Classic Alsace

What sort of weather can I expect?

Meteorological records for the area, taken over a period of more than 10 years, are represented in the Weather Chart provided with each itinerary.

Sheltered by the Vosges mountains, Alsace is one of the driest regions of France (Colmar has just 550 mm of rain per year!). Though its winters are harsh, summers are hot and dry with plenty of sunshine, and breezes from the hills. Spring is also extremely pleasant  -those walking the higher routes should bring extra layers as it can be chilly in some parts in to summer. Autumn, which often enjoys an Indian summer, brings brilliant colours to the vineyards and forests, and intriguing mists on the plains.

What sort of walking can I expect?

The walking is through vineyards, meadows, along forest and farm tracks, on quiet country lanes and pilgrim tracks, and on the higher sections of the route across rolling hills.  The fitness level of this trip is Grade 2+ - 4 , with a wide variety of walking options. The walking is reasonably challenging if you take the longer and higher options. You will need walking boots with firm ankle support, and we recommend you bring walking sticks and layers for the higher elevations.

8-day: Walks are offered on 5 days (or 6 with the optional extension). 5-day: Walks are offered on 3 days (4 with optional extension). The walk lengths vary from 2 hours to a maximum of 10 hours walking.

Hours of walking, which may vary from individual to individual, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing or rests. On certain days paths may cross a more rugged terrain or ground that is muddy in wet weather – please make sure that your foot­wear provides sufficient ankle support.

What if I don't want to walk?

You don’t have to! You can get a lift with the Route Manager to the next hotel when your bags are moved on, or we can arrange taxis and advise you of local transport options to facilitate shortening the walks.

How do I get to the start of the route?

Travel to France

The recommended destination airports for this walking holiday in Alsace are Strasbourg and Basel-Mulhouse. There are also excellent connections from Paris Charles de Gaulle. From London St Pancras station there are several daily departures to Strasbourg via Paris or Lille, taking approximately 7 hours. The advantage of going via Lille is that you do not have to change stations; however trains are more frequent (and often cheaper) going via Paris, which requires a 10 minute walk between the Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est. Please visit  www.raileurope.com for timetables. 

Travel to Obernai

From Strasbourg airport: 

By train: Entzheim station is a 5-minute walk from the airport (via a pedestrian walkway), from where there are regular trains to Obernai, the trains direction might indicate ‘Selestat’ or ‘Colmar’ (20-40 minutes, €5-€7). If you arrive at a time when the departures are less frequent, take a train to Molsheim, which is en route to Obernai, from where there are more frequent departures. See en.oui.sncf/en

Alternatively a taxi from Strasbourg airport to Obernai will cost from €60.  

If you are pre-extending in Strasbourg you can easily reach the city centre from the airport via the airport shuttle to Strasbourg train station (journey time 8 minutes, 4 per hour)

From Strasbourg train station (city centre): From Strasbourg train station take a TER train to Obernai, the trains direction might indicate ‘Selestat’ or ‘Colmar’. There are frequent trains weekdays and Saturdays, (30 minutes, €8). On Sundays the direct trains are less frequent, so you may prefer to take a taxi (from €60). Timetables:  en.oui.sncf/en

From Basel-Mulhouse airport:

Please note that the airport has both French and Swiss sectors. arriving passengers can choose if they want to leave the baggage claim area for France or for Switzerland – the respective exits are clearly marked - so please take the French exit! 

If, for any reason, you do however find yourself in Switzerland, it is possible to cross into France within the airport terminal but not between carparks. The cross-over point within the airport is on the Departures level (level 3); you will merely need to show your passport. 

From the airport, take the airport shuttle bus to St Louis train station (runs every 30 minutes, €2.50). From here there are regular trains to Obernai via either Selestat or Strasbourg (duration 2-2.5 hours, depending on the day/time of your journey and the number of changes; €25). For timetables, see the website: en.oui.sncf/en. The ‘St Louis’ station you want is ‘Haut Rhin’ (there are several options on the site). Alternatively a taxi from Basel-Mulhouse to Obernai will cost from €250.

First hotels

Instructions to reach the first hotels from the train station can be found in the route book.

Taxi bookings

Please place your booking with the ATG office at least two weeks before departure. The cost of the taxi will be confirmed to you once the booking is secured. Payment of the taxi fare should be made locally, not to ATG. The driver will have your flight details and will be waiting in Arrivals with a sign showing your name or ATG.

• If you change your flight please notify us  so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule the taxi for you.

• If, on the day of departure, your flight is cancelled or you miss or change it, please immediately contact the ATG emergency number (number is provided in trip documentation) so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule or cancel the taxi for you.

• If your flight is delayed and you have arranged for the taxi to meet you at the destination airport, your taxi driver will wait for you.

• If you are delayed and you have arranged for a taxi to meet you at a non airport location (e.g. train station) it is essential that you contact your Route Manager or call the ATG emergency
line to notify us at the earliest possible moment, so we can contact the taxi company to re-schedule or cancel the taxi for you.

• Please note that failure to advise ATG that you cannot meet the taxi booked for you, may result in the taxi costs being passed back to you.

Important: Taxi prices quoted apply to the local firm used regularly by ATG – and are guaranteed only if you book through the office in advance. If you get a taxi off a taxi rank please ask the driver to confirm the price for the journey before departing.

Where can I leave my car if I drive to the route?

Standard route: Le Colombier (Obernai) has secure parking for €13 per night. This must be booked in advance via the office. Les Remparts (Kaysersberg) offers both free parking and secure parking for €7 per day. Superior route:  Le Chambard (Kaysersberg) offers free parking to their guests.

What should I bring?

Bring whatever clothes and footwear you find most comfortable for everyday wear, and a change or two for the evenings – smart/casual.
Some trips include quite distinguished hotels and restaurants, for which you may wish to ‘dress up’ in the evening, however on Independent trips you have more flexibility in determining how casual you wish to be. For walking we recommend lightweight walking boots with firm ankle support (make sure you wear them in before the trip!), a small daypack for your lightweight waterproof clothing, camera, fleece etc. An increasing number of people bring telescopic walking poles. For a comprehensive packing list click here: what to bring

What should I bring to wear in the evenings?

Dinner is eaten in your hotel on two evenings (1 evening on 5-day route). On other nights you can select from a wide variety of local restaurants. There are so many Michelin restaurants in this area you are spoilt for choice. However there are plenty of other excellent restaurants in each town to suit all budgets. The dress in this area is generally smart/casual, however if you will be eating in Michelin * restaurants you may wish to bring a jacket / dress or skirt.

Do the hotels have WIFI, hair dryers, laundry service?

All have WIFI and hair dryers. Laundry service: Standard route - only the first hotel; Superior route - 3 of the hotels.

What sort of food can I expect?

Alsatian cuisine has a heavy Germanic influence, and though hearty, their cooking is also refined and delicious, and taken very seriously. Alsace boasts a very high concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants and 'weinstube' (restaurant/wine-bars) -you will not be disappointed if you are interested in gastronomy. Pork, in various forms, is a staple, and is usually served with choucroute (sauerkraut or 'sour cabbage'), which is often combined with other basics such as onions and potatoes. Other Alsatian favourites include baeckeoffe, a potato and meat stew marinated and slow-cooked in wine: and flammekueche or tarte flambée, a sort of pizza made with crème fraiche, onions and bacon. Alsace is also one of the world's chief producers of foie gras, which was invented in Strasbourg; and Munster is one of the well-known regional cheeses. The area is also renowned for its desserts - dense cakes, custard tarts, spicy biscuits and apple strudel.

Wine etc...

Alsace's elegant white wines are world renowned - the region supplies over 18% of France's production of still white wine. This region produces Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc - among the best wines in the world. Local ‘weinstube’ are the best place to go for a sample of these light,
tart wines as well as the local fruity brandies (normally 80-proof) called ‘eaux de vies’, which literally translates as ‘water of life’. Though famous for its wines, Alsace is also the main beer-producing region of France, with breweries in and around Strasbourg producing several major names, including Kroenenbourg, Karlsbrau, Fischer and Heineken.

Several of our independent routes pass through well-known wine producing regions, with opportunities for wine tasting along the route. If you are particularly interested in wine this trip is an excellent choice! You may also like to consider...

• Provence: Vaucluse & the Lubéron

• Siena to Florence

• Southern Tuscany

• Ancient Volcanic Landscapes

• Tuscany & Siena

• Barolo & the Langhe Hills 

• Tuscan Hills

• Roman Roads to Orvieto

• Etruscan Lanes to Orvieto

• Umbria & Assisi

• Sintra & the Portuguese Coast

Breakfast

Most of the hotels we use offer a buffet-style breakfast with a wide range of both hot and cold choices. 4- and 5-star hotels almost always offer ‘cooked’ breakfast. Occasionally, in more remote areas, or in some 2 or 3-star hotels, breakfast can be a decidedly more ‘Continental’ affair – i.e. bread, croissant, juice, coffee.

Lunch

The ATG Route Booklets and our ‘Sustainable Shopping Guides’ are filled with information about markets and shops in which to buy your lunch. From seasonal fruits, local cheeses, cured hams and freshly baked breads, you are limited only by what you can carry in your pack!

Dinner

On some routes, usually where there is no other restaurant within walking distance, half-board accommodation is included (see ‘what is included’ for this trip). In other areas where there is a selection of restaurants, ATG includes a list of recommendations in your ATG Route Booklet. Some restaurants are recommended because they have provided meals that have been regularly enjoyed by ATG clients; other restaurants are renowned internationally (e.g., within the Guide Michelin).

Restaurant bookings

Your Route Manager will be delighted to book restaurants for you if required, ensuring the places you eat at are...

•Your first choice

•The highest standard

• The best value

...and you are not disappointed by finding the restaurant full.

What if I have a dietary restriction or food allergy?

When you book, let us know about any restrictions. This will give the Tour Manager the opportunity to shop and prepare menus
accordingly prior to your trip. At the start of the trip the Tour Manager will meet with you to discuss in more detail your requirements.

How much should I budget for items not included?

You can get an idea of transport costs in the ‘getting there’ section of
the trip page. For lunches, costs will depend on whether you choose to buy picnic items or eat in bars/restaurants. Dinners: some are included (see ‘what’s included’). For evening meals not included, the route book provides restaurant recommendations to suit a wide range of budgets. Entrance fees to museums, churches, galleries and other sightseeing costs will vary considerably depending on how much you want to see and how old you are (!). Over 60s enjoy significantly reduced prices at many attractions, so it is worth carrying (safely) some form of identification showing your age. Other costs are items of a personal nature, shopping expenditure and transport if you choose to limit your walking with public transport or taxis.

What if I want to extend my trip?

We are delighted to book extension hotels for you. For both the 8 and 5-day routes there are plenty of further walking opportunities if you wish to extend in Kaysersberg.

Where can I find general FAQs?

For FAQs relating to the Company and general trip questions, click here