Holland, Belgium, Vosges self guided motorcycle holiday

On day two, the Holland-Belgium-Vosges self-guided motorcycle-tour continues. And an excellent way to make the most of your free day in Holland is to take a short morning ride and visit what is claimed by many as the most beautiful spring garden in the world. Keukenhof botanical garden in Lisse is also referred to as the Garden of Europe. Every year the flower arrangements in the park are dedicated to a specific theme. There are spectacular flower shows, stunning colourful gardens, unique artworks, and special horticultural events around the park. The Dutch often say, ‘the roses are for love, and the tulips are for life’. And once you see how big the Tulpomania is in Holland, it makes sense.

If you wish to extend your cultural ride, you can visit the Royal Delft Museum. The Dutch Delft factory has been creating the iconic Blue Delft ceramics since 1653. You’ll have an opportunity to discover the history of Delftware. But you’ll also see artisans getting their hands dirty on the factory floor producing these beautiful pieces of art. Some exhibits are part of the vast Dutch Royal collection covering many centuries.

And finally, if you don’t fancy riding wishing to do something locally and happen to be in Gouda on the right day of the week, you can visit a traditional weekly cheese market. It doesn’t get more Dutch than that.
According to some cheese experts, around 60% of Dutch cheese is produced in the region surrounding the city of Gouda. Hence the name Cheese Valley. Gouda’s Cheese Market is an authentic dairy extravaganza at the heart of the Dutch cheese industry. Its rituals and traditions remain a must-see attraction. Visiting the Gouda Cheese Market feels like stepping back in time. Horse-driven carts or canal barges deliver the distinctive Gouda cheese wheels. Then they are stacked on the ground before being sold in front of Gouda’s beautiful old City Hall. The flamboyantly dressed farmers and traders clap their hands to confirm each sale in what can only be described as a theatrical spectacle.

Following hearty ontbijt (breakfast in Dutch), you’ll continue the Holland-Belgium-Vosges self-guided motorcycle-tour and head across the Netherlands towards the Belgian Ardennes. As there are many waterways to cross and biggish towns on our way, the transit route will include a combination of motorways and country roads.

You’ll arrive at your hotel in Bastogne in time to have a well-deserved afternoon drink and get ready for an evening meal. Bastogne played an essential role during WW2 and has several museums as well as memorial centres worth visiting. Therefore, if your interests lay in military history, there is the War Museum, Mardasson Memorial and Bastogne Barracks. So, if you wish, you can start exploring the town as soon as we arrive.

Today, the suggested ride-out on the Holland-Belgium-Vosges self-guided motorcycle tour will take you through Luxembourg and Belgium’s scenic countryside.

Your first port of call will be the riverside town of Esch-sur-Sûre in Luxembourg. It is a popular biker destination and a perfect place to go for a wander or have a drink.

From here, you’ll cross the border and continue to the historic town of Arlon in Belgium. It is an excellent place to stop for a coffee and walkabout. Like any reputable Belgian town, it has a little WW2 tank parked in the centre. The tank also comes with several missile holes in it.

Before returning to your hotel, you can extend your ride, cross the border again and stop at Vianden in Luxembourg. The town is located in a deep valley next to a whitewater-ish river and overlooked by the magnificent Vianden Castle. Vianden is a pleasant place to have lunch. Or, if you fancy it, you can take a cable car/chair up to the castle and admire the stunning views over the surrounding countryside. The whole ride is less than 120 miles and is done at a leisurely pace.

Today you’ll travel to the beautiful Vosges Mountains. Your route doesn’t have to include any motorways at all. However, to make quicker progress and avoid some big towns like Metz and Nancy, you’ll have motorway options available if you choose to use them. After Metz, you can join the road that perfectly contours the shape of the river Moselle. Which is not the straightest of the routes, and navigation might be open to interpretation. But if you just let the river be your guide, it’ll get you to the next big city – Nancy. To get around the city and avoid traffic, you might opt to join the motorway briefly. After Nancy, you can continue following the river towards the Vosges Mountains.

There are many riverside restaurants, cafés and eateries along the route, so finding a place for refreshments and breaks is not a problem.
Gérardmer is the gateway to the Vosges Mountains and a perfect place for one last break before arriving at our destination. On most of our guided tours, we usually stop by the lake for a quick look around.

A sweet and easy climb up the Col de la Schlucht will take you to your destination. A great way to round up another day of the Holland-Belgium-Vosges self-guided motorcycle-tour.

Today you might choose to have a short-ish ride, explore the stunning Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park, and ride Col du Grand Ballon, Route des Cretes and the famous Schlucht pass. The route will take you via small ski resorts and traditional villages surrounded by beautiful mountain landscapes, cultivated fields, green pastures and thick forests. There are several cafés and restaurants to stop for breaks, and they all afford fantastic views as far as you can see.

You can also extend your ride and visit the medieval town of Colmar and Riquewihr – one of the most beautiful villages in Alsace.
In the old town of Colmar, you can take a stroll along the narrow cobbled streets lined with half-timbered, half-painted houses that’ll take you back in time and show us the authentic Alsacian life from the past.

Your next optional port of call, the charming village of Riquewihr, is found in the heart of the Alsace region and only a short ride from Colmar. With its cobbled streets lined with brightly painted half-timber houses, fortified walls, stone entrance gates, carved wooden beams, stone doorways, wrought-iron shop signs and lots of flowers everywhere, this stunning 400-year-old place gives an impression it has just dropped out of a fairytale.

To conclude your ride, you might reverse our route or loop it around, head towards the Col de la Schlucht and return to the hotel just in time for a well-deserved afternoon drink.

On the other hand, those who don’t fancy riding can park their bikes and relax for a day.

Today is an average long day in the saddle on the Holland-Belgium-Vosges self-guided motorcycle-tour. So you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely ride along traffic-free country roads to the Champagne region. You’ll travel through rolling hills, green pastures, thick woodlands and sleepy villages, with only the last section using the motorway.

It almost sounds like reading a travel magazine, but it’s true. The motorcycle touring fraternity often overlooks the Vosges Mountains because they are so close to the Black Forest. But it is a great biking area. The mountains provide that one last “hurrah” ride before descending to the flatter landscapes. As you depart from our hotel, you can ride the famous Route des Crêtes again, or you may take a more direct route over the Schlucht pass.

If you are interested in military history, you can stop at the Charles De Gaulle Memorial and Museum in Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises. The memorial is visible from a great distance due to the staggering 44 metres-high Cross of Lorraine.

Tonight, you’ll be staying in a comfortable hotel in the capital of the Champagne region. The Champagne region is one of the most beautiful and visited places in this part of France.

It’s a shame to spoil the party. And we hope it has been a great party indeed. But even a great party at some point must come to an end. So, after a delicious French breakfast, it is time to head home.

Thank you for joining the Holland-Belgium-Vosges self- guided motorcycle-tour and RidingWithUs. And we hope to hear from you again soon.