Guided tours Alsace

The Petit Train de Ribeauvillé takes you through the vineyards to the village of Hunawihr, famous for its 15th century fortified church and its Sainte-Hune fountain. All along the way, through the picturesque lanes of the old town of Ribeauvillé, comments resonate in your ears via individual headphones. On the way back, a superb panorama of the Three Castles of Ribeauvillé is revealed to you . Departures take place every hour on the Place du Général de Gaulle, with night flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays in July and August.

Vauban's last fortified work, the city of Neuf-Brisach was built in 1699 by order of Louis XIV to secure Alsace. This stronghold, listed as a World Heritage Site since 2008, is remarkable for its star-shaped design. Opting for a guided tour is the assurance of discovering the secrets of this ingenious defence system, accompanied by instructive anecdotes. The discovery concludes with a visit to the Vauban Museum and the Royal Church of Saint-Louis.

Patrick Unterstock is the last active boatman in the Ried area. He will take you on a ride on the river in a wooden boat with a flat bottom, made in his own workshop. Patrick organizes half-day or full-day tours, with a tasting of a matelote. He also puts at your disposal his Hutte des Castors, a very ecological gîte (4 persons) : solar energy for water and wood for heating. Very nice too, his Tipi de la Presqu'Ill.

A walk along a dead arm of the Rhine with a variety of fish. This aquatic fauna is the pride of Biesheim, whose population used to live from fishing. This 45-minute trip is carried out in a flat-bottomed boat equipped with an electric motor under the guidance of boat guides who will tell you about the history of Biesheim and the characteristics of the flora and fauna that inhabit the Giessen. It's an enchantment!

At the beginning of Soda, a cycle path of 7.2 km along peaceful waters of the river Rhine until Munchhausen, where the river meets Sauer. The delta created by the combination of the two rivers is a great place to watch the migrating birds that come to establish home regularly there. The abundant vegetation also makes it an ideal setting for a family picnic. For the more adventurous, the track continues further north, around 90 km away.

Price: free.

Distance: 8.2 km away.

Problem: easy.

It is the oldest distillery of Alsace (since 1850) which is labelled Entreprise du patrimoine which works for its know-how of excellence. Lehmann Distillery is situated in Obernai, on the famous wine route in the heart of the Alsace vineyards and at the foot of the massif of Vosges. It distils spirits, liquors and more recently its famous whisky, "Elsass Whisky", for the greatest pleasure of connoisseurs. This emblematic distillery proposes for groups two formulas of organised visits as they wish to share a gastronomy and a know-how that they have claimed for five generations. A prestigious tasting then takes place at the foot of the stills: it begins among great classics such as Poire Williams, IGP Alsace raspberry, IGP Alsace mirabelle plum, AOC Alsace gewurztraminer marc (typical of the region), etc., and will continue on a milder note with raspberry liquor, mirabelle plum liquor, etc.

As early as 1913, Eugène Massenez wanted to be an avant-garde by distilling wild raspberries for the first time... This spirit became a phenomenal success thanks in particular to the loyalty of the Queen of Sweden who fell in love with this raspberry when she came to Alsace. In the 1950s, the Massenez Distillery experienced a real boom by being present in the most famous restaurant in France: BBocuse, Verger, Troisgros, etc., and a few others such as La Tour d'Argent, Maxime's, Lenotre, etc. Finally after the 1960s, Gabriel Massenez decided as a precursor to export. Lastly, when he dealt with the Asian market, he successfully bet on the raspberry brandy (the fruit was unknown by its population) and the famous pear prisoner. The Maison Massenez, which is now associated with Grandes Distilleries Peureux, continues an avant-garde lineage and advocates, through Miss Massenez, a brand new consumption of brandies, creams and liquors: the cocktails! It forms part of the French lifestyle! Refined, chic, elegant... The digestive does not have an exclusively masculine image now, follow Miss Massenez and travel with her through her favourite cocktails... This prestigious distillery offers guided tours for groups as from 10 people but only on prior reservation. End the visit with a free tasting at Miss Massenez port.

In Uberach, which is a village 30 km north of Strasbourg, the heritage largely rests on its vineyards and the quality of its spirits, liquors and now Alsatian whiskies. They form an integral part of the excellent gastronomy of the region. The history of this family of distillers began at the beginning of the century with ancestors who were itinerant distillers, until the creation in 1972 of the Hepp Distillery. In 2000 it was modernised and can operate under the best conditions of cleanliness, distillation and bottling with 3 stills of 450 litres and a storage capacity of 500 tons of raw materials. Its spirits, including some rare varieties, as well as its liquors and creams are among the most famous. More recently the whiskies have joined this winning squad. Hepp Distillery which is a small family business, will welcome you for a guided tour, except on Sundays and public holidays only after prior appointment made by phone or on its website. You will be cordially welcomed every day of the week in its pleasant shop which has a new whisky hall that was inaugurated in 2016.

This artisanal family distillery is located in Balbronn, a small village in the Alsatian hills 20 km west of Strasbourg. The Hagmeyer family, who are orchardists and distillers, have a centuries-old know-how. Since 1921 they regularly invest to develop their distillery while maintaining an irreproachable quality. Since 2007 which is the year of inauguration of their new distillation workshop, it is divided into 2 sites. one dedicated to the vatting, the fermentation or the maceration and the distillation with 5 stills allowing to treat in due time 100 to 200 tons of fruits, marcs, berries or roots per year. Its second site welcomes visitors for guided tours, houses a shop as well as the ripening and maturing of brandies and their bottling. Alsatian kirsch, Mirabelle of Alsace, Poire Williams, Quince, Eglantine, Abricot, Prunelle, Sorbier, Alisier, Myrtille… their spirits are mainly made from the fruit of their harvests and, for those that they do not produce, they favour local supply for quality fruit and berries. The shop presents their spirits and liquors. You will also find the traditional Alsatian flute and other more original bottles.

Created 5 years ago by cycling tourism enthusiasts, this young company invites you to discover Alsace in an unusual way through the use of organized tours starting from Eguisheim. Guided by a GPS with a pre-recorded itinerary, you will cross authentic villages along the picturesque roads of the vineyard. The pace is slow and the circuits do not exceed 35 km. An ideal formula for family rides, riding a small queen with electric assistance (bicycle or mountain bike) or a traditional two-wheeler. For your comfort, Alsa Cyclo Tours has thought of everything: free safety helmet and, in rental, baby seat, child trailer or follower bike. It is strongly recommended to book in advance. We also offer guided tours by electric bike around the following themes: the Alsatian vineyard and village, the wine route (with tasting), the discovery of the vineyard (with tasting) and the tour of the gastronomes (with a meal). The hardest part of the deal is not pedalling (thanks to the electric assistance), but choosing the theme that will suit you best!