The route below may take 2-3 weeks, depending on the choice of places for additional overnight stays. The route is not recommended in winter, due to the risk of ice and snow on the cycling paths.
In Luxembourg City, Sofitel Le Grand Ducal can be recommended for overnight stay and dinner, giving a spectacular view of the city from the restaurant. Good bicycles can be rented from Velo en Ville.
To have a train option near a cycling route is always an advantage, if anything unexpected should happen or the weather becomes really bad. There is a train line parallel to the present route between Luxembourg and Clervaux, and between Trier and Sarreguemines.
Day 1. Luxembourg City to Bourscheid (48 km, map link)
The suggested route starts along Piste Cycleable de Alzette (PC15). From the central bridge of Luxembourg City Grund, go north along Rue Sosthéne Weis on the west side of river Alzette, through Porte d’Eich. Continue along Rue Laurent Menager, and turn right across the first bridge after passing under a highway. Follow the bike path going north through the park on the eastern side of Alzette, and continue north along Alzette following the markers of PC15.
PC15 crosses the railway at Dommeldange, crosses back to the left side of the railway after a few kilometres, and continues along Alzette to Mersch past many nice villages. At Mersch, PC15 turns north along Rue de la Gare, meets Alzette again at the next river bend near Beringen, and continues along Alzette to Ettelbrück. There a lunch restaurant may be visited, for example La Fiducia.
The suggested route leaves Ettelbrück towards northeast along Rue Pierre Wiser and Rue de Werken to CR349, which is followed to Welscheid to find bicycle route PC16. Continue along PC16 uphill towards Bourcheid, with a beautiful view over the Welscheid area. Near Bourscheid, turn left along CR348, where Hotel-Restaurant Saint-Fiacre can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2. Bourscheid to Clervaux (35 km, map link)
From Hotel Saint-Fiacre, go uphill along CR348 to the centre of Bourcheid, turn right along Schlasswee and immediately left on Feischterbierg to follow PC16 along its winding path down to Goebelsmühle. There go east (downhill) along the main road (N27) and take the first road to the left (CR348) uphill towards Schlinder-manderscheid and Friedbusch. At the first crossing after Friedbusch, turn left (southwest) along CR322 towards Kautenbach, continuing north along Konstemer Stroos (on bicycle path PC21) to Lellingen.
From Lellingen, go northwest along CR323 and CR324 to Wilwer-wiltz, along CR326 (A Millefeld) northwest to Escherange, and along CR325 further north to Drauffelt and Clervaux. In Clervaux, there are several good accomodations and restaurants. Le Clervaux Boutique & Design Hotel can be recommended for overnight stay.
Due to the short distance from Bourscheid, it may be possible to use a part of the afternoon to visit Clervaux castle with its famous war museum. Staying an extra day in Clervaux can be recommended, to make bike trips in the beautiful surroundings.
Day 3. Clervaux to Bütgenbach (67 km, map link)
From the centre of Clervaux, go north along the main road (N 18), and cross the bridge over the railway just north of the railway station. Continue along CR 339 uphill past Hupperdange to the main road (N 7) at Heinerscheid, where a smaller road more suitable for biking (Beim Wasserturm) is found on the right side of N 7 going north.
Then turn right along CR 338 downhill through Lieler, with a beautiful view to the Belgian and German borders, passing the Europa Monument just before Ouren. Ouren could be a suitable place for lunch, for example at Hotel Riddersprung or Hotel Dreiländerblick (we advise to reserve a table on beforehand).
From Ouren (Knooppunt 182) go north to 75 at Burg-Rauland, and continue north along a nice bicycle path on a previous railway (Vennbahn) to Sankt Vith (75-55-54-46-47-84-49) and Waimes (49-84-50-35-39-32-34-30-28-11-10) where café stops may be made.
From Waimes, continue along Vennbahn to Weywertz (10-11-12-14) and along Vennquerbahn over the huge old railway bridge to Bütgenbach (14-15-16-17-18) where Bütgenbacher Hof can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4. Bütgenbach to Daun (68 km, map link)
From Bütgenbach, continue east along Vennquerbahn through Büllingen to Buchholz (18-19-20-21-22-23-24-26), where water buffalo is sometimes seen in ponds north of the bicycle path.
Reaching its highest point near Losheim, Vennquerbahn continues downhill through Hallschlag (26-27-28) past Kronenburger See and Stadtkyll, ending at Jünkerath. Continue along Gladter Strasse and Auf dem Währt (where Landbäckerei Roden is conveniently placed for a short lunch stop).
Continuing on Auf dem Werth, turn left towards river Kyll just before the first bridge to find Kylltal Radweg, which is followed through Jünkerath, Gönnersdorf, Lissendorf and Bolsdorf to Dohm. There, Müllish’s Hof is conveniently placed for a short stop, before continuing downhill to Pelm along Kylltal Radweg.
At Pelm, turn left away from Kylltal Radweg over the bridge to Bahnhofstrasse, and continue on L27 after crossing the main road (B410). On L27, take the second road to the left (Am Sellbüsch) continuing as a bicycle path to Berlingen.
At Berlingen, the suggested route turns left along Berlinger Strasse (K35), passes Berlinger Bach, and turns right on a narrow road to Hinterweiler. There the route turns right along Alter Weg, continues south on K35, and turns right again along a small road going south, ending on L28 near Steinborn.
From Steinborn, the route continues south on L28 past Neunkirchen to B257 (Bitburger Strasse) going east into Daun. Hotel Burg Daun can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Using an extra day in Daun, cycling options may be further explored, for example by taking the Maare-Mosel-Radweg to the pittoresque town Manderscheid with its old castles and steep hillsides.
Day 5. Daun to Bernkastel-Kues (58 km, map link)
Going south from Daun, the Maare-Mosel-Radweg is very nice.
From Burg Daun, go north along Burgfriedstrasse, and turn right (downhill) along Bahnhofweg, crossing B257 to the old Bahnhof. Continue south on the nicely paved Radweg, across a bridge and through a tunnel, through the volcanic landscape. After 20 km, the Radweg goes downhill through a series of tunnels towards Wittlich, where a lunch restaurant can be found (for example La Meridiana).
Continue south along the bicycle path, which goes above street level through the centre of Wittlich. Signposts along the path show the direction towards Mosel and Bernkastel-Kues; first relatively flat, then through a beautiful landscape along rivers Lieser and Mosel.
In Bernkastel-Kues, there are many accomodations and restaurants. Hotel Bergblick can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6. Bernkastel-Kues to Trier (64 km, map link)
The suggested route goes east to the bridge across Mosel into the centre of Bernkastel, then towards west through the beautiful landscape along the southern side of Mosel with a lot of vineyards. Neumagen-Dhron may be a suitable place for lunch, for example at Hotel Zum Anker which is placed at the suggested route. A second stop may be made at a vineyard, for example at Longuich.
After the bridges at Schweich, the suggested route makes a shortcut going south from Mosel along Schweicher Strasse and turning right along St-Margarethen-Strasse at Kenn, continuing on Trierer Strasse and L145 to find the bicycle path along L145 just after a highway crossing. From L145 (Rheinstrasse) continue along Ruwerer strasse into Trier, where a lot of accomodations and restaurants are found. Hotel Park Plaza can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
To stay an extra day in Trier may be a good idea. Trier is a beautiful city, with historical buildings back to the time of the Roman empire.
Day 7. Trier to Ayl (28 km, map link)
From the centre of Trier, go north to the bicycle path along Mosel, which is followed west over the bridge across Saar. Turn right immediately after the bridge, to find the bicycle path going south along the west side of Saar (Saar Radweg).
The bicycle path continues through a beautiful landscape to Saarburg, which is a must to visit for tourists, situated in a steep hillside with a high waterfall at the centre. The market place above the waterfall, nicely decorated with flowers, is an ideal place to find a lunch cafè.
From Saarburg, the suggested route goes north to Ayl, where Hotel Ayler Kupp is recommended for dinner (with a taste of local wine) and overnight stay. To find the hotel, go west from Saar on the bicycle path along Trierer Strasse.
Day 8. Ayl to Saarlouis (61 km, map link)
From Ayl, go east along Trierer Strasse and cross the bridge to find a nice bicycle path going south along the eastern side of Saar. After Serrig, the bicycle path continues along the main road to Mettlach, where lunch cafes are found and the famous factory Villeroy and Boch can be visited.
From Mettlach, the suggested route continues on the right side of Saar along Saarschleife, with a spectacular view where the river bends from west towards east. An alternative to going around Saarschleife is to take a shortcut on minor roads over the hills southwest of Mettlach.
After Saarschleife, Saar Radweg crosses the river twice on the way south towards Merzig, where Saarfürst Merziger Brauhaus is conveniently placed for a short stop.
Continuing south, the suggested route turns away from Saar Radweg into Saarlouis at Alte Saar. The bicycle path along Alte Saar ends at Choicyring near La Maison Hotel, which can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
There are many other accomodations and restaurants in Saarlouis, which is a beautiful town suitable for sightseeing and shopping. Staying one extra day may be a good idea.
Day 9. Saarlouis to Sarreguemines (42 km, map link)
From Saarlouis, the suggested route goes back to Saar following Saar Radweg to Saarbrucken, where a detour to a lunch cafe may be a good idea.
From Saarbrucken, Saar Radweg continues over the Frenchs border near Sarreguemines, where several accomodations and restaurants are found. Auberge de Saint Walfrid can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 10. Sarreguemines to Alteville (69 km, map link)
From Sarreguemines, the suggested route continues south along Canal de la Sarre through a nice and calm landscape. A good lunch restaurant is found in Altwiller at Ecluse 16.
The suggested route continues along the canal past Grand Etang de Mittersheim, and turns west away from the canal along road D93 towards Belles-Forets, Guermange and Assencourt. There turn right along D199G to Alteville, where Chateau de Alteville can be recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
A nice habit at Chateau Alteville has been to invite all guests to sit and talk in a big room after dinner.
Day 11. Alteville to Metz (74 km, map link)
From Chateau d’Alteville, bike north on D199G (Route de Assenon-court) continuing east on D199F (Route de Gelucourt) near the lake, where a narrow road is followed north along the lake and then east to D999. Road D999 goes north through a hilly landscape, to Dieuze, Conthil and Morange, and then together with D674 to Baronville.
D999 then continues north through Baronville and northeast through Destry, Brulange and Arraincourt. Near Holacourt, turn north along D70 between the lakes past Arriance and Chanville, and then turn north again along D71 past Berlize to the crossing with D4. Road D4 is then followed all the way into Metz.
Metz is a beautiful city with a lot of accomodations and restaurants. Hotel La Citadelle Metz is recommended for dinner and overnight stay. An extra day in Metz may be a good idea, to visit the old city and cathedral, as well as the nice surroundings.
Day 12. Metz to Nennig (72 km, map link)
From the centre of Metz, cross over to the west side of Moselle, and continue north on the bicycle path along the river. The path is nicely paved and marked, so the ride through the beautiful river landscape is easy. At Thionville, a detour to a lunch restaurant is recommended.
From Thionville, the bicycle path continues north along the west bank of Moselle, crosses the river near Cattenom, and follows the east bank to Apach, Schengen, Perl and Nennig. Hotel Schloss Berg is recommended for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 13. Nennig to Luxembourg City (37 km, map link)
From Nennig, cross the bridge over Mosel to Remich, to find a nicely paved bicycle path winding west through a wooden landscape along an old railroad (Piste Cycleable Jangeli, PC 7) ending at Ellange. From there, the suggested route continues along Veloroute SaarLorLux through Filsdorf, Hassel and Alzingen to Hesperange, where a nice lunch restaurant can be found.
From Hesperange, Veloroute SaarLorLux continues along Alzette, winding through the valley past old mills to Luxembourg City Grund.