Cycling Alsace with Détour Alsace: My Detailed Review

Since I moved to Alsace in 2019, I’ve seen this beautiful region transform into a popular tourist destination.

The main downside to this boom in tourism is the large tour buses, especially during peak season. They take away from the authentic atmosphere that you would otherwise experience.

So, for the past year, I’ve been searching for locally-based tour companies that prioritize responsible tourism.

That’s how I came across Détour Alsace.

In this post, I’ll share with you my experience touring with them so you can decide if they are the right tour company for you.

This is a half-timbered house in Bergheim. There are roses on the garage and my bike from Detour Alsace in front of the front door. — Bergheim during my Bike Tour

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Who is Détour Alsace

This is Cedric Schuhler standing next to my (Jen Ciesielski) bike while giving me a bike tour. He is wearing a helmet and a reflective vest. Behind him are vineyards and rolling mountains. — Cedric Schuhler

Détour Alsace is a tour company specializing in bike rentals and guided cycling tours through the charming villages along the Alsace Wine Route.

It’s owned and operated by Cedric Schuhler, who was born and raised in Sélestat.

The company was founded in 2022 with the goal of providing authentic experiences while promoting sustainable tourism.

Cedric is passionate about his region and wants to share its beauty and culture with visitors in a responsible way.

Helpful Tip: Cedric speaks French, German, and English fluently.

In general, he focuses on more off-the-beaten-path destinations that showcase the local culture.

But he can easily adapt to your interests and preferences, so that your experience is exactly what you are looking for.

Helpful Tip: Détour Alsace is based in Sélestat, but Cedric can meet you in Colmar or another town if you need.

Bike Rentals and Tours

This the electric bike that I used during my bike tour with Detour Alsace. It has a kickstand, adjustable seat, battery, a bell, and gears. It's in front of vineyards along the EuroVelo 5. — My Electric Bike

Détour Alsace offers two types of services – bike tours and bike rentals.

Bike Rentals

You can choose between two types of bikes – mountain or electric.

The mountain bikes (listed as VTT, vélo tout-terrain) can cover a variety of terrains, including the tours listed below.

Electric bikes are best suited for cycling-specific paths and are compatible with all the tours mentioned below.

Every bike (whether mountain or electric) comes with the following accessories:

Basket
Saddle cover
Mudguard
Bell
Kickstand
Adjustable seat
Helmet
Reflective Vest

Helpful Tip: All electric bikes come with a fully charged battery that is easy to use.

Types of Tours

They offer three main tours, and those are listed below:

Circuit Au Fief du Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg: This is the most popular tour, and it’s the one I did. It begins in Sélestat and goes through Bergheim, Saint-Hippolyte, and Orschwiller before returning to Sélestat. (Time: 2.5 hours, Distance: 25 kilometers)
La Perle du Vignoble: This is one of the newer tours. It begins in Mittelwihr and goes to Zellenberg and Riquewihr before returning to Mittelwihr. (Time: 2.5 hours, Distance: 10 kilometers)
Le Best of de la Route des Vins d’Alsace: This is another new addition with lots of cool stops. It begins in Mittelwihr and goes to Zellenberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, and Kaysersberg before returning to Mittelwihr. (Time: 6 hours, Distance: 35 kilometers)

Every tour includes a bottle of water, wine tasting, and a cheese board. You’ll also get a tour of the towns you cycle through and learn about their history.

You can choose the type of bike – either mountain or electric.

But I recommend choosing an electric bike. All the routes listed above include some hills, and an electric bike will make it a lot easier.

Helpful Tip: The bike accessories listed above are also included with the bikes used for the tours.

My Experience

This is a photo of me (Jen Ciesielski and Cedric Schuhler) on a bike tour. We are standing in front of vineyards in Alsace and we both are wearing helmets. — Me and Cedric Schuhler

I came across Détour Alsace in my Alsace Travel Tips Facebook group. A couple had signed up for a tour with Cedric and gave him a raving review.

Not long after, I received an email from Cedric with an introduction to Détour Alsace. He had heard about my Facebook group and was interested in working with me.

I looked into his company, read reviews, and asked the couple in my Facebook group a few additional questions.

Everyone had positive things to say, so I decided to book the Circuit Au Fief du Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg.

From start to finish, my experience with Détour Alsace was excellent. Cedric was responsive and helpful in answering all my questions beforehand.

On the day of the tour, he met me at Sélestat’s train station. He gave me my helmet and reflective vest, let me test the height of my seat, and showed me how to use an electric bike.

Once everything was adjusted, we were off.

This is Place du Dr Pierre Walter in Bergheim. It's a cobbled lane with rows of colorful half-timbered houses. This is one of the places I stopped on my bike tour with Detour Alsace. — Place du Dr Pierre Walter in Bergheim

From Sélestat’s train station, we followed the EuroVelo 5 to Bergheim, where Cedric gave me a fantastic tour of the town (there were lots of history and fun anecdotes).

We, then, followed the Alsace Wine Route to Orschwiller, passing by Saint-Hippolyte.

This is a photo of the wine tasting I did with Cedric from Detour Alsace. He is standing at behind a small bar. There are six bottles of wine, two wine glasses, and a plate of cheese. — Wine Tasting

In Orschwiller, we did a wine tasting at Domaine Bléger. Cedric even brought snacks for the tasting. I tried six wines, and they were all fantastic.

Helpful Tip: Domaine Bléger is easily one of my favorite wineries in the region.

We, then, headed back to Sélestat via the Alsace Wine Route.

Overall, the tour was a lot of fun. Cedric took his time explaining everything, even little details about the history and culture.

He shared interesting facts about each town we passed through and made sure to stop for photos.

What I appreciated most was the effort he dedicated to ensuring that I was enjoying myself. That’s what made the biggest impact on me.

Pros and Cons of Détour Alsace

These are the vineyards in Orschwiller where I did my wine tasting. It's a row of grape vines with mountains in the background. — Vineyards in Orschwiller

I loved my tour, and I highly recommend booking with Détour Alsace. However, like any experience, there were both positive and negative aspects.

Pros

Personalized tour: Cedric tailored the tour to my interests and preferences, which made it more special than the big group tours.
Knowledgeable guide: Cedric’s extensive knowledge about the region and its wines added value to the tour.
Locally owned company: Détour Alsace is a company run by locals, and you can’t get better than that.
Beautiful scenery: The route we took had stunning views of the vineyards and countryside.
Tasting at a family-owned winery: Nothing beats locally owned and operated wineries. The wines are always better.
No language barrier: Cedric speaks a lot of languages (perfectly).
Reasonable price: Compared to a lot of other tours in Alsace, the tours with Détour Alsace are affordable.
Excellent equipment: All the bikes were in great condition and comfortable to ride.
Off-the-beaten path: Cedric focuses on the lesser-known parts of Alsace, so you get a more authentic experience.
Sustainable practices: Détour Alsace is committed to and promotes sustainable tourism. It’s a great car-free activity.

Cons

In high demand: Cedric has a lot of great reviews, which means he is in high demand. If you’re visiting during peak tourist season, I recommend booking your tour as soon as possible.
Some hilly parts: Biking along the Alsace Wine Route can be physically demanding. But if you rent an electric bike, you won’t have any problems.
Weather dependent: As with any outdoor activity, weather can impact the experience, so I recommend researching the best time to visit the region beforehand.
No tours in/around Strasbourg: Détour Alsace doesn’t offer tours around Strasbourg, which isn’t a huge con (only if you can’t travel to Sélestat or Colmar).

Conclusion

If you’re planning on visiting the Alsace Wine Route, be sure to book a tour with Cedric and Détour Alsace.

His highly rated tours offer a memorable experience that you won’t find with large tour companies.

I loved the Circuit Au Fief du Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg tour, and I recommend booking that one if you’re not sure which one to pick.

Next, I recommend you check out some of the other fun things to do in Sélestat, which is worth visiting after you’ve finished your tour.

I hope you enjoyed my post and found it helpful. Here are some other articles that I think you might find interesting.