The best gravel rides around Mertzen

Beautiful half-timbered houses. Few public benches. Those in front of the church and in the adjacent playground are not sheltered from the wind. If you have a picnic area to recommend, go for it, thank you.

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.

This region has hundreds of small fishponds, once created by monks in the Middle Ages. Today they form a patchwork of water, reeds and forest – a paradise for birds, cyclists and those seeking peace and quiet. You cycle along quiet banks, see herons take flight and enjoy local specialities such as fried carp along the way.

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Oltingue is a quiet village in the Sundgau with a late-classical village ensemble around the church of Saint-Martin (1827–1831), the rectory and the former school. The Callinet organ (1843), the double staircase of the rectory and the facade details are striking. There are several historic houses in the village, including half-timbered houses from 1695 and a farm from the 16th century. To the east lies the chapel of Saint-Brice, a former place of pilgrimage with a baroque altar and an outdoor pulpit.

This former mother church of Oltingue and three disappeared villages dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. The location is idyllic: surrounded by fields, an old cemetery and often with storks on the roof in the spring. Inside you will discover surprisingly well (?) preserved wall paintings, including a rare representation of the sacrifice of Melchisedech and a Last Supper from 1741. In the choir you will also find a wall tabernacle and a niche for liturgical objects, silent witnesses of medieval rituals. The Gothic arched windows and the neo-Gothic vault are reminders of later restorations, while archaeological excavations in 1989 revealed traces of older sanctuaries and tombs from the early Middle Ages. simple but full of character.

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 'Tocsin de l'écologie' in Hagenbach is a striking work of art and symbol of environmental awareness, located along the canal at the towpath. This installation, reminiscent of a warning bell, calls for reflection on the impact of man on nature. For cyclists, it is a surprising and meaningful stop along the route, in the middle of the peaceful Alsatian landscape.