Great Bliesgau Biosphere Circuit

Characteristic of this full-day cycling tour are the typical gently rolling and extensive landscape sections of the Bliesgau Biosphere as well as the scattered shade-giving forests. From the parking lot at the Blieskastel-Lautzkirchen train station, the route marked by Velo-vis-à-vis signage leads over the "Glan-Blies-Radweg" to the heights of Blieskastel-Webenheim. Over paved farm roads you go up to the "Große Höhe" near Dellenhof. The view extends far into Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate and occasionally a small forest is crossed. Always staying on the forest edge at height, the Vosges are even visible on the horizon. Finally, it goes through the wonderful cultural landscape over Gersheim-Niedergailbach down into the Bliestal. The route continues towards the French neighbors, to Sarreguemines. At the border you immediately come across a turnoff to a Gallo-Roman excavation site. The European Cultural Park Bliesbruck-Reinheim is a cross-border archaeology park showing excavations and reconstructions of both Celtic and Roman finds. In addition to the impressive walkable reconstruction of a princess's grave, several Celtic houses and a Roman estate, the mainly French-side reconstructed baths of the Gallo-Roman site are especially fascinating. Back on the railway track cycle path, the "Glan-Blies-Radweg", you gradually leave the Bliestal and cycle into France up to just before Sarreguemines. The worth-seeing old town of Sarreguemines is worth a visit. In addition to the particularly impressive casino on the Saar riverbank, 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 continuation is worth it: You leave the border town on the French side via a cycle path through the lower Bliestal and come back to Saarland in Bliesmengen-Bolchen in the beautiful Mandelbachtal. A detour to Gräfinthal is a must! The historically shaped architectural ensemble makes Gräfinthal together with its gastronomy one of the most popular excursion destinations in the Bliesgau Biosphere. Then it goes a little back to Bliesmengen-Bolchen and further over a short but quite steep climb into the Bliestal. A picture-book landscape with orchards and fantastic views opens up in front of you until you reach the lookout tower on the "Heidenkopf". Further it goes on forest roads down into the Mandelbachtal to the Cultural Landscape Center Haus Lochfeld. There is a freely accessible organic vineyard, an orchard meadow with herbal garden, wild shrubs and wild rose hedges, a rose, berry, and fruit garden. Over Erfweiler-Ehlingen you get back once more to the heights of Blieskastel-Biesingen and from there over one of the most beautiful descents in Saarland through the "Lange Tal" to Blieskastel-Alschbach and then back to Lautzkirchen station.