Bike ride around Molsheim (2h15)

Bike path from Molsheim to Avolsheim

The loop starts in Molsheim, which I advise you to visit at the beginning or at the end of the route: Molsheim is a very pretty Alsatian city with a beautiful built heritage, it would be a shame to miss it. The downtown area is not very large but is worth a short walk in my opinion.

A bike path leads to Dachstein, a village that still has ramparts: take a break to admire them and enter the village to see the castle: it is private and inaccessible, but you can see it through the gate. We take again then the cycle track for a small passage at the edge of the Canal of the Bruche, then direction Avolsheim.

The church of Dompeter in Avolsheim

A beautiful discovery awaits you in Avolsheim: a little away from the village, in the middle of the fields, you will find thechurch of Dompeter, which is said to be the oldest church in Alsace and is on the way to Santiago de Compostela. Excavations have indeed revealed the presence of a building dating from the 7th century. These are “only” foundations, and the church that you can admire does not date from this period. The interior of the church is quite simple but the place is really peaceful and well maintained, it is a nice surprise!

Soultz-les-Bains: café and thermal baths

We then join a small portion of the Véloroute du Vignoble to Soultz-les-Bains. Feel free to take a coffee and pastry break at Klugeshertz, it’s one of my favorite coffee spots when I’m cycling. It’s impossible to miss the large purple building located at the edge of the bike path. In Soultz-les-Bains you will also find the Sulzbad thermal baths: this can be a pleasant stop for a wellness break!

Villages and landscapes of the vineyard

We then leave the cycle track to take roads that cross very pretty villages (Dangolsheim, Bergbieten, Balbronn, Flexbourg, Still, Dinsheim-sur-Bruche) and allow to admire the beautiful landscapes of the Alsatian vineyard. These roads are really not very busy (except in rush hour), so we are quiet there. There is a slightly steeper climb, but it is not very long and it is the only small difficulty of the route, which is otherwise quite flat. Look up to admire the houses, there are some very beautiful ones!

Gourmet break in Mutzig

We arrive finally at Mutzig, which is still a pretty small city. You can also take a gourmet break here, as Mutzig is famous for its pastry shops: Christophe Felder and Camille Lesecq as well as the DK pastry shop. In Mutzig, there is also a bicycle café opened in the old station of the city by Trace Verte. A nice place for bicycle enthusiasts!

Altorf Abbey

We take again the road for a less pleasant but rather fast part, which leads to Altorf, about which I confess to have never heard before… While there is a magnificent abbey! It is an old Benedictine monastery. Go inside and visit the cloister garden in the back, it’s really beautiful!

Then it only remains to return quietly to Molsheim. If it’s lunch time, don’t hesitate to go to Mimmo’s, a good Italian restaurant located on the town hall square.

Bike rental

You can rent a bike or an electric bike from Trace Verte. Good news, they can bring the bikes to you wherever you want, which is super convenient! Don’t hesitate to visit their website, they also organize cycling, mountain biking and guided hikes.

My photos of the “Bubbles and Bugatti” bike tour