Walking France: Wintzenheim to Eguisheim (Alsace)

Going to Alsace on vacation and looking for an easy hike?

This stroll through vineyards between cute towns takes about an hour and ends in the village voted prettiest in France in 2013. The walk is an easy one, mostly level, often on paved paths. Just keep an eye out for cars (sometimes you’ll be walking on roads without sidewalks) and take plenty of sun protection, as there’s really no shade on this route.

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The route

The walk above starts in the cute village of Wintzenheim and meanders through vineyards to Eguisheim. We based in Colmar and took a train to Turckheim to start our walk, but the stretch between Turckheim and Wintzenheim isn’t very pretty, so if scenery is your jam, consider taking the bus directly to Wintzenheim. 

There’s a marked cycling route you can follow or you can use a map (we used Google maps on Chad’s phone) to wander on quiet back roads through the vineyards on your own. Expect the cycle route to be marked but occasionally confusing (there were some splits in the road that weren’t clearly marked when we were following it), and take a backup map or be prepared to stop for directions if needed. 

The walk should take around an hour (faster if you’re booking it, slower if you stop for a mid-vineyard picnic). Make sure to leave plenty of time for exploring pretty, walled Eguisheim and grab some gingerbread from the incredible street vendor selling it just outside the old walls.