Große Bliesgau-Biosphären-Runde

A full-day cycle tour of approx. 70 km in length with an elevation gain of approx. 580 meters through the southern part of the Bliesgau biosphere reserve to the French neighbors in Sarreguemines. Magnificent views as far as the Vosges mountains and the typical gently undulating cultural landscape of the Bliesgau biosphere create unforgettable impressions on this route. The cycle tour is mainly suitable for active cyclists with experienced legs.

This all-day cycle tour is characterized by the gently undulating and extensive sections of landscape typical of the Bliesgau biosphere as well as the occasional shady forests. From the parking lot at Blieskastel-Lautzkirchen train station, the route marked by the Velo-vis-à-vis signage leads along the "Glan-Blies-Radweg" to the heights of Blieskastel-Webenheim. The route climbs up to the "Große Höhe" near the Dellenhof on asphalted farm tracks. You can see far into the Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate and occasionally cross a small wooded area. Continuing along the edge of the forest, you can even see the Vosges on the horizon. Finally, the route leads through the beautiful cultural landscape via Gersheim-Niedergailbach down into the Blies valley. The tour continues towards the French neighbors, to Sarreguemines. Just before the border, you will come across a turn-off to a Gallo-Roman archaeological site. The European Cultural Park Bliesbruck-Reinheim is a cross-border archaeological park that displays excavations and reconstructions of both Celtic and Roman finds. In addition to the impressive walk-in reconstruction of a princely tomb, several Celtic houses and a Roman estate, the partially reconstructed thermal baths of the Gallo-Roman site on the French side are particularly impressive. Back on the Glan-Blies cycle path, you gradually leave the Blies valley and cycle into France until shortly before Sarreguemines. The picturesque old town of Sarreguemines is well worth a visit. In addition to the casino on the banks of the Saar, which is particularly worth seeing, restaurants and cafés invite you to take a break. If you are already tired, you can take the Saarbahn to Saarbrücken and from there the train back to Blieskastel-Lautzkirchen. But the onward journey is worthwhile: you leave the border town on the French side via a cycle path through the lower Blies valley and return to the Saarland in Bliesmengen-Bolchen in the beautiful Mandelbach valley. A detour to Gräfinthal is a must! The historic architectural ensemble and its restaurants make Gräfinthal one of the most popular excursion destinations in the Bliesgau biosphere. Then it's a short distance back to Bliesmengen-Bolchen and onwards via a short but quite steep climb into the Blies Valley. A picture-book landscape with orchards and fantastic views opens up before you until you reach the viewing tower on the "Heidenkopf". The route continues on forest paths down into the Mandelbach valley to the House Lochfeld Cultural Landscape Center, which has an open-access organic vineyard, a meadow orchard with herb garden, wild shrubs and wild rose hedges, a rose garden, a berry garden and an orchard. Via Erfweiler-Ehlingen, you reach Blieskastel-Biesingen and from there one of the most beautiful descents in Saarland through the "Lange Tal" to Blieskastel-Alschbach and then back to Lautzkirchen station.