Wine Routes - France
- Alex Johnson
- May 27
- 4 min read
There are plenty of well-established wine routes; however, I couldn't find a definitive list with maps for each of them, so I've put this resource together to help me plan future trips. This isn't intended to be a guide per se, as there are many already. Instead, I've included useful links to guides to the regions, and I note good opportunities for motorcycling in the area.
I have started off with just Alsace and Champagne, as I'll be going there in June/July 2025.
Routes Index
More regions coming soon ...
Alsace
Start: Marlenheim
Finish: Thann
Distance: ~170km
Official Website: Visit Website
Official Route Map: View Map
In a Nutshell
Skirting the border with Germany, Alsace is France's oldest wine route, passing through some of the prettiest villages in the country. Sheltered by the Vosges mountains, it is one of France's driest regions, making it ideal for biking. Colmar is the heart of the region and makes a good base to loop out north and south from.
Motorcycling Opportunities
Alsace is ideally suited if riding between Calais and the Alps and can be easily tied in with a visit to Champagne also. There's excellent riding in the Vosges mountains west of the Alsace wine route, including the well-known 80 km Route des Crêtes (see links below), which runs parallel to the wine route along the ridgeline through the Vosges. The road from Gérardmer to Munster is supposed to be great, and once you're done with Alsace, you could cross the border into Germany and ride through the Black Forest and the famous B500 road.
My preference would be to visit Champagne first, then aim for Gérardmer and pass through Munster and then down to Colmar or one of the surrounding pretty villages for the night. The next day, I'd then do a loop starting and ending in Colmar, taking in most of the pretty wine villages such as Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, and then visit Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg. I'd then ride the Route des Crêtes and finish up with a visit at Domaines Schlumberger - Suggested Route.
Must See Sights
The many beautiful little chocolate box villages, see the 7 Most Beautiful Villages in Alsace guide
Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, a stunning medieval castle - More Information - View Location
Linge Memorial, WWI trenches & museum - More Information - View Location
There's countless forts, bunkers and other military sights to see including the Fort Mutzig. The Tellure silver mine and the Mont Sainte-Odile Abbey are well worth a visit.
Wineries to Visit
This is by no means a definitive list and is a mix of the big names and some personal favorites. The smaller wineries will be open by appointment only. In the larger wineries, you should be able to at least walk in, try wines in their shop, and buy some if you want. If you want a tour, you're best booking regardless. When I went previously, I just wandered into Hugel, Trimbach, Schlumberger, Cave de Turckheim (the main co-op), and then I booked to visit Josmeyer as it's a small family-run winery.
From North to South:
Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss | Andlau | View Website - (Open Mon - Sat)
Trimbach | Ribeauville | View Website - (Open Mon - Fri, Sat by appointment)
Hugel | Riquewihr | View Website
Domaine Weinbach | Kaysersberg | View Website - (By appointment only - Mon - Sat)
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht | Turckheim | View Website - (Open Mon - Fri)
Domaine Josmeyer | Wintzenheim | View Website - (By appointment only - Mon - Sat)
Domaines Schlumberger | Guebwiller | View Website - (Open Tues - Sat)
Useful Links
Tourism Guides
Wine Guides
Riding Routes
Champagne
Official Website: Visit Website
Route: Consists of 6 circuits exploring different sub regions
In a Nutshell
A UNESCO heritage site that is home to the world's most famous sparkling wine. It's hard to represent this wine route as a single route as it's actually made up of 6 circular routes exploring different areas. It's easier to look at the Wine Folly Map above to get a better sense of things. The famous Champagne houses are located around Reims and Épernay. There's something special about this region as there's nowhere else with such recognizable brands, even to non-wine drinkers. As you ride through the region, you see the names of all the famous houses such as Bollinger, etc. Reims is a cosmopolitan city, while Épernay is a weird mix of touristy and agricultural. Personally, I prefer to stay in the pretty little hilltop village of Hautvillers, just outside Épernay.
Motorcycling Opportunities
Champagne is an interesting place from a wine perspective, but it's a relatively flat and boring place from a motorcycling perspective. It's an ideal place to spend the night on the way to/from Calais before/after a motorway slog.
Wineries to Visit
Many of the big names are based in Reims (clustered around Rue des Crayères) and Épernay (along the Beverly Hills like Avenue de Champagne).
There are obviously many famous names in the region which I'm sure are well worth a visit. There are however a few names that keep coming up in guidebooks and have also been recommended by a local I work with:
Pommery | Reims | View Website
Champagne Mercier | Épernay | View Website
Champagne Tribaut | Hautvillers | View Website
