Cyclistes à Dannemarie
Dimitri Lett
Le port de plaisance de Mulhouse
Dimitri Lett
Cyclistes à Montbéliard sur l'EuroVelo 6
Nicolas Gascard - BFC Tourisme

The canal du Rhône au Rhin by bike

From Bâle to Montbéliard on the EuroVelo 6

This EuroVelo 6 section brings you to the French part of the great cycle route via the Rhine and the beautiful Swiss city of Basel, at the junction of Switzerland, Germany and France. The route then crosses Southern Alsace to join the Territoire de Belfort area and Doubs Valley in the Franche-Comté region. The cycle path runs beside the Canal du Rhône au Rhin with its watermen’s atmosphere. The villages in Alsace and Franche-Comté offer cultural and gastronomic stops aplenty. The cycling is easy and accessible to all.

Descente du Rhin en bouée à Bâle
Basel Tourismus

Rafting down the Rhine in Basel

Basel is a surprising city. Throughout the summer, the Rhine is an invitation to take a dip. So don’t be surprised to see the locals jumping into the water right in the city centre to cool off or floating down the river on rubber rings, boards and the like... And on 18 August, a major official swim is organised in the Rhine...

Temple Saint-Étienne de Mulhouse
Viennaslide / Alamy Banque D'Images

Mulhouse, an unmissable stop

Mulhouse is brimming with activities and museums to visit, and we strongly recommend stopping off in this Alsatian city. The Cité de l’Automobile houses an impressive collection of vintage vehicles, the Cité du Train will take you back in time with its 60 locomotives, and the Ecomusée d’Alsace is also a must-see to discover the craftsmanship of the era.

L’échelle d’écluses à Dannemarie
Jean Becker - www.ballooning-adventures.fr

The lock staircase at Dannemarie

Along the canal, twelve locks punctuate the Rhône-Rhine Canal between Valdieu and Wolfersdorf, following the natural boundary between the waters of the Rhône basin and the Rhine basin. And to make the most of it, why not take to the skies and admire this structure from a hot-air balloon?

Map of the cycle route

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Map of the cycle route

Mulhouse / Montbéliard

2 Mulhouse / Montbéliard

56 km
3 h 44 min
I begin
The town of Mulhouse lies in an area marked by the proud industrial legacies of two dynamic French regions, Alsace and Franche-Comté. Recently, Mulhouse has been turning into a contemporary green city while recalling its technical glories in a dozen museums. Leaving town, the scenery becomes more rural and typical of Alsace, with villages of timber-frame houses. Riding beside the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, the cycle route takes you past a mix of typical villages, medieval castles and transformed former industrial sites, offering a range of landscapes and experiences. You’re making for Sochaux-Montbéliard, historic home of iconic French car maker, Peugeot. Reach town via the gentle Parc Scientifique du Près-la-Rose and a footbridge (passerelle) open to cyclists, a model of its kind, passing under the walls of the Château des Ducs de Wurtemberg.
Bâle / Mulhouse

1 Bâle / Mulhouse

33 km
2 h 13 min
I begin
You can really appreciate what a multicultural cycle route EuroVelo 6 is when starting out from Basel. At the station, the various languages you’ll hear show what a cosmopolitan place this is, encouraging openness to different cultures. The city, on Switzerland’s border with France and Germany, reflects the joy of sharing open borders. After a very brief stretch across the German border, the impressive Passerelle des Trois Pays, a footbridge over the Rhine, opens the way to a gentle introduction to the French region of Alsace and then the dynamic town of Mulhouse. After Basel’s multilingual voices, enjoy the variety of birdsong at the Réserve Naturelle de la Petite Camargue. En route, also make a detour to the Kembs hydroelectric dam, showing the power of the mighty Rhine.

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