From Geneva Airport, the road north to Strasbourg can run through Basel and then along the Alsace wine route, a string of half-timbered villages, vineyards and castles below the Vosges mountains. Over two or three days it becomes one of the most charming journeys in the region, and AirportsTransfers.ch can drive it with you, stopping wherever the villages tempt you.
- Route: Geneva, Lake Neuchâtel or Bern, Basel, Mulhouse, Colmar, wine villages, Strasbourg
- Border crossing: the route crosses the border into France near Basel
- Time to allow: two to three days
- Highlights: Colmar's Little Venice, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, Haut-Koenigsbourg, Strasbourg Cathedral
- Best season: late spring to autumn, plus Advent for Christmas markets
From Geneva to Basel
The first stage crosses western Switzerland. One option follows the foot of the Jura along Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Biel, through a landscape of vineyards and watchmaking towns; the other takes the motorway via Bern, 160 km and about 1 h 50 from GVA, and continues north through the Jura hills. Both arrive in Basel, a city on the Rhine where Switzerland, France and Germany meet.
Basel deserves a stop of a few hours at least. Its red sandstone Minster overlooks the Rhine, the old town climbs steeply above the river, and the city is known for its museums, including the Kunstmuseum and, just outside the centre, the Fondation Beyeler. Locals swim in the Rhine in summer, drifting downstream with waterproof bags.
Mulhouse and Colmar
Crossing into France, the motorway reaches Mulhouse, an industrial city with large museums of cars and railways that appeal to enthusiasts. Most travellers continue to Colmar, perhaps the most picturesque town in Alsace. Its old centre is a maze of half-timbered houses painted in bright colours, and the quarter known as Little Venice has flower-hung houses lining a small canal, best seen from a flat-bottomed boat.
The Unterlinden Museum, in a former convent, houses the Isenheim Altarpiece, one of the most powerful works of late medieval art. Colmar is also a natural overnight stop, with a wide choice of winstubs serving Alsatian dishes such as choucroute, baeckeoffe and tarte flambée.
The Alsace wine route
The Route des Vins d'Alsace runs north-south along the foothills of the Vosges, linking dozens of wine villages. Around Colmar, the most celebrated cluster lies within a short drive: Eguisheim, built in concentric circles around its castle; Kaysersberg, with a fortified bridge and ruined castle above; Riquewihr, enclosed within its walls and almost unchanged since the 16th century; and Ribeauvillé, beneath three castle ruins.
Alsace wines are named by grape rather than village: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat for the whites, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Crémant d'Alsace for sparkling. Family cellars line the main streets, many with tastings. Above the vineyards, the restored castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg stands on a high spur with views across the Rhine plain to the Black Forest.
Obernai and Strasbourg
Further north, Obernai is a lively market town with a fine square and a medieval belfry, close to Mont Sainte-Odile, a pilgrimage site with sweeping views. From here, Strasbourg is a short drive away.
Strasbourg's historic centre, the Grande Île, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, ringed by the River Ill. The Gothic cathedral, built of pink sandstone, has a soaring single spire and an astronomical clock inside. The Petite France quarter, with half-timbered tanners' houses and covered bridges, is the city's most photographed corner. Strasbourg is also home to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, giving it a strong international and business dimension, and in December its Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe.
Tips for the Alsace road trip
- Base yourself in Colmar or a wine village for two nights to explore the route without rushing.
- Riquewihr and Kaysersberg get busy in summer and Advent: arrive early in the day.
- Leave space in the vehicle for wine; Alsace bottles are tall and slender.
- Strasbourg's centre is largely pedestrian; your chauffeur drops you at the nearest access point to your hotel.
The route can also be reversed, for travellers who fly into Strasbourg or Basel and want to finish their trip with a chauffeured drive back to Geneva Airport.
Book your Alsace itinerary
AirportsTransfers.ch can drive the whole route from Geneva Airport to Strasbourg, or simply provide a one-way transfer to Colmar with a chauffeur by the hour for wine route days. Prices are fixed per vehicle and displayed before you pay online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The chauffeur meets you in arrivals with a name sign and follows your flight, so a delay is never a problem. Child seats are available on request and invoices can be issued for business trips to the European institutions. Phone or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77, available 24/7.
