The canal de la Marne au Rhin by bike

A stroll around famed Place Stanislas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with adjoining grand squares, is a must before you head to Nancy’s Port de Plaisance (river port) to get cycling. You ride off beside the Canal de la Marne au Rhin. After a few kilometres, you’ll spot the soaring towers of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port’s Basilica, built in Flamboyant Gothic style, and recalling the legends of St Nicholas. Further on, at Varangéville, the region’s last functioning salt mine welcomes visitors, teaching them about how this ‘‘white gold’’ is extracted from 160m under ground. Close to the cycle route, the town of Lunéville is famed for its magnificent 17th-century château, nicknamed the Versailles of Lorraine, a gem to visit.

Far from bustling cities, this stage leads you through countryside that encourages you to take your time. Several kilometres after Parroy, you might stop at the village of Lagarde, known for its pretty port de plaisance, or marina, on the canal. Beside Moussey, the company town of Bataville was built in 1931 by order of Czech entrepreneur Thomas Bata and is a timepiece worth seeing. The cycle route continues on, passing a vast lake, the Étang du Stock, that might be described as a reservoir of biodiversity and is listed as a world biosphere reserve. At Réchicourt-le-Château, you pass by the deepest Freycinet-gauge lock in France. This stage ends at Sarrebourg, a town famed for its Chapelle des Cordeliers, decorated with magnificent stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall.

Wending its way beside the Canal de la Marne au Rhin for most of the way, this stage offers a truly bucolic getaway, going via typical villages, wooded parts and historic heritage spots. Having crossed a string of villages leading up to Arzviller, the rest of the stage is entirely on greenway along the picturesque Vallée des Éclusiers. This so-called ‘‘Lock-keepers’ Valley’’ closed to navigation in 1969, the year a truly remarkable piece of canal engineering opened to lift barges up the steep incline here – the Plan Incliné de Saint-Louis Arzviller. At Lutzelbourg, the last stop in Lorraine before entering the region of Alsace, you pass close to the Château de Lutzelbourg, perched 322m up on its rocky promontory. This stage finishes at Saverne, a town nestling at the foot of the Parc Naturel Régional des Vosges du Nord, and renowned for its majestic Château des Rohan, the castle located close to the marina.

Leaving Saverne, the City of Roses and its proud Château des Rohan, EuroVelo 5 takes the Marne-Rhine Canal cycle route, which winds its way along the Zorn valley to the gates of Strasbourg. Along the way, you'll enjoy the open landscapes of the Plaine d'Alsace, and a brewery stopover in Hochfelden is a must at the Villa Météor. As France's leading cycling city, Strasbourg is an essential stopover on your journey. Take the time to stroll through its historic center and the Petite France district, visit its astonishing chiseled cathedral and, of course, (re)discover Alsace's famous gastronomy!