Thank you Nils Petersen cycle tour

Freiburg - Alsace - Freiburg

Country

Germany, France

Region

Baden-Württemberg, Alsace, Kaiserstuhl

Distance

244km

Time

3 days

Elevation

3190hm

Difficulty

Hard

Contributor

Roger S.

Short Description

I wanted to go on a quick cycle trip from Freiburg and then watch Nils Petersen one last time playing. Heading with a detour via Trois Epis (amazing climb) to Munster. Stayed there for the night and tackled Le Breitfirst and Col du Page and stayed for the night in Thann. Last day back to Freiburg and of to the stadium. Nils Petersen Fussballgott even scored!

Niemand ist größer als der Verein, aber du warst verdammt nah dran! Danke Nils!

Route overview

Insights

Adjustability route

Easy to adjust

Recommended time of year

May to September

Anything to consider?

Be careful with people on a motor bike.

Travel to start

Train to Freiburg

Travel from finish

Train from Freiburg

Highlights

Col du Page

Food

Easy to get

Road Surface

Mostly good
Reommended Bike Type

Recommended Bike Type

All possible, but since it's hilly tour, I would recommend something light.
Stage

Stage

Travel to start

Freiburg

Stop

Munster (Alsace)

Distance

71km

Elevation

740hm

First crossing Tuniberg, Kaiserstuhl and the border to France, then a flat part until Colmar. Then, the actual tour started with a wonderful climb to Trois-Epis (7,7 km | 434 Hm | 5,6 %.)

After Niedermorschwihr, we encounter a beautiful, varied mountain pass: first through vineyards in the valley, then briefly through forest with views over vineyards, Colmar, and the Rhine plain. As the forest thickens, we see the first villas of Trois-Épis. There’s still some work ahead, including a short 9% incline, before reaching the junction with the main road D 11 from Turckheim. Finally, we navigate one more turn within the village and arrive at the intersection in front of the pilgrimage church.

Stage

Stage

Travel to start

Munster (Alsace)

Stop

Thann

Distance

83km

Elevation

1600hm

This wonderful route includes the following climbs:

  • Le Breitfirst/ Le Markstein / Platzerwasel (8,2 km | 660 Hm | 8,0 %)
    From Munster through Metzeral, the D10 gently ascends southward along the Grande Fecht towards Sondernach, the starting point for the climb to Col du Platzerwasel. The ascent becomes steeper after passing through the village, with the real climb beginning around 2 km beyond, where the path from Petit Ballon descends. The road, now D27, winds into the forest. The rest of the ascent is steady, with occasional flatter sections. Views to the southeast occasionally open up, but the summit is unremarkable. Heading towards Breitfirst, the landscape transitions to the windswept, open High Vosges.
  • Col d’Oderen:
    In Kruth, near the church, the road to Col d’Oderen branches off. Initially flat, we ride out of the village before a comfortable incline begins at the 90-degree curve, reaching a maximum of 6%. After a longer straight stretch and passing a small chapel, we encounter a cluster of houses where the terrain levels off. Then, a series of enjoyable hairpin turns follows, though marked by tire tracks from motorized traffic. The road remains in excellent condition, aiding the ride. Suddenly, after 5 km, a steep section at a consistent 10% appears, lasting only 300 m but catching us off guard. After this, two more gradual turns lead to the final, slightly steeper stretch to the summit. At the top, three pass signs denote the boundary between Haut-Rhin and Vosges departments. A small round hut hints at hobbit presence. It’s a beautiful, fairly easy ascent on a good road, albeit with the constant threat of motorcycle noise.
  • Col du Page:
    The Col du Page links Col d’Oderen’s western approach to Bussang, offering an alternative north-south route to the dominant Route des Crêtes, with some elevation.
  • Col de Bussang:
    Approaching the pass from Bussang to use the old road below N 66 is the best option. Follow signs to “Source de la Moselle” in Bussang, as the Moselle originates there.
Stage

Stage

Travel to start

Thann

Stop

Freiburg

Distance

91km

Elevation

840hm

The last day started with a half climb of the Grand Ballon. Then a decent into the Rhine-valley and back to Germany.