Itinerary
Day 1: Dornbirn (AT) - Sauldorf (D)
We start from the GBI hotel in Dornbirn and cross the Rhine valley with lots of small rivers. In Bregenz we see Lake Constance for the first time and cycle along the shore on the gorgeous, but crowded Lake Constance cycle path. Shortly behind the German border, we reach Lindau, where a short detour to the beautiful peninsula with its old town and harbor might be a good option. At Kressbronn we leave Lake Constance and the route ascents continuously. Via Tettnang and Pfullendorf we reach our destination for the day, the Tipihof in Sauldorf.
Track 2 loops over the Pfänder. Behind Bregenz we leave Lake Constance and immediately a challenging climb starts. The Pfänder ascent with numerous curves over 600 meters in altitude is rewarded with a magnificent view of the lake. Both tracks reunite at Lindau.
Route character: flat to hilly
Day 2: Sauldorf (D) - Feldberg (D)
Today we climb the highest point of the entire tour, the Feldbergpass at 1236 m. First we pedal to Tuttlingen, where we meet the young Danube river and follow it upstream to its source in Donaueschingen. From now on it will be really hilly and we will climb up to an altitude of 1000 m before we descent down to the Lake Titisee. From Bärental on the last, exhausting ascent is on the very busy Feldberg main road. At the junction to Feldberg village we reach the summit and continue a little further to our destination at the Feldberg youth hostel.
Behind Donaueschingen, track 2 turns south and loops via lake Schluchsee and St. Blasien to the Feldberg.
Route character: hilly to mountainous
Day 3: Feldberg (D) - Feldberg (D)
If the second day was too hard for you, you can enjoy the phantastic mountain panorama and a day off. Everyone else can look forward to a tour of the southern Black Forest today. It is almost 700 m downhill via Todtnau to Schönau. The immediate ascent leads us to the Weissenbachsattel again 500 m uphill before it goes back into the valley and with the last ascent back to the Feldberg.
Track 2 extends the loop by another ascent of 600 meters in altitude.
Route character: mountainous
Day 4: Feldberg (D) - Kehl (D)
After saying goodbye to the Feldberg and rolling down to Hinterzarten, with a few ups and downs we reach the Enz valley. We cross the idyllic Glashüttental and continue via Wildgutach to the Simonswäldertal. We follow the river Enz for a while and have to overcome another ridge before we descent into the Kinzig valley. We follow the course of the Kinzig through the picturesque Gengenbach downriver without much effort to our stage destination at Kehl.
Track 2 cycles the Enz valley in the opposite direction, only to tackle the wonderful ascent to the Kandel mountain (1204 m) a short time later. The way back to the Enz valley leads through the famous Glottertal.
Route character: hilly to flat
Day 5: Kehl (D) - Bad Peterstal (D)
In the morning it cycle straight over the French border to Strasbourg. With a little detour you reach the old town and can do some sightseeing before cycling along the Rhone-Rhine Canal and later on the Rhine through eastern France. At Schwanau we reach Germany again and the first hill is waiting for us. From Biberach it goes uphill again, only to lead us back into the Bad Peterstal valley shortly afterwards. One last effort finally brings us to our remote camp in the middle of nowhere.
Before reaching Bad Peterstal, track 2 detours to the Oppenauer Steige with a time trial counter!
Route character: flat to hilly
Day 6: Bad Peterstal (D) - Karlsruhe (D)
Today there is 'only' one major climb on the agenda. Similar to track 2 the day before, we ride the Oppenauer Steige on an alternative, less busy route and then reach the Murg valley near Baiersbronn. We follow the Murg river on its way through the Black Forest for a large part of the day and at Gaggenau we finally turn towards Karlsruhe, where we set up our camp near the castle.
From Gernsbach, track 2 takes a few more hills on the way via Bad Herrenalb to Ettlingen, where it meets track 1.
Route character: hilly to flat
Day 7: Karlsruhe (D) - Landau/Pfalz (D)
After the efforts of the last six days, the last cycling day is a real recovery. From Karlsruhe we head towards the river Rhine near Rastatt, which we cross on a cost-free rope ferry. On the other side, we are again in France and enjoy the savoir vivre for a while. At Scheibenhardt we cross the border to Germany again and it is now not far to our nutrition point in Herxheim, from where we start the traditional group cycling. The last 15 km we cycle in a convoy and at a leisurely pace to the tour destination in Landau.
In France, Track 2 can see the foothills of the Vosges, but today even ambitious cyclists no longer require any real climbing.
Route character: flat
The tracks of the different stages differ in general regarding their length and the climb as well as the surface.
Track 1
Recommended for all kinds of bikes including road bikes. Only paved roads on the track. Shorter and less challenging than track 2.
Track 2
Recommended in particular for road bikes, the distance is longer and more climb than on track 1.
