Cycling holiday in Alsace, France

Cycling Alsace

Getting teenagers to go on holiday with you can be harder than persuading them to get up before midday.Carson Black convinced his two teenage boys and an old school friend to get on their bikes and head for a little known region of France.

They baulked at the word cycling. And then the distance. But somehow I managed to persuade my old friend Paul and teenage sons, aged 16 and 19, to spend nine days cycling over 200 kilometres across Alsace, temptingly known as the Wine Route.

It is, in many ways, the perfect holiday: cheap, fun, good for your health and kind to the environment. It gets you away from the crowds and lets you explore at your own pace. Best of all doing this sort of cheek by jowl adventure break with your kids allows you access to them - and an insight - that the the hectic schedule of daily life seems to squeeze out. Though if you mention the word 'bonding' they would probably be peddling back to the ferry in a flash.

Alsace is a good choice for older families and explorers because it has so much to offer. There are hundreds of kilometers of cycle tracks away from busy roads, so families can safely cycle. Only the distances would restrict the age. With itineries up to 50km a day, this is a holiday younger children (5-11years) may not be able to cope with.

Alsace is in France, but the region stretches from Strasbourg in the north to Mulhouse in the south, from the Vosges Mountains in the west to the Rhine in the east, lying on the far north eastern corner of France bordering Germany and Switzerland. So you get the best of all worlds. The numerous beautiful medieval villages dotted across it are clearly German: their names “ Bergheim, Riquewihr, Ammerschwihr “ are German; the names on the shops and restaurants “ Knopf, Stempfel “ are German. And the people communicate in a peculiar mix of German and French“ Alsatian.

If your kids enjoy history - as I discovered mine did - this is good place to learn about the complexities of European territories. For centuries - all the way back to Charlemagne 1200 years ago - the area has caused conflict between Germany and France, and hence shares both cultures. It has been in a constant tug of war between the two giants of Europe ever since, ending up in France only on Germany's defeat in 1945.

In terms of modern history, the Maginot Line runs across it, and for one week a month, the European Parliament sits here in a modern construct on the outskirts of Strasbourg, a symbol to Europe's continuing battles to unite.

Our holiday was also a lesson in wine and we learned that Alsace has much to offer. In fact for me this was the biggest surprise of the trip. I had always believed wines with German heritage to be sweet or just¦ awful, but in Alsace they are dry, full of flavour and immensely drinkable. Famous for its seven varieties - Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer - the region produces 150 million litres every year. If you've never tasted a Gewurztraminer with foie gras, you have missed one of life's great pleasures. The beer is pretty good too, with a large variety on offer in even the smallest town.

The region is easy to get to. You can travel by air - to Strasbourg or Paris - or by rail; the high-speed TGV Est, gets you from London to Strasbourg via Paris in just five hours. Families with luggage or taking their own bikes or sporting equipment can drive via the Eurotunnel.

We travelled with Headwater, who organise cycling and walking holidays all over Europe. We chose to fly to Paris and train it to Strasbourg. Arriving in the afternoon we were picked up by the Headwater rep, John, who told us that the train from Paris - a two and a half hour journey - is there everyday within 30 seconds of its scheduled arrival time. Everyday, without fail.

John would be on hand to assist us 24 hours a day if we needed. He would be transporting our luggage between hotels as we meandered across the carefully planned cycle routes, of which there are 2,000 kilometres in Alsace.

This is not the Tour de France. With an average of 20-50 kms a day, it is easy going, with plenty to do and see en route, not to mention the vinstaubs at every corner and in every village where you can stop and try some of the local wine, have a snack and soak up the local atmosphere.

The holiday is relaxing, one day cycling (usually on cycle tracks cut through vineyards and maize fields away from the traffic), one day resting at your hotel, or going on one of the many recommended excursions.

Our first stop was L'Arbre Vert, a very friendly hotel run by M & Mme Gebel Tournier in Ammerschwhir, just one of over 100 wine producing villages in the region. And like all the hotels on this trip the food and wine was exquisite and all are family run and family friendly.

Next day we weaved our way along (and up) the contours of the Vosges mountains with spectacular views across the Alsatian plain towards Germany.

Everywhere you look ancient castles perch on craggy summits. In the valley, vineyards unfurl right to the gates of villages. Each is very similar with pretty half-timbered houses decked with brilliantly coloured flowers, straight from the pages of a Brothers Grimm book.

Second stop - 25 kms away - was the Hostellerie a la Ville de Lyons in Rouffach, a sleepy market town. With a one-star Michelin restaurant attached and a pool and Jacuzzi, we didn't stray far, preferring to relax our weary muscles and indulge in chef Phillipe Bohrer's cuisine. Alsace has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other French region.

Then, across the Alsatian plain and the Rhine into Germany to Breisach-am-Rhine and the Hotel Kapuzinerergarten where we were greeted by Englebert Hau. This is the Kaiserstuhl, the driest part of Germany with a micro climate that is perfect for producing wines. Engelbert, our host, is a sommelier and in our two days with him he proudly treated us to wines from his own vineyard.

Breisach is a beautiful medieval town. You can go on a cruise up the Rhine or explore the cobbled streets and impressive St Stepohen's Cathedral. Or just sit and indulge the local speciality - kaffee und kuchen (coffee and cake).

On our rest day here we took the opportunity to visit the university city of Frieburg which sees itself as the Cambridge of Germany. It is attractive, boasting “culture, bicycles, intelligence and street cafes. Freiburg was wrecked in 1945, but you'd never know. The historical frame remains in place, the setting for an open-faced centre of trams, students and alfresco beer-drinking.

Take in the huge Schwabentor gate, as decorative as it was defensive, before ambling to Minsterplatz and the fabulous minster. Repair to the old Insel district and order a beer and a plateful of sausages at the Feierling Biergarten, on Gerberau.

The boys loved the food on the trip and their favourite meal was a fabulous five course gourmet dinner prepared by Englebert (with five different wines of his selection) set us up to tackle the next cycle day, a 50 mile trip back into France. This began with a 15 mile ride along the towpath of the Rhine, with huge cargo barges passing us and the wind in our faces: exhilarating, hard work and fun.

Next day we decided on a trip to Strasbourg. This proved another testament to how to run a train service. At the deserted and somewhat overgrown and neglected unmanned station of Dalmach, our 11.09am to the regional capital pulled in at exactly 11.09am. The train was clean, fast and cheap, a return was eight euros (approx £6) for a journey that was one hour each way.

Set on an island between the tree-lined arms of the River Ill, Strasbourg's old city is a photogenic gem, offset by the strikingly modern European Parliament. The affluence of Eurocrats ensures smart shops and university students guarantee a youthful buzz, which our teenagers enjoyed.

With its 465ft tall spire, the pink-sandstone 12th century cathedral was once the world's tallest building. Find fashion in the rue des Orfèvres, rue du Dôme and rue des Juifs.Buy Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris in the 14th-century cellars beneath the city's hospital, where one barrel contains the world's oldest wine (1472).

Finally back to the warm welcome and friendly faces of M & Mme Tournier at the L'Arbre Vert in Ammerschwihr.

We had cycled the Alsace wine route, cut into Germany, were greeted with warm welcomes and friendly smiles throughout, ate heartily, drank wonderful fruity tasty wines, felt fit and healthy and I lost half a stone. I had learned a lot about the region - and my two teenagers. I think they had learned that holidays with dad aren't so bad, in fact I overheard one describe it in glowing terms to a friend, but it might be Ibiza for them next year!

GO ALSACE

Cost: From £657 self drive; from £939 rail or air-rail. Prices include travel, accommodation, eight breakfasts and evening meals, bicycle hire, all maps and route notes and transport of luggage between hotels.

Travel: By Air: to Paris
By Train: Eurostar to Paris then TGV to Strasbourg
By Car: self drive to Ammerschwihr

Local Dish: Choucroute: a French version of sauerkraut
Schiffala – smoke and salted pork
Pate de fois gras en croute, - foie gras pate in pastry

Local Drink: White wine

Language: Alsatian, a French/German dialect; French and German

Journey Time: Five hours by train from London to Strasbourg

Temperature: Spring: 14C-16C; Summer: up to 30C; Autumn: 10C-14C.

Prices: Coffee: £3
Beer: £5
Simple meal for four (no wine) £42

More info: www.headwater.com; www.tourism-alsace.com; www.visit-alsace.com

Contact: Headwater: Tel: 01606 720199 or www.headwater.com