day 3: Lagarde, cycling to Gondrexange and sailing to Niderviller, 25 mi. (40 km)
You start the day with a ride along the canal on the traffic-free bike path to Bataville. Bata is a well-known brand of shoes. The industrial complex in Bataville is built in the Bauhaus style of the Twenties. The factory closed in 2001 and is now a historical monument for industrial architecture and can be visited. After Bataville, you cycle through the nearby wetlands, boarding the boat again, for an afternoon cruise along the Rhine-Marne Canal. In about 4 hours the Clair de Lune sails from Gondrexange to Niderviller.Day 4: Niderviller - Saverne, 19 mi. (30 km)
Niderviller was very famous for its porcelain pottery. Although the factory is no longer there the village still has a Niderviller porcelain shop. In Arzviller you can see the boat elevator (Saint-Louis-Arzviller Inclined Plane), part of the Marne-Rhine Canal. A magnificent piece of engineering, it enables the crossing of the Vosges Mountains. Before, the construction of this, a series of locks was necessary. You then ride mainly through the woods and through the Vallée des Eclusiers on the bike path along the canal to Saverne. An afternoon visit to the Haut Barr castle near Saverne is a must. This can be done by bike, on foot (1,5 hours) or by taxi.Day 5: Saverne - Dettwiller, 25 mi. (40 km)
The mooring place is in the middle of town in Saverne. From the ship, there is a great view of the Vosges hills. Today you will ride through the hilly area of Parc Regional Vosges du Nord. On the way up to Saverne, you pass by tiny Graufthal with its medieval troglodyte dwellings. The Benedictine Abbey that once existed here was the center of life in the 12th century. Now its pink sandstone arches remain. The surrounding steep sandstones cliffs weres filled with caves carved into the rocks that were used as storage for the monks and were later occupied as homes, or houses of the rock. Listed as historical monuments in 1984, these dwellings were converted into picturesque museum reconstituting the life as it once was. The periwinkle blue facades are the only manmade feature. The interiors are all carved from the rock. On country roads, you ride on towards la-Petite-Pierre, a picture-perfect village with a beautiful castle. From this pearl in the Alsace, you ride down to Dettwiller. If you do not want to ride in the hills with a total altitude gain of about 600 meters, there is always the possibility to ride the shorter flat road along the canal.Day 6: Dettwiller - Wingersheim, 25 mi. (40 km)
You ride through the typical countryside to Bouxwiller, once of the nicest villages in the North Alsace. It boasts a center with Tudor style buildings, museums churches, and a synagogue. Later we visit the old Jewish cemetery in Ettendorf en after that Hochfelden where the famous Meteor brewery (since 1640!) can be found and visited. To top it off there is a ride along the canal to the village of Wingersheim where the barge will wait for you.Day 7: Windersheim - Strasbourg, 22 mi. (35 km)
The last day of the week, you visit villages like La Wantzenau and Hoerdt where you can see your last Tudor style buildings. You end the week with a leisurely and flat ride through the Parc Pourtalés to the mooring place of the Clair de Lune near Strasbourg. In the afternoon there should be plenty of time to visits the town on the border with Germany. You may even cross over the Rhine into Germany. Strasbourg’s historic city center, the Grande Île (Grand Island), was classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988, the first time such an honor was placed on an entire city center. Strasbourg is immersed in Franco-German culture and although violently disputed throughout history, has been a cultural bridge between France and Germany for centuries.Day 8: Strasbourg
Disembark before 10 am.If you’re looking for a different flavor, check out our full list of bike and boat tours or view all our featured bicycle tours, specials, and news.
Boats & Bikes
On board the Standard class boat, the Clair de Lune
- Clair de Lune
Standard Class Boat
Originally built in 1936 as a freight ship in Belgium, like many of the vessels now used for biking and boating, this vessel was renovated and equipped for a new bike and boat adventure in and around Paris, launching in the spring of 2015. Read More
Inclusions
What’s Included
- All nights on board (incl. bedding, towels, soap)
- Breakfast and dinner on board
- Lunch packages when on the road
- Coffee and tea on board
- 24 speed city touring bike (Batavus Boulevard) equipped with pannier bags, lock, helmet, and water bottle (repair kits are available on request)
- Tour guide (cycles with the group)
- Min. 3 city walks with tour guide
- Free WiFi (limited, available in the lounge and on deck)
- Road book (one per cabin)
- Ferry fares on the route
- GPS tracks (on request)
What’s Not Included
- Beverages other than those mentioned as included
- Entrance fees
- Gratuities for tour guide and crew
- Bike protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
2022
Standard Class
Claire de Lune
Saturday departures
Strasbourg to Nancy
Standard season: June 4 & June 18, 2022
Low season: July 2, 2022
Nancy to Strasbourg
Standard season: June 11, 2022
Low season: June 25, 2022Cabin type Standard season Low season Double bed $ 1983 £ 1121 $ 1,775 € 1295 ₪ 4686 NZ$ 2188 kr 13799 $ 1,375 $ 1822 £ 1030 $ 1,631 € 1190 ₪ 4307 NZ$ 2011 kr 12680 $ 1,264 Split level bed $ 1983 £ 1121 $ 1,775 € 1295 ₪ 4686 NZ$ 2188 kr 13799 $ 1,375 $ 1822 £ 1030 $ 1,631 € 1190 ₪ 4307 NZ$ 2011 kr 12680 $ 1,264 Single $ 2152 £ 1217 $ 1,926 € 1405 ₪ 5085 NZ$ 2374 kr 14971 $ 1,492 $ 2022 £ 1143 $ 1,809 € 1320 ₪ 4777 NZ$ 2231 kr 14065 $ 1,402 Extra Options
2022
Electric bike: $ 142 £ 81 $ 127 € 93 ₪ 337 NZ$ 157 kr 991 $ 99 Gluten-Free, Celiac or Vegan Diet: $ 77 £ 43 $ 69 € 50 ₪ 181 NZ$ 84 kr 533 $ 53 Tag-Along Bike with helmet (ages 5-9): $ 84 £ 48 $ 75 € 55 ₪ 199 NZ$ 93 kr 586 $ 58 Bike Seat with helmet (age 11 mos-5 yrs): $ 23 £ 13 $ 21 € 15 ₪ 54 NZ$ 25 kr 160 $ 16 Bike Trailer: $ 305 £ 172 $ 273 € 199 ₪ 720 NZ$ 336 kr 2120 $ 211 Child's 21-speed bike with helmet (ages 9+): $ 92 £ 52 $ 82 € 60 ₪ 217 NZ$ 101 kr 639 $ 64
Children's discounts availablePlease Note
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy
You will cycle part of the tour along the Marne-Rhine Canal. This tour is suitable for people of all ages. On some days you will encounter short slopes with differences in heights up to 75 meters. On other days you will cycle a gently rolling terrain. There is one day in which 600 meters of height differential may be incurred but there are options for shorter distances and less climbing. You should expect to spend about 5 hours on your bicycle.
Airport Info
The nearest airport to the embarkation point of the barge is Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) whether you are beginning in Strasbourg or in Nancy.
Local Travel
Tour starts in Strasbourg:
By TGV train and bus it is about 2 hours to the railway station in the center of Strasbourg. From the train station, you will take a taxi to the boat which will be moored north of the city center. Travel time by taxi to the boat will be about 15 minutes depending on traffic.
Tour starts in Nancy:
By train and bus, it is about 2.5 hours to the railway station in the center of Nancy via high-speed train station Lorraine TGV. Taxi from the train station to the boat.Climate
Because this is a wine-growing region, you already know there is plenty of sun! Sheltered by the Vosges, Alsace also has lower rainfall levels than the neighboring regions. The Alsatian climate is semi-continental, with major variations according to the time of year. As always, please check local conditions before your arrival! There are many good websites to use to research regional weather including average high/low temperatures, average rainfall, and more.
Important to know
Travel Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.Covid-19 Info
Country Entry Requirements
Due to the changing requirements for entry, it is imperative that you stay up to date on requirements set by the country/countries that you are visiting. Please visit our Travel Restrictions Tool page and the country/countries government webpage for this information.
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Cycle Tours.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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