Colmar
Colmar is Alsace's top family destination: a walkable medieval old town with canals, colourful half-timbered houses, great museums, and a legendary Christmas market.
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🇫🇷Route des Vins d'Alsace
Explore the Route des Vins d'Alsace with your family: medieval villages, cycling through vineyards, Alsatian food classics, and one of France's most scenic drives.
Your family guide
A fairy-tale food adventure along the Route des Vins d'Alsace
“Riquewihr's flower-boxes spill over cobblestones so perfectly arranged they look photoshopped. Cycle between villages, stop for pretzel and wine, repeat.”
— San & Jo
The Route des Vins d'Alsace is one of those places that genuinely looks like it belongs in an illustrated children's book. Stretching roughly 170 kilometres through eastern France, from Strasbourg in the north to near Thann in the south, this is France's oldest and most iconic wine route. And yes, the wine is wonderful, but for families, it is so much more than that.
Children are wide-eyed at medieval walled villages like Riquewihr and Eguisheim, where flower-filled windowsills and cobblestone lanes look like they belong in an illustrated book. Meanwhile, you get to explore vibrant food markets, taste Alsatian classics like flammekueche and baeckeoffe, and soak up a culture that beautifully blends French and German traditions into something entirely its own.
Whether you cycle through the vineyards, wander into a winstub for a long lunch, or climb up to the dramatic ruins of Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, this route rewards families who love to slow down, explore, and eat well. It is the kind of trip where everyone finds something to love.
Alsace, FranceEastern France, Vosges foothills
April to OctoberBest time to visit
170 km routeStrasbourg to Thann
Best things to do
Best things to do in Route des Vins d'Alsace
Wander through Eguisheim and Riquewihr
These two villages are the crown jewels of the route. Eguisheim's circular layout and flower-draped streets are genuinely impressive, while Riquewihr's medieval walls and cobblestone wine trail make it feel like a living museum. Kids love exploring the lanes and spotting quirky details on the half-timbered houses.
Visit early morning to beat the crowds
2-3 hours each
Explore Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle
This imposing medieval fortress sits high above the vineyards and offers sweeping views across the Vosges mountains. It is a brilliant detour from the main route, especially for kids who love history, towers, and panoramic views. The castle is well-preserved and genuinely dramatic.
Go on a clear day for the best views
2-3 hours
Cycle through the vineyards
A dedicated cycle route runs parallel to the road through the Alsatian vineyards, and electric bikes are available if you want to cover more ground with less effort. Cycling between villages is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the route as a family, with gentle terrain and beautiful scenery.
E-bikes available at several hire points along the route
Half day to full day
Eat flammekueche in a winstub
Winstubs are traditional Alsatian taverns, and they are exactly the kind of relaxed, welcoming spot that works brilliantly with kids. Order a flammekueche, a thin, crispy tarte flambée topped with crème fraîche, onions, and lardons, and eat it by hand, just as locals do. Simple, delicious, and universally loved.
Look for winstubs with handwritten menus on chalkboards
1-2 hours
Visit Colmar and La Petite Venise
Colmar is the heart of the wine route and one of the most photogenic towns in France. Its canal district, La Petite Venise, is lined with colourful half-timbered houses reflected in the water. Take a boat ride, explore the old town, and stop for chocolate or a bretzel along the way.
Boat rides on the canals depart from the tannery district
Half day to full day
Discover the Museum of Wine in Kientzheim
Kientzheim is home to Alsace's Museum of Wine and Vineyards, which gives a fascinating insight into the history and craft behind the region's famous wines. It is a great stop for older children who are curious about how wine is made, and the village itself is beautifully preserved.
Combine with a walk through the village and surrounding vineyards
1-2 hours
Join a wine festival or village event
Throughout the warmer months, the villages along the route come alive with festive wine festivals and community events. These are genuinely fun for families, with local food stalls, music, and the chance to meet winegrowers. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming rather than exclusive.
Check local village websites for festival dates in summer and autumn
Half day
Walk the vineyards in autumn
Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to visit, when the vineyards turn gold and red against the backdrop of the forested Vosges mountains. Walking trails wind through the vines between villages, and the harvest season brings extra energy and activity to the whole route.
Late September and October offer the best autumn colours
2-3 hours
Our verdict
How the Route des Vins d'Alsace scores for families
Kids
Fairy-tale villages, castle ruins, cycling, and street food: there is plenty to keep children genuinely engaged beyond just the wine.
Culture
The blend of French and German heritage, medieval architecture, and centuries of wine tradition makes this one of the most culturally rich routes in France.
Food
Exceptional. From winstub classics to Michelin-starred dining, the food scene here is the main event for many families.
Nature
The Vosges foothills and vineyard landscapes are beautiful, especially for cycling and walking. Not a wilderness destination, but genuinely scenic.
Budget
Mid-range to premium. Village accommodation and winstub meals are reasonable, but the region also has plenty of upscale options that push costs up.
Planning your visit
How long should you spend on the Route des Vins d'Alsace?
2
2 days
Quick taste
Pick two or three villages, visit Colmar, and enjoy a winstub dinner. You will get a flavour of the route without feeling rushed.
sweet spot
4
4 days
Sweet spot
Enough time to explore the best villages, cycle a section of the route, visit Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, and eat your way through the local specialities at a relaxed pace.
7
7 days
Full route
Drive or cycle the entire 170 km from Strasbourg to Thann, stopping at hidden gems like Scherwiller and Ribeauvillé alongside the famous highlights.
Fun facts
Things to know about Route des Vins d'Alsace
France's oldest wine route
The Route des Vins d'Alsace is not just famous: it is officially France's oldest wine route, and it has been drawing visitors through its fairy-tale villages for decades. That is a lot of pretzels eaten along the way.
Eguisheim is perfectly circular
The village of Eguisheim was built in concentric rings around a central castle, which means if you walk the streets, you are literally going in circles. It is one of the most unusual and charming village layouts anywhere in France.
Baeckeoffe takes two days to make
The traditional Alsatian dish baeckeoffe is made by marinating three types of meat in local white wine for over 24 hours before slow-cooking everything in a sealed terrine. Good things really do take time.
Taste the Route des Vins d'Alsace
What to eat with your family along the wine route
Flammekueche (Tarte Flambée)
Kids love itAny local winstub along the route
The most iconic Alsatian dish: a paper-thin crust topped with crème fraîche, caramelised onions, and smoky lardons. You eat it by hand in a winstub, and it disappears fast. Kids and adults love it equally.
Bretzel
Daily treatVillage bakeries throughout the route
Soft, chewy, and lightly salted, Alsatian pretzels are the perfect grab-and-go snack while exploring the villages. You will find them at bakeries and market stalls throughout the route.
Baeckeoffe
Local favouriteWinstubs in Colmar and Kaysersberg
A hearty slow-cooked casserole of potatoes, vegetables, and three types of meat marinated in local white wine. It is rich, warming, and deeply satisfying: perfect after a day of cycling or walking.
Munstiflette
Must tryTraditional winstubs throughout the route
Spätzle or potatoes baked with melted Munster cheese: gooey, rich, and absolutely delicious. Munster is the region's most famous cheese, and this dish is one of the best ways to try it.
Smoked Rhine eel at La Table d'Olivier Nasti
Must tryLa Table d'Olivier Nasti, Kaysersberg
For a very special family dinner, La Table d'Olivier Nasti in Kaysersberg holds two Michelin stars and is led by a Meilleur Ouvrier de France chef. The smoked Rhine eel is a signature dish worth the occasion.
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