To the Beginning….Marlenheim the beginning of the Alsace wine route
Every winter I sit down with google maps, Strava, and booking.com to string together what I hope will be the makings of a great road trip. If I have not said it before, I will say it now, I love France! And, what is not to love, great food, great cycling and great wine. Do I need to say more? I particularly like the Alsace region because the cycling is beyond epic. Sure, you don’t have the majestic ice topped mountains in the alps, but what you do have is the Vosges mountains. The mountains offer many mid length climbs with a manageable gradients of 5-6%. It is easy to relax and set your pace up the mountain all the while being surrounded by the tranquility of the trees and nature. To be honest, it is rare to see a car even during the work week. You will have motorcycles going by on the weekends, but it is always enjoyable climb no matter what road you choose to take. The other great option for cyclists in the Alsace region is Alsace wine road cycle route. If you want an easy day or you just simply don’t like climbing, this is the perfect solution. The paths are marked, fairly flat, and mostly paved (although a bit rough in spots) and go through vineyards, farmland, and some of the major cities on the wine route.
For me, exploring by bicycle allows the opportunity to learn and see things that I would normally never discover. Even though I sit down with a map to plan the cycling routes we will be taking, I don’t necessarily make it a point to go past every historic landmark in the area. Maybe it is a personal flaw, but I go for distance and elevation with a few scenic stops worked in if I can. So, this year, as we were approaching the summit on D130, we noticed a giant monument with a cemetery. It turns out this monument, Struthof, is a memorial to the 22,000 people who lost their lives in France’s only concentration camp. For those interesting in visiting, there is also a museum as well. It was a profound moment when I realized that among such beauty and serenity laid a past of horrific torture and death. It also made me realize why we were on this trip, a prequel to our Voie de la Liberté ride in Bastogne, to honor the allied forces that fought to free the area of Hitler’s reign. Of course, there are many hilltops to discover in the area and each one offers its own beauty and challenge.
This year we based out of Marlenheim, having been to Obernai and Strasbourg in the past. I had never heard of Marlenheim, and after researching the area a bit, it seemed like a good spot to cycle, eat and scout out wineries. The town is small and h
as quite a residential feel. So, as you would expect from a small town, there is not much of a “downtown”. There are several restaurants (more on that later), a few hotels, and many small wineries. We opted to stay at a bed and breakfast, Côté Vignes, which is a 15 minute walk to the main road. The accommodations were magnificent from beginning to end. We were greeted at the door with a friendly smile by the hostess, a cocktail, and a sampling of sweet treats. Based on first impressions, I knew this place was going to be great. The room was spacious, comfortable, and inviting. Not to mention that it was nice and quiet at night for a peaceful sleep. When you wake up there is an ample breakfast waiting for you. A perfect start for a day of cycling!
When your legs are smoked and you need some afternoon relaxing there are plenty of small wineries to sample. While knowing some French will take you a long way, it is not completely necessary.
- Arthur Metz – This is one of the biggest store fronts along the main road. They offer a range of white to sample and purchase. While in the store you will find Alsacian whiskies, wine accessories, and local products.
- Domaine Fritsch – Another winery located along the D2004. It is open every day for tastings. We enjoyed the 2013 Grand Cru Steinklotz Pinot Gris with our dinner at Le Relais des Saveurs.
- Domaine Fend – You will see this wine served at the local restaurants. The Muscat 2014 was particularly delightful.
Once you are off the bike and ready to eat dinner there are a few restaurants worth considering in the immediate area:
- La Cerf – This is a Michelin star restaurant and voted #1 on Tripadvisor
- Kobus Restaurant and Lounge – This was my favorite restaurant in Marlenheim. They really catered to us by speaking English and making sure we understood everything. It was very much appreciated! The service and atmosphere were top notch with creative main courses. P.S The tarte flambée is a perfect starter!
- Le Relais des Saveurs – A great restaurant frequented by many locals. Their dishes were very hearty and well made. I had the tuna steak and it was done to perfection!
.
Pelotonof2 