Canal de la Bruche cycle path – Cycling from Strasbourg

My summary

From Strasbourg to Soultz-les-Bains

The Bruche Canal cycle route runs from Strasbourg to Soultz-les-Bains in the Bas-Rhin. It runs along a canal once built by Vauban to transport Vosges sandstone for the construction of Strasbourg’s fortifications.

Access to the bicycle path from Strasbourg

If you want to go on the bike path of the Canal de la Bruche from Strasbourg, it’s easy! You’ll just have to find your way at the start (it’s a bit tricky, but I’ll explain and you’ll be fine), but then it’s all straight ahead and perfectly signposted! From Strasbourg, if you start from the station, go straight on Rue du Maire Kuss and turn right when you reach the platforms (there’s already a cycle path here). It is the Quai Saint-Jean which is then called Quai Charles Altorffer. At the end of the quay, continue along the street that naturally turns right (rue sainte-Marguerite).

From here, the signs become clearer: you quickly turn left towards the MAMCS (Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain de Strasbourg), which you leave on your right to follow the quays again. Congratulations, you’re there, and all you have to do now is follow the signs for Molsheim, or the Canal de la Bruche cycle route. You’ll pass through the Montagne Verte district and soon arrive at the edge of the canal.

An easy and pleasant route along the canal

After that, the route is perfectly signposted and very easy(see the track here). It’s flat and has a good surface, so you don’t have to be a great cyclist to enjoy it! There are 25km between Strasbourg and Soultz-les-Bains, that is to say 50km if you decide to do the round trip on this green way, but it is very easy to do. A round trip with a picnic on one of the picnic tables by the canal in Wolxheim is a good option, for example 🙂

I love this bike ride: it’s a real pleasure to ride along the little Bruche Canal in all seasons. I’m constantly discovering new details, the colors change, the vegetation changes and the canal is always a soothing place, perfect for a breath of fresh air! I also love admiring the pretty lock-keepers’ houses that stand near the canal’s eleven locks.

What’s more, the route is not boring, as it’s not a straight line: there are plenty of curves and bends. In summer, you can enjoy the coolness of the shady banks, which is particularly pleasant given the heat of the Alsatian weather.

You won’t be the only one, there are a lot of people on the greenway during the weekends in summer (it’s one of the favorite bike rides of the inhabitants from Strasbourg!), but it never spoiled my pleasure to ride on this greenway.

Where can you have a coffee break, restaurant or spa on the Greenway?

You’ll find plenty of picnic benches and tables along the route. Among my favourites are the benches by the Hangenbieten fishing pond and the Wolfisheim picnic area, right next to the stadium, with its water fountain and children’s playground.

For a pleasant break, I can also recommend Le ravito des Cyclos, an adorable canal-side guinguette in a lock keeper’s house (a favorite, I go there very often in season), the Klugesherz patisserie, right at the end of the cycle route (I’m there maybe a little too often too!), or if you want a real restaurant , Le Canal in Ergersheim (it’s good and their terrace is top-notch!).

And if you ever feel like going to enjoy thermal baths, the Sulzbad Spa is located right on the canal, it could be a nice idea for a break while going on the day!

What’s next? From Soultz-les-Bains to Molsheim

If you want to continue the ride and, why not, join the Véloroute du Vignoble, you can do it easily! Once you arrive in Soultz-les-Bains, take the direction of Molsheim. A cycle route will take you to the Vosges Piedmont, at the start of the cycle route!