The Moselle Cycle Route. Mike Wells
route starts in Vosges département with a short descent, from the river’s source in the Vosges Mountains, along a very quiet mountain pass road. In Bussang the first long section of dedicated cycle path is reached (Stage 1). This is the voie verte (‘greenway’) des Hautes Vosges, constructed to national standards along the trackbed of a disused railway through a valley once filled with silver and copper mines. After the first sizeable town (Remiremont), the route continues (Stage 2) using quiet country roads to reach the département capital Épinal. It is unlikely that this stretch will ever be provided with a separate cycle path, although there are plans to mark cycle lanes along the road. The road, however, is so quiet that this hardly seems necessary. Beyond Épinal, the Véloroute de la Moselle is reached, in the form of a more or less complete cycle path (Stage 3) along the towpath of the Canal des Vosges to a point just past Charmes.
Cycling through the Michelsberg vineyards opposite Piesport (Stage 11)
Beyond this point, where Vosges ends and you enter Meurthe et Moselle département, very little progress has been made building the véloroute. It is possible to continue (Stage 4) on rough gravel and dirt tracks along the towpath, and this guide does so wherever practical, but some sections on road are necessary where the towpath is impassable. After Méréville, things improve when the route joins the Boucles de la Moselle, a circular véloroute from Nancy via Neuves-Maisons to Toul and back via Frouard along various canal and river towpaths (this is followed in its entirety by using Stages 4A and 5A). Continuing north from Nancy (Stage 5), once the Boucles is left behind beyond Frouard, the surface deteriorates and it is again necessary to use sections of road until Novéant, where Moselle département is reached.
Once in Moselle, things change permanently for the better. A more or less complete cycle path (Stages 6–8), built to national standards and completed in 2012, runs from Novéant past Metz and through Thionville all the way to the German border at Schengen. Waymarked as Véloroute Charles-le-Téméraire, this mostly follows the river or canal banks, although there are sections away from the river circumnavigating riverside lagoons and industrial developments.
North from Schengen the Moselle leaves France, becoming, for a while, the border between Germany (east of the river) and Luxembourg (west of it). It then turns to run through Germany in a deep, iconic gorge meandering between the Hunsrück and Eifel Mountains. A waymarked cycle route, known in German as the Mosel-Radweg, closely follows the river through the gorge, with signposted alternatives on both sides of the river. Apart from a few short sections, usually when passing through nature reserves, the track is wide with an asphalt surface. This guide follows the right bank (east of the river) from Konz, at the confluence of the Saar, to Neef before Cochem (Stages 10–13), then switches to the left (west) bank (Stages 13–14) to reach Koblenz, where the Moselle joins the Rhine. While this is the route described in detail, in practice you can cycle on either bank, as there is little to choose between them. The stretch through the gorge is characterised by steep slatey slopes, covered in either vines on the sunnier slopes or forest on the inhospitable north-facing side of the valley.
In addition to the main route, variants are given using the Boucles de la Moselle to visit Toul (see above) and via the small country of Luxembourg (Stage 9A) using mostly dedicated asphalt cycle tracks for a circular tour, visiting the capital. Further excursions, up the Saar valley to Merzig (Excursion 1) and through the Rhine gorge to St Goar (Excursion 2), use waymarked and mostly asphalt cycle tracks.
Natural environment
Physical geography
The Moselle is a left-bank tributary of the Rhine, draining a basin of over 28,000km2. Its main catchment includes the western side of the Vosges Mountains through tributaries Meurthe, Seille and Saar, and the southern part of the Eifel range through the Sauer and Kyll. In its length of 538km it falls 653m, flows through France for 296km, forms the German–Luxembourg border for 36km, then flows 206km through Germany.
There are three distinct geological parts to the Moselle basin, all shaped by geomorphic events further south approximately 30 million years ago, when the Alps were pushed up by the collision of the African and European tectonic plates. This caused rippling of the landmass to the north, creating successive ridges that form the limestone Jura (northern Switzerland) and Vosges (France). Further north, pre-existing sandstone and slate mountains (Hunsrück) and volcanic remnants (Eifel) were raised further. The Moselle rises high on the western slopes of the Vosges and firstly flows down through the foothills. Secondly, it enters a wide valley between limestone hills filled with tertiary deposits of sand and gravel. Much of this has been extracted for building aggregates, creating a large number of man-made lakes. Finally, when the river reaches the Hunsrück it flows through a deep meandering gorge, caused by the river cutting down through the slate rocks as they were pushed up by the rising Alps.
The Moselle enters the Rhine at Deutsches Eck in Koblenz (Stage 14)
Wildlife
While a number of small animals (including rabbits, hares, red squirrels, voles, water rats and weasels) may be seen scuttling across the track, and deer glimpsed in forests, this is not a route for observing mammals. However, there is a wide range of interesting birdlife. White swans, geese and many varieties of ducks inhabit the river and its banks. Cruising above, raptors, particularly buzzards and kites, are frequently seen hunting small mammals, with kites diving occasionally into the river to catch fish. Other birds that live by fishing include cormorants – noticeable when perched on rocks with their wings spread out to dry – and kingfishers. These live in many locations, mostly on backwaters, perching where they can observe the water. Despite their bright blue and orange plumage, they are very difficult to spot. Grey herons, on the other hand, are very visible. Common all along the Moselle, they can be seen standing in shallow water waiting to strike or stalking purposefully along the banks.
Preparation
When to go
The route is generally cycleable from mid-April to late October. Indeed, much of the route can be cycled at any time of year, although some of the rougher sections of towpath in Meurthe et Moselle département may be muddy after heavy rain. During July and August (the school holiday season) the popular tourist area through the Moselle gorge between Trier and Cochem (Stages 10–13) can become very busy. However, there is such a wide variety of accommodation available that it is seldom difficult to find somewhere to stay.
How long will it take?
The main route has been broken into 14 stages that average a distance of 36km each, while three variant stages and two one-day excursions visit interesting locations just off the main route. A fit cyclist, cycling an average of 72km per day, should be able to complete the main route in a week. Allowing time for sightseeing, and completing all routes in this guide, cycling the Moselle would make an attractive two-week holiday. There are many places to stay all along the route and it is easy to tailor daily distances to your requirements.
What kind of cycle is suitable?
While most of the route is on asphalt cycle tracks or quiet country roads, there are some stretches of unmade canal towpath with all-weather dirt or gravel surfaces, particularly in Meurthe et Moselle département between Charmes and Méréville (Stage 4, south of Nancy) and between Pont-à-Mousson and Novéant (Stage 6, north of Nancy). As a result, cycling the route by staying true to the river is not recommended for narrow-tyred racing cycles. There are, however, on-road alternatives for both these stages that can be used to bypass the rougher sections. The most suitable type of cycle is either a touring cycle or a hybrid (a lightweight but strong cross between a touring cycle and a mountain bike, with at least 21 gears). There is no advantage in using a mountain bike. Front suspension is beneficial as it absorbs much of the vibration. Straight handlebars, with bar-ends enabling you to vary your position regularly, are recommended. Make sure your cycle is serviced and lubricated before you start, particularly the brakes, gears and chain.
As important as the cycle is the choice of tyres. Slick