Pedals, Pasteries + Pinot: A Bike Tour Through Alsace's Vineyards And Culinary Delights

It’s hard to remember a time when I haven’t fantasized about riding a bike through French vineyards with a baguette in my bike basket, sampling delicious wines from a multitude of family wineries ...

The author parks her bike with a baguette to take in the views around the ancient winemaking town of Ammerschwihr.

This past spring I joined my friend and Vail, Colorado-based pastry chef Sebastian Schmitt and his family on a trip to his hometown of Ammerschwihr and the nearby town of Kaysersberg in the northeastern part of France to make that fantasy come true. Nestled in the heart of Alsace — a region renowned for great white wines, including riesling, Gewürztraminer and pinot gris — these ancient towns date back to Roman times, steeped in history and overflowing with food and wine opportunities.

Flying into Basel-Mulhouse airport, our first stop was a 45-minute drive to Ammerschwihr and Schmitt’s parents’ house for a home-cooked, four-course Alsatian lunch prepared by his mother. Then it was off on the family bikes for a sunny afternoon of exploration and wine tasting, including a stop at the local bakery for a baguette to pop in my bike basket.

Riding through this beautiful medieval town and its vineyards, we stopped for sampling at three wineries along the way. Domaine Leon Heitzmann proved the favorite of the three. This small, family-owned-and-operated winery has been producing wines for six generations; in 2008, they began making their wine biodynamically. They also have one of the few female winemakers in the area. A young, friendly and energetic woman, she happily served us free tastings of her different varietals while chatting with us about her family’s winemaking history, traditions and inspiration.

That night we enjoyed a meal with Schmitt’s family at his friend’s newly opened bistro, Tariq Ali, in nearby Ribeauville. The husband-and-wife team, from New York and Alsace respectively, offer a minimalist farm-to-table menu where the seasonal asparagus paired perfectly with the locally sourced steak and dauphinoise potatoes.

Ammerschwihr, a town of only 1,650 people, boasts the most winegrowers per capita in France. In spite of this, Schmitt recommended I stay in nearby Kaysersberg. This equally small, beautiful and ancient town is a little livelier and tourist orientated, with plenty of quaint local shops, hotels and eateries, including a two-star Michelin restaurant. I booked a very affordable Airbnb apartment for three nights in the center of the town within easy walking distance of everything.

Day two began early with a mission to find the best pastries in town. We got the inside scoop on LeVain, the bakery owned by local Michelin-star chef Olivier Nasti. Situated in a small, nondescript back alley, this tiny authentic boulangerie with space inside for no more than three customers at a time exceeded expectations, even by Schmitt’s high standards. From the pan au chocolate loaf and perfect croissants to the delicate pastries and shelves of beautifully baked breads, it was a pastry chef’s delight — the highlight being perfectly baked focaccia bread f illed with fresh seasonal asparagus.

Breakfast was followed by a short walk up to the local medieval castle ruins to walk off our f irst meal — in preparation for our next meal. We planned to meet Schmitt’s friends for lunch at Auberge Obschel, a traditional Alsatian mountain restaurant. The idea is to enjoy one of the many mountain hikes surrounding the restaurant and finish with a well-earned meal. Here you will find a menu with German specialties like spatzle and sauerkraut comingling with French favorites like foie gras and beef consommé, as well as distinctly Alsatian dishes like vol-au-vent, a puff pastry bowl filled with either chicken or fish. There is a decadent dessert selection and, of course, everything is enjoyed with plenty of local wine.

With rain forecasted for my final day in the region, we headed to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, 32 kilometers (about 20 miles) from Kaysersberg. This gigantic 12th century fortress situated 2,483 feet above the Alsatian plains has panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards, the Black Forest, the Vosges Mountains and, on a clear day, the Alps. It was completely restored in the early 20th after being burnt to the ground in the 17th century and is an incredible example of Alsace’s long and often violent French and German past.

As we drove back to Ammerschwihr that evening through endless vineyards for a final meal with Schmitt’s family, the sun finally broke through the clouds. Schmitt explained that fall was the more popular time to visit the region as that’s when it is both harvest season and festival season, and the towns are bustling with locals and tourists alike. However, as I watched the setting sun illuminating the budding leaves on the vines on a quiet road, surrounded by not much more than food, wine and history, I decided I had discovered the perfect place at the perfect time to fulfill much more than my baguette-fueled bucket list fantasy.

IF YOU GO

Fly directly from Denver to Frankfurt on United and then Frankfurt to Basel Mulhouse on Lufthansa. Rent a car to best explore the surrounding towns and landscapes. While there is not a bicycle rental store in Ammerschwihr, there is in the nearby town of Colmar where they also offer winery bike tours.

Originally published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Spoke+Blossom.