Sur la Route des Vins d'Alsace©Max Coquard - Best Jobers
©Max Coquard - Best Jobers

The Alsatian Wine Route: a legendary tourist trail

The Alsace Wine Route’s appeal lies in its exceptional landscapes and unrivalled beauty. Picturesque from end to end, it is dotted with typically colourful Alsatian villages and medieval castles. And the entire region is permeated by a contagious festive spirit that won’t fail to draw you in! It is also the legendary home to no less than seven grape varieties and numerous unmissable Grands Crus. 

1. The most emblematic wine route in France

Officially launched as a tourist trail in 1953, the Alsace Wine Route winds its way lovingly through 170 km of hills and vineyards from the north to the south of the region. It passes through almost 119 winegrowing villages where almost 720 wine producers look forward to welcoming you to share their passion for wine. Authentic, festive, picturesque, the Alsace Wine Route is a celebration of life that seems set to continue for ever. 

©Tristan Vuano

2. A “Vignobles et Découvertes” destination

The “Vignobles & Découvertes” badges serve as landmarks facilitating your stay by highlighting guaranteed quality services and great places to visit, eat and stay. Winery tours, tasting sessions, vineyard trails, heritage treasures: discover a wide range of complementary offers that will give you a delightful overview of all that the Alsace Wine Route has to offer. No less than 388 operators have committed to the scheme to encourage hospitality and quality experiences all along the Alsace Wine Route.

Vue sur Niedemorschwihr - Route des Vins d'Alsace©Tristan Vuano

3. A multitude of experiences to try 

In the Alsace Wine Route lies the promise of a thousand and one discoveries. As you make your way along the route, follow your desires and enjoy the rich variety of delights the Alsace Wine Route has to offer. Pedal your way through the vineyards, stroll around picturesque villages, scramble over castle walls, meet winegrowers and learn about their skills, taste the Wines of Alsace at a sensory workshop, bask in the luxury of a spa with views over the vines: just some of the new experiences and activities you can try to make your stay a truly memorable time! 

©Creations-etoile-Civa

4. Prestigious wines

Alsatian wines cover an unbelievably diverse range of types, from light dry whites to more opulent, robust wines. Fresh, aromatic, pure, non-woody, marked by their terroir, they offer a matchless palette of aromas and flavours. A truly intense and authentic sensory experience. Don’t hesitate to try - and take home - a mix of flavours. Wines of Alsace will adapt to any kind of cuisine!

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Vins blancs d'Alsace©Creations-etoile-Civa

5. Exceptional terroirs 

With its rich mosaic of high quality soils, the winegrowing region of Alsace finds its purest expression in 51 Grands Crus, each the product of a precisely delimited area which meets strictly controlled geological and climatic criteria. A true gift of nature, these terroirs have many assets to reveal to those who have the passion and know-how to observe and exploit them. An indispensable alchemy that gives expression to their history and character through exceptional wines.

Vignoble Rangen Thann©ART GE - Meyer

6. Winegrowers share their passion 

To penetrate the soul of the Alsace Wine Route, you have to take your time, go into the winegrowers’ courtyards, talk to them and listen to them convey the poetry of their terroir. Alsace’s winegrowers take great pleasure in welcoming you into their wineries and will be generous with their time as they share their passion for wine.

Many well-known wine estates and cellars offer original settings and fun activities to discover Alsatian wines. The younger generation, with minds open to the wider world, are taking up the challenges of their day, but with the same pioneering spirit that has always characterised Alsace’s winegrowers.  

© INFRA - ADT - ART GE

7. A cyclist’s paradise

As well as being a perfect playground for lovers of cycling holidays, the sumptuous landscapes along Alsace Wine Route also offer a feast for their eyes. The Vineyard Cycle Route offers the chance to discover the region from another perspective - and at your own stately pace. An ode to dawdling and soaking up the atmosphere. And once a year it comes alive with a unique event: the SlowUp. For visitors with non-motorised vehicles only.

Get in the saddle
Hunawihr à vélo© INFRA - ADT - ART GE

8. A unique way of life 

Landscapes that invite quiet contemplation, villages that demand a leisurely stroll and wines that whet the appetite. If ever there were a Garden of Eden for gourmets, the Alsace Wine Route would be it. Discover the authentic flavours of Alsatian food in one of the innumerable winstubs. Or taste excellent regional produce at the table of a Michelin-starred chef.  

9. An incomparable festive spirit 

In Alsatian villages, there are plenty of occasions to come together and party. Pagan rituals, religious events, odes to Wine or festivals in honour of the local patron saint - come and join in, experience the soul of the Alsatian winegrowing region. Summer wine festivals, autumn grape harvest festivals, the vin nouveau in September: come and enjoy the tradition-packed events that winegrowers and local people love to share.

10. The world’s oldest wine 

Did you know? The world’s oldest cask of wine is kept in Alsace, in the historic wine cellar at the Hospices de Strasbourg, a wonderful place overflowing with history. The wine is an Alsatian white dating from 1472. This amazing cuvée is still drinkable, but it is a very special privilege to be able to taste it - one that has only happened three times in five centuries.