Dreiland-Radweg
Overview
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Distance 48 km
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Ascent 540 m
Intro
This section leads through France all of the way/most of the way. See «International routes» for further information.
Description
Sundau straddles the borders between France, Germany and Switzerland. Just a few kilometres away lies another landscape, language and culture. The rolling hills and generous sunshine make for prime cycling terrain. After setting off from Rodersdorf in Solothurn, this cycling trail spanning three countries soon leads to Oltingue in France, where the first chapel of this stage evokes Alsace’s Christian past. There is no shortage of villages with interesting half-timbered houses. “Bienvenue dans le Sundgau (Alsace)” – and you will be cycling along quiet little streets for the most part too.
It’s leisurely riding from one village to the next, with the white and green cycling route signs guiding the way. The river Ill, a 200-kilometre tributary of the Rhine, is just nearby. A peculiar feature of this confluence is the sharp acute angle at which the Ill flows into Rhine. In the case of the Ill, this means that it flows parallel with the Rhine for a few kilometres before the two merge. Beautiful half-timbered houses await you again in Grentzingen and Hirsingue. You can often find the most impressive buildings at the intersection in the village centre. Murmurations of starlings hover over hay bales and the locals’ heads. The idyllic pond at Bettendorf’s little place of worship is a good spot for a picnic.
On a hill above the Ill, Altkirch forms the heart of Sundgau in southern Alsace. With a population of just under 6,000, this small medieval town has plenty to offer. For example, street artists have been invited to the town for several years now. You might see their work if you go on a ride around. The tourism office near the imposing Notre Dame church provides information about various local activities. The section to Wittersdorf has unusually heavy traffic. Don’t miss the churches in Wittersdorf and Luemschwiller. But before that, you first have to take a left and continue for a few kilometres until you reach Illfurth and its blooms of flowers.
The last section of this leisurely bike tour stays beside the water the entire way. The Rhône–Rhine Canal, part of an inland waterway, provides a navigable connection between the Mediterranean and the North Sea. Further downstream, it converges with the Ill.
This stage ends in Mulhouse. But before that, pay the former industrial town a visit. It is known for its historic centre and for its past life as a hub for textile printing. With a collection of over 6 million exemplars, the Museum of Printed Fabrics (Stoffdruckmuseum) is regarded as the most important centre for textile patterns in the world.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Rodersdorf
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Mulhouse
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| Ascent |
540 m
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| Descent |
680 m
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| Distance |
48 km
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| Distance on natural surface |
1 km
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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Quick Facts
Route number
