Bike ride in Strasbourg – Discovering the nature of Strasbourg (2h30)

Updated on 2024-04-23

One of the things I like most about Strasbourg is... The ease of getting out! Not that I don't like to stay there, I assure you, but this is an aspect I look for in cities:access to nature is important to me. With this bike ride in Strasbourg, I propose you to discover the city, but also the green Strasbourg that we often know less well. We are lucky to have a city surrounded by rivers and forests, we must take advantage of it!

Laurène

Laurene is the founder of the My weekend in Alsace. She likes to explore Alsace, on foot, on her bike, on her horse or in her car to find good spots for her readers.

This bike ride is a loop proposed by Alsace à vélo, the BL 478 “Au détour de l’Ill-Rhin”. This is a route that I have already ridden many times and that I find really ideal for a discovery of Strasbourg by bike. The route is easy: the thirty kilometers are quickly swallowed, especially since the road is extremely flat. It is therefore a walk that can easily be done with friends or family. In addition, it offers points of interest that provide the opportunity for pleasant breaks.

Cycling along the quays in Strasbourg

The bike ride starts at Place de l’Etoile in Strasbourg and goes directly along the quays, allowing you to discover different corners of the city: the André Malraux peninsula and the beginning of the port of Strasbourg, with its barges and containers. The port of Strasbourg is the 2nd largest river port in France!

We then join the
Canal de la Marne au Rhin
. At the junction, you will see an amazing church: it is a Russian Orthodox church, the Orthodox church of All Saints of Strasbourg, which I find sublime. Guided tours are organized there and there is also a restaurant/tea room, notice to the amateurs 😉

In the middle of nature in the Robertsau forest

We quickly leave the canal (that we will find later!) to go towards the forest of Robertsau, one of the big lungs of the city. We are there quickly and the disorientation is total: a beautiful forest, rivers, the noise of the birds… No doubt about it, we are pedaling in the wild! Don’t forget to stop and admire the Château de Pourtalès, which houses a hotel-restaurant.

From the forest, we follow a part of the route called La Piste des Forts, which is a French-German route of 85km (which I also recommend!).

The loop leads us then to La Wantzenau, a pretty small city at the edge of the water: we go along the Ill river by bike. We’re about halfway through the route and you might consider stopping for lunch if you like, there are plenty of restaurants in La Wantz 🙂

Swimming break

We then continue by driving through fields until we reach the ballastière of Bischheim, where you can take a bathing break in the summer! Yes, we don’t have the sea in Alsace, but we have lakes and gravel pits 😉

Return to Strasbourg by the Canal de la Marne au Rhin

After having taken again its bicycle and made the astonishing discovery of a Buddhist temple in Souffelweyersheim (I do not say more to you, it will be the surprise!) we find then the Canal of the Marne in the Rhine (I told you that we shall see it again!) to join Strasbourg.

We arrive by the European district, which can be the occasion to make a visit of the European Parliament, then we follow the Ill. Admire the facades, there are very beautiful buildings in this area!

We pass then in front of the church Saint-Paul then we enter on the Big Island of Strasbourg (the heart of the city center), where the itinerary makes us make a small turn to join the place of the Star, point of departure and arrival.

If you haven’t had lunch yet, feel free to check out my favorite restaurants in Strasbourg, as well as my favorite vegetarian restaurants.

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