Alsace area - recommended roads required

AMB

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Staying in eastern France, Alsace area (Wissembourg in the north) in June for 4 nights. Recommended biking roads required. Any other places to visit in the area?
Thanks
 
What is this, some kind of general information service? Have you done any looking at all, anywhere?

Just for once, try and help yourself, just as some rugged Adventure (with a capital A) bikermate might.

Just by Googling: wissembourg motorcycling routes, you get:

http://www.mopedmap.net/it/regional/France/Alsace/Wissembourg/

Not good enough? OK... Wissembourg (according to Google maps, which I had to trouble myself to look up) is at the top of the Black Forest and the Vosges. You'll probably have heard of them perhaps, which is why you chose the location for four nights, perhaps?

No? OK. Go to your other thread and look at the link to the ADAC maps and the link to 'All the routes you'll ever need'.

For feck's sake, you plan on being there for four days in July. Are you not prepared to even try to plan your own three days of riding?

Failing all the above (and this advice will apply just as well to your other appeal for bods to sort your holiday out) go to the RiDE magazine webpage. They have a load of routes by bikers for bikers. Download them and pretend you did them yourself. It's called cheating. I do it all the time.

http://www.ride.co.uk/routes/

Between this thread and your other you are asking bods for about nine days of routes and ride-outs, from places YOU have chosen for YOUR holiday in July, still some half a year away. Assuming just 150 miles a day, that is 1,350 miles of presumably great roads, no motorways. Why should people do it for you, if you've presumably made zero effort beyond six or so lines of appeal?

:beerjug:
 
Some excellent roads just over the German border around Dahn , Lemberg, Bad Bergzaber and Annweiler am Trifels . Big wine area and on the German Wine Route
 
Staying in eastern France, Alsace area (Wissembourg in the north) in June for 4 nights. Recommended biking roads required. Any other places to visit in the area?
Thanks

Anywhere in that region. Weekends are crowded with German bikers.
 
Thanks to all for the replies and advice.
Wrapping, thanks. Yes we do our own research. Got maps for the areas and looked at sites and I do subscribe to the Ride magazine. So we do plan it without help from the forum. However, it is always worth a thread. Some advice from fellow bikers can throw up some good recommendations or routes.
 
Hard to go far wrong in Black Forest or Vosges for good roads.

See other topics about B500 (in short avoid weekend and ride it early if you can)

Also try to give the larger Black Forest towns a wide berth as they have traffic in them and on the main approach routes - but once a few miles out in the sticks there is very little traffic.

Triberg is a beautiful town and makes a good lunch stop.

If weather turns a bit sour there is a theme park that is easy to reach just of motorway on German side of the river, the teknik museum in speyer or romantic baths in Baden-Baden.
 
AMB, If you have a GPS device and access to BaseCamp or Mapsource, this thread should give you enough routes for a fortnight or more:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...ack-Forest-Alsace-and-Vosges-and-some-extra-s

It is really hard (or at least time consuming) to plot routes for people you don't know, especially - as in this case - you are looking for

Staying in eastern France, Alsace area (Wissembourg in the north) in June for 4 nights. Recommended biking roads required. Any other places to visit in the area?

Which I read to mean you want different routes for each of the three days, all centred on Wissembourg as that's the base you've chosen. From your parallel thread on the Stelvio region, it looks like you need routes of:

Thanks. We do not set a daily mileage. Short (80mls) or long (200mls). We just try to get routes that make you smile. Stop for coffees and lunch.

Wissembourg is in France, on the eastern edge of the northern (smaller) Vosges, which means you have to ride south to get into the Black Forest proper or into the main southern Vosges. It's not impossible to do 80 mile rides from Wissembourg and certainly not impossible to do 200 mile rides, as it's 180 kms one way direct to Titisee-Neustadt, near enough at the bottom of the Black Forest, a return journey direct on major roads of 360 kms or 225 miles if that appeals? Me, if I wanted to go to spend time in the Black Forest or Vosges, I wouldn't necessarily base myself for four nights in Wissembourg, nice enough place as it probably is.

Which brings us to the nub of helping you. It's crazy well meaning people recommending you routes based on places you are nowhere near, so probably the best thing you can do is:

1. Have a look at the ADAC map link, their suggested routes are good. Don't take too much notice of bods who say the B500 is crap. It's iconic and you should ride it at least once to say that you've done it.... and only then tell people you thought it was rubbish.

2. Have a look at the GPS based routes

3. Have a look at the RiDE magazine routes

4. Google something like, 10 great things to do in the Black Forest, to see what pops up. If a certain town or something to see comes up twice, three times or more it's easy to assume that not everyone is wrong. See if YOU and YOUR mates can work the places into YOUR plans, mileage limitations and time on (or off) YOUR bikes. Similarly, just because a recommendation appears on a Saga or Great Porsche Driving Roads website, with not a hint of motorcycles, it doesn't always mean it's wrong.

Having done all that - you've got months - you might decide to change Wissembourg for somewhere else, unless it's then revealed (as sometimes happens) that someone in your party has a fabulously wealthy great-aunt living in the town with her ten nubile great nieces, all of whom cannot wait to meet six or however many it is hairy arsed bikermates from Scotland. In other words, why did YOU chose Wissembourg? The same advice could apply near enough to your Stelvio thread too, I guess.


PS There are lots of very good book publications and websites with lots of often very good suggestions, all set out very clearly and with GPS downloads. RiDE's own efforts are good, though they are comparatively new on the scene. Amongst my favourites are:

KurvenKoenig

Biker-Betten

ADAC

Louis.de

There is a separate sticky thread on these in the German section. Yes, they are often 'in foreign' but that (somewhat inconveniently) is what they speak. I don't speak a word of German beyond ''Good morning, your daughter has amazing breasts", which was I was promised by a mate was the correct word perfect way to say "Good morning, I am lost", which is what I had asked him for. I promise you, you'll manage better than me.

The other thing I do is buy the odd book of motorbike tours I might happen to trip over whilst I am away or, as is sometimes the case, take a note of a book or two that some hoteliers have, when their hotel often caters for motorbikes. They are then very easy to order via Amazon, even in German. It's how I first tripped over the ADAC books and maps. Here's an example only. Yes, it's on the German Amazon websites, but it's easy to guess what's going on and how to order things, not least as it's near enough set out the same as the UK version, I've used it loads of times.

https://www.amazon.de/NORDDEUTSCHLAND-schönsten-Motorrad-Touren-Alpentourer-Tourguide/dp/3939997161

Touch on the German equivalent of 'Other people also looked at...' and see where it takes you, perhaps? For example, you might find:

51Ly%2B4v0TSL._SX223_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


Which are pretty neat little maps, you'll find all over the place when you are there.

There is a mass of information out there, so a Google surf is the way to go. By way of a simple example, I put 'Motorcycle routes Black Forest and Vosges' into the search engine and asked it for images. I then scrolled down the pictures and chanced upon what seems to be a map of a three day organised tour of the Black Forest:

tourkarte-web.jpg


From there, I was able to go to their website:

http://www.sm-weilerbach.de/en/category/motorradtouren-bauer-schmidt/dreitagestouren/

I think you can steal (an unattractive word) some pretty good ideas from them... and they also include the Vosges, which is a 1000 point Bikermate Bonus.

That's just one very basic example, to show what can be done. I think it took me two minutes in all, on an iPad. Give it a go with your mates. It's free, you probably can't break anything and they can't touch you for it. If nothing else, it's a bit more interesting than just going:

Alsace area - recommended roads required
Staying in eastern France, Alsace area (Wissembourg in the north) in June for 4 nights. Recommended biking roads required. Any other places to visit in the area?
Thanks

Richard
 
Thanks Wapping for taking the time and such a comprehensive reply.
A few years back we stayed in Landeck, Austria at the Enzian (to be recommended).
3 years ago in the Black Forrest in Schuttertal at the Schutterblick (again to be recommended) Did the B500 a couple of times. Fantastic. Especially as we had great weather.
2015 we did the Picos in Northern Spain.
We tried for the Enzian again this year, but it is full through June and July. So we took a flier and booked somewhere in Malles Venosta. Italian food and slightly different although not too far from Landeck. I skied in the Dolamites last year, Cavallese. Not far from Malles Venosta. The roads and villages looked good.
Wissembourg ?? Yes. Again just took a flier. May rethink location. We are Newcastle - Amsterdam. Wissembourg a bit closer for return?
As you have gathered, we get a base with daily ride outs. I get the maps and as much info as I can and roughly plan a daily route.
Thanks again for your help and advice. I will have a look and pull it all together on the Michelin maps.
 
Sorry Richard. Just noticed you signature below the map. Better than calling you Wapping.
 
Wissembourg was chosen by you as good location, as it was convenient for the return to the ferry..... and you'll spend four nights there, as a ride-out hub???? How does that make sense?

My advice now would be to sort out which priority is most important to you. Is it:

(A) The return journey to the port

(B) The three days of ride-outs before you head northwards over the horizon.

If it's B, then maybe find somewhere else, better suited to the days out. If that has to be a little bit further south, then chuck in some motorway to make up the difference.... or, just get up earlier.

If it's A and it has to be Wissembourg, then you've now got enough ideas to be getting on with.

My appologies if the reply is tersely worded. It does though highlight the difficulty in suggesting routes for people you don't know. They do things or want things for reasons that make no sense to other people. A bit of digging beyond the two or three line initial request often reveals the reasons, good and bad. I'm only sorry it's not the nubile maidens that dragged you there.

Enjoy your holiday.

:beerjug:
 
What is this, some kind of general information service? Have you done any looking at all, anywhere?

Just for once, try and help yourself......

For feck's sake, you plan on being there for four days in July. Are you not prepared to even try to ......

:beerjug:

Cheers for another cracking thread AMD :clap . It'd be pretty boring/quiet here if WE weren't so "lazy and useless" wouldn't it and we wouldnt get such comprehensive, informative and enjoyable replies especially from that grumpy old twat. This is the best place without doubt for info that interests me so thanks everyone, 'spesh Wapping, ya sarcy oldcnut.

:thumb2
 
I have some way to go.

My father, in the mid-1950's, stopped a policeman in central Manhattan and asked if he could direct him to the subway. A reasonable enough request, one might think. The reply from New York's finest, was......... "Get a map, bum".
 
Hi Richard,
Just a follow up and thanks for your info and help. Thanks also to the others who replied.
We have changed from Wissembourg to Colmar for our base. Old town in Colmar looks nice.
I have pulled it all together and highlighted possible daily routes/places on Michelin Maps.
When I get back I will post some recommendations on the forum.
Safe biking guys. Lets hope for a good summer. Some good routes up here in Scotland and some nice short ferry hops. Picturesque when the sun shines. If I can offer any advice re Scotland just get in touch. A9 now a pain. Average speed all the way with rear facing cameras. Busy route and used to be ok for good overtakes. Not now. Avoid.
AMB
 
Hi Richard,
Just a follow up and thanks for your info and help. Thanks also to the others who replied.
We have changed from Wissembourg to Colmar for our base. Old town in Colmar looks nice.
I have pulled it all together and highlighted possible daily routes/places on Michelin Maps.
When I get back I will post some recommendations on the forum.
Safe biking guys. Lets hope for a good summer. Some good routes up here in Scotland and some nice short ferry hops. Picturesque when the sun shines. If I can offer any advice re Scotland just get in touch. A9 now a pain. Average speed all the way with rear facing cameras. Busy route and used to be ok for good overtakes. Not now. Avoid.
AMB
I was just about to suggest you relocate your forward base to Colmar.

Beautiful town, brilliant restaurants, plenty to do if you or some of your party don't want to ride.

Head to Munster - wonderful roads in all directions from there.

Visit the little wine villages Riquiwihr, Eguisheim etc.
 
Great. I think you have made a good choice. The old town of Colmar is fine, the rest of it is modern (or was when it was built) French concrete, not helped that the town was hit hard in the later stages of the war.

There is, as Stolzy says, lots of good riding to be had radiating out from Colmar. If you'd like to see a simple bit or two of WW1 or WW2 stuff, I can recommend:

A. The little museum in Turckheim, telling the story of the dreadful fighting the Americans and French forces endured in freezing conditions to subdue the Colmar Pocket

https://standwheretheyfought.jimdo.com/alsace-2012-the-colmar-pocket-museum-in-turckheim/

B. Le Ligne, museum (they will run the film in English) where you can walk the trenches from WW1

http://www.linge1915.com/en/home/

If you stop in Pforzheim, you'll be standing on the site of one of the most devastating but largely unknown air raids of WW2, the town obliterated from the map in 20 minutes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4290227.stm

========

Just for fun, I Googled up: Motorcycle routes Colmar. This popped up, which looks OK

https://www.motowhere.com/maps/route/Vosges-route

From RiDE's site, scroll down the page

http://www.ride.co.uk/routes-1/the-ride-guide-to-europe

And not least this (which I had completely forgotten about) organised and run by some smarmy insewerance spiv (that'll be me)

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/269944-Vosges-and-Black-Forest-May-2011
 
Thanks again Richard and stolzy.
You are a wealth of information.
 


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