🌎 Countries crossed

France

🕔 Travel time

5 days

💼 Journey type

Culture, Party

Discovering Southern Alsace: a loop from Paris

Fancy a breath of fresh air, without a car, among vineyards, Vosges valleys, and vibrant towns? Set off from Paris on an Alsatian loop by train, bus, and bike: Strasbourg, Colmar, Munster, the chalets of Wormsa, Metzeral, Guebwiller, Mulhouse... An ideal 5- to 6-day tour, perfect for savoring the famous Munster cheese, climbing to the peaks, exploring picturesque villages, and ending on a high note in the industrial and cultural capital of southern Alsace.


Cover photo: Mulhouse - Mural by Vinie - © AAMSA

Rent a bike in Paris

Paris,
France
Strasbourg,
France

High speed train

High speed train

(≈ 1h46)

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Strasbourg,
France
Colmar,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h29)

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Colmar,
France
Munster,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h21)

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Munster,
France
Chalets de la Wormsa,
France

Bike

Bike

(≈ 00h45)

Chalets de la Wormsa,
France
Metzeral,
France

Bike

Bike

(≈ 00h15)

Metzeral,
France
Munster,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h10)

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Munster,
France
Colmar,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h25)

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Colmar,
France
Raedersheim,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h17)

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Raedersheim,
France
Guebwiller,
France

Day bus

Day bus

(≈ 00h08)

Guebwiller,
France
Bollwiller,
France

Day bus

Day bus

(≈ 00h14)

Bollwiller,
France
Mulhouse,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h15)

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Mulhouse,
France
Saint-Louis,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h23)

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Saint-Louis,
France
Mulhouse,
France

Regional train

Regional train

(≈ 00h23)

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Mulhouse,
France
Paris,
France

High speed train

High speed train

(≈ 3h00)

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Map

Detailed itinerary

From Paris, take the TGV to Strasbourg, then hop on the TER to Colmar. Here, it's impossible not to fall in love with the colorful streets, the canals of “Little Venice,” and the museums (Unterlinden, Bartholdi, Hansi, etc.). Continue by TER train to Munster, famous for its cheese. There, you can visit the Maison du Fromage to learn how cheese is made and taste it on site, or stroll in front of “La Laub,” its old Renaissance market hall.

Next, saddle up your bike and head for the Wormsa chalets, then push on to Metzeral: a refreshing ride through forests and high-altitude meadows, perfect for relaxing at the pace of the Vosges. From Metzeral, take the TER train back to Munster then Colmar, and continue to Raedersheim, where a bus will take you to Guebwiller. Here, you can stop at the Dominicains de Haute-Alsace, a former convent converted into a unique cultural venue, then take a short bus ride to Bollwiller, dominated by a castle listed as a historic monument. Finally, take the TER to Mulhouse, a converted industrial city that is worth a day trip in its own right: automobile museum, Cité du Train, XXL street art... To touch on the Swiss border, you can push on to Saint-Louis by TER before returning to Mulhouse to catch your TGV back to Paris.

The trip lasts 5 days and includes 14 steps.
High speed train

Paris - Strasbourg

The step from Paris to Strasbourg lasts 1h46. You'll travel in a TGV Inoui operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Regional train

Strasbourg - Colmar

The step from Strasbourg to Colmar lasts 00h29. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Regional train

Colmar - Munster

The step from Colmar to Munster lasts 00h21. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Bike

Munster - Chalets de la Wormsa

To cycle between Munster and Les Chalets de la Wormsa (located in Metzeral, in the heart of the Wormsa Valley), allow for around 8 km on the road, with an elevation gain of around 200 to 250 m depending on the route you choose.

The step from Munster to Chalets de la Wormsa lasts 00h45. You'll travel by bike.
Bike

Chalets de la Wormsa - Metzeral

For a bike ride between the Chalets de la Wormsa and Metzeral (mainly downhill), allow about 15 minutes for a distance of approximately 2.5 km along the valley road (with an elevation loss of about 100 to 120 meters).

The step from Chalets de la Wormsa to Metzeral lasts 00h15. You'll travel by bike.
Regional train

Metzeral - Munster

The step from Metzeral to Munster lasts 00h10. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Regional train

Munster - Colmar

The step from Munster to Colmar lasts 00h25. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Regional train

Colmar - Raedersheim

The step from Colmar to Raedersheim lasts 00h17. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Day bus

Raedersheim - Guebwiller

Bus line Fluo Grand Est 68R041.

The step from Raedersheim to Guebwiller lasts 00h08. You'll travel in a bus operated by Citram Pyrénnées - transports Nouvelle Aquitaine .
Day bus

Guebwiller - Bollwiller

Bus line Fluo Grand Est 68R054.

The step from Guebwiller to Bollwiller lasts 00h14. You'll travel in a bus operated by Citram Pyrénnées - transports Nouvelle Aquitaine .
Regional train

Bollwiller - Mulhouse

The step from Bollwiller to Mulhouse lasts 00h15. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Regional train

Mulhouse - Saint-Louis

The step from Mulhouse to Saint-Louis lasts 00h23. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
Regional train

Saint-Louis - Mulhouse

The step from Saint-Louis to Mulhouse lasts 00h23. You'll travel in a TER operated by SNCF Voyageurs.
High speed train

Mulhouse - Paris

The step from Mulhouse to Paris lasts 3h00. You'll travel in a TGV Inoui operated by SNCF Voyageurs.

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