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Wondering if biking in the Alsace is an option for March?

Heading to France in March 2027. Love spring! Planning to fly into Paris then Vimy, and on to Alsace region . Heading South to Lyon or beyond then back to Paris. 18 days in total, 3 days Paris to begin, Vimy then Planning 4 day's in Alsace region. Would love to have ideas on weather, towns to use as hub etc. My husband is currently working at a winery in the Okanagan BC Canada. Would like to see if we can wine taste, white's are my fav, red's are his. Train is our point to point transit if at all possible to the major cities then public transit or taxis, e-bike.

thanks for your advice and time.
Kris

Posted by
4216 posts

You'll find plenty of information below on how to tour the Alsace vineyards by bike:

https://www.wineroute.alsace/experiences/pedal-along-the-alsace-vineyard-cycle-route/

https://www.cyclinginalsace.com/403000009-alsace-vineyard-cycle-route/

and a video:

https://youtu.be/cKNY9xdjsoY

That being said, while nothing is certain these days due to climate change which is having a strong impact in Europe, March is generally rainy and still cold in eastern France. There can be morning frosts, and even with the effects of climate change, don't expect daytime highs to exceed 14°C (55 F). Conditions can also vary greatly depending on whether it's early or late March.

Posted by
1 posts

March in Alsace is rideable, but it's the shoulder of the shoulder. Expect 8-12C in the afternoon, cold mornings, and a real chance of a wet day or two. On an e-bike the cold matters more than the rain: budget for roughly a third less range than the quoted battery figure, and carry the charger with you rather than leaving it at the hotel.

For a hub, Colmar works and is the obvious choice. You're on the vineyard cycle route within ten minutes, and Eguisheim, Turckheim, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr all sit inside a 25 km loop. Trains north to Selestat and south to Mulhouse take bikes, so you can shortcut a leg if the weather turns. Selestat is the quieter alternative and puts Haut-Koenigsbourg and the Ried plain within range.

The wine caveat for March is the real one: a lot of the small family domaines in the villages are open by appointment or on reduced winter hours, and some don't properly reopen until Easter. Email two or three ahead rather than turning up. The ones in Riquewihr and Ribeauville that keep tasting rooms open year-round are the exception, not the rule. Whites are the region's strength anyway, so you're well matched.

With 18 days and Vimy already in the plan, four days in Alsace from a single base is the right call. Moving hotels in March gains you very little.

Posted by
1003 posts

We rode from Strasbourg to Colmar - in September rather than March. “Self-guided” and e-bikes. We were in the saddle four days, but you could do three, with time to enjoy wineries as well as wine tasting in Colmar at a wine bar. Our 4th day was a loop that began and ended in Colmar.

We arranged our ride through Le Velo Voyageur. https://www.levelovoyageur.com/en/homepage/

Between Strasbourg and Colmar, we stayed overnight at Obernai and Ribeauville. TR at https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/sw-germany-e-france-alsace-burgundy-pt-3-of-4

LATE NOTE. Be sure to bring rain pants as well as a truly waterproof jacket.

LATE LATE NOTE

On an e-bike the cold matters more than the rain

As someone who e-bikes 12 months a year here in Seattle, I disagree with this, but with two qualifiers: (1) wear warm gloves and warm enough clothing such as a polar fleece and/or long underwear, and (2) don’t ride if there is ice on the road or if the temperature is 0 degrees C or less.

Posted by
11598 posts

I think it would be cold, rainy, dark for enough days in Alsace in March that this is not something I would attempt.

Posted by
127 posts

I live in Strasbourg now and I liked the March weather! But, it is true that it is hit and miss for sunshine and/or warmer days. I did an e-bike tour with a company called Alsa Cyclo Tours and they were great - but did it in early May. If you stay in Colmar, they can start from there, though their main location is Eguisheim (a really cute village - but no train connection, just bus). You can also have them design a personalized tour for you and they may be able to identify which wineries you could stop at during a March ride. You could see what their cancellation policy is if the weather doesn't cooperate. They seemed very easy to work with - easy going and nice people and guides who speak English.