The best traffic-free bike rides around Heidweiler

Altkirch Altkirch is the historic capital of the Sundgau and lies on a striking rocky spur above the valley of the Ill. The town's origins date back to the Middle Ages. The Counts of Ferrette built Altkirch into a fortified town; from 1215 onwards, it was protected by town walls and towers. The characteristic layout, narrow streets, and remnants of the fortifications have been preserved from this medieval town plan to this day. Particularly worth seeing is the Vieille Porte, a former town gate from around 1245. For centuries, Altkirch was an important administrative and commercial center of the Sundgau. After the destructions of the Thirty Years' War, numerous buildings were newly erected. The representative town hall dates from the 18th century, built in 1778 according to plans by the Swabian architect Jean Nissler. In the 19th century, the town continued to develop: alongside its traditional importance as a market and trading place, industrial enterprises emerged, including the well-known Gilardoni brickworks. The 20th century also left its mark. After the First World War, Altkirch became part of the re-Frenchified Alsace. The memory of this period is evident, among other things, at the Vieille Porte, where a Borne Vauthier commemorates the former front line of 1918. The original Altkirch war memorial from 1927 was destroyed during the German occupation in the Second World War; preserved parts were later integrated into a new memorial. Today, Altkirch, with around 6,000 inhabitants, is an important center of the Sundgau. The historic upper town with its old houses, remnants of fortifications, the town hall, and the Sundgau Museum continues to shape the townscape. Source: Ville d’Altkirch – History of the town

Virtually no incline, good asphalt – everything invites you to pedal briskly through beautiful nature.

Every lock along the route provides for an unusual background and a good memory of your bike trip. A lot of these locks have a bridge going over them, take the time to branch off the bridge and discover some of the nice villages along the canal.

The French and European National Cycleway is a great cycleway winding along side of the Rhine Rhone Canal with very little climbing, for those who do not like to climb. However those who are climbing shy, must be aware of the wind in this area. A lot of the locks still have the former lock man’s house which adds a bit of charm to every lock. One is never alone on this route as there is a constant passing of bicycles, both leisure and racing bikes.

The Rhine Rhone Cycleway is part of the National French and European Cycleway. This stretch of the cycleway has excellent smooth asphalted pavement. There are some nice restaurants and cafés along the way which are sometimes hidden but can easily be found on the map.

There are also toilets and a water point

The Port fluvial de Dannemarie is no ordinary marina – it’s an unexpected oasis along the canal, where boats bob gently and herons keep watch. For cyclists, it feels like a little refuge: a place to take a break from the rhythm of your pedals and take on the rhythm of the water. Here you can refill your water bottle, stretch your legs on a bench in the shade or a little further away at the restaurant, or just watch the sun play on the surface of the canal.

The Écluse d’Eglingen is a small, active lock on the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, near the village of Eglingen in the Sundgau region. This spot is popular with cyclists due to its quiet location along the 'EuroVelo 6' and regional cycle routes. The lock is surrounded by greenery and offers a bench and shade, but no facilities.