The Glan-Blies cycle path - in 5 stages from Saarland to the Palatinate

The first leg of the Glan Blies cycle route starts in France at Sarreguemines station, in German "Saargemünd". Here the Blies flows into the Saar, which gave the city its name. Saargemünd is known for its ceramics industry, whose history you can learn all about in the Keramik-Museum. And otherwise, the small town on the border with the Saarland offers plenty of reasons to stay a little longer before you embark on the bike tour.Today's stage is about 36 kilometers long and initially runs mostly on French soil over flat roads and car-free (railway) bike paths. Most of the cozy places along the way carry the "blies" in their name - an unmistakable sign that you're right.On the way you can expect some highlights. The European Cultural Park near Bliesbruck-Reinheim offers exciting insights into the history of the region and the time when the Romans still lived here. The journey along the Blies through the Bliesgau Biosphere Reserve to Gersheim with its strictly protected orchid area is rather idyllic.Stage is the baroque town of Blieskastel, which has a great old town with picturesque half-timbered houses. Here are some hotels and apartments where you can relax after the tour. From the station Blieskastel-Lautzkirchen you have access to the network of the railway.

Less railway line, more hills and a great mix of sights and idyll - the second stage of the Glan-Blies cycle path offers around 34 kilometers of the finest cycling pleasure. With a little luck, you can run across a few very special residents of the area on the way: storks feel at home in the damp floodplain landscape of the Blies and raise their offspring here in the summer months.On this stage, too, you will follow in the footsteps of the Romans. An entire open-air museum is dedicated to them in Homburg-Schwarzenacker. Here streets were modeled and entire buildings were reconstructed. Various hands-on activities and workshops for young and old invite you to a longer stay.You should also plan a little more time for a break in Homburg: The Schlossberg caves, the Vauban fortress and the Karlsberg Castle Forest Park are definitely worth a visit. We have planned the detour to the forest park for you. Then you roll on quiet paths in the direction of the stage destination Schönenberg-Kübelberg. On the way you can strengthen yourself in the fisherman's hut on the idyllic Mohrmühlweier. In Schönenberg-Kübelberg, a visit to the historic beer cellars is a special highlight (contact for inquiries: Kurt Zimmer, Tel .: 06386-5729).The closest connection to the railway network is at the Bruchmühlbach-Miesau train station, which is a few kilometers away. Stage two ends at Campingpark Ohmbachsee, which really offers the right accommodation for every cyclist: Here you can camp, spend the night in a cozy camping barrel or stop off at the attached hotel. There are a few other places to stay in the village, but the offer is very manageable, which is why you should definitely find accommodation in advance.

After a quiet night at Ohmbachsee, you start rested on the third stage of the Glan-Blies cycle path, on which you will get to know the second namesake of the tour: Today you follow the Glan, mostly on the idyllic route of the former Glantalbahn. Mostly flat and mostly without car traffic, the around 35 kilometers of this stage are pure enjoyment.You start on the wonderfully situated railway line cycle path, which already offers an exciting variety after a short journey. Shortly after the Elschbach train station, the cycle path leads through an old railway tunnel. It's over 150 meters long and more than 100 years old. In winter, icicles up to three meters long can form on the tunnel ceiling, which is why the cycle path is completely enclosed. Lights on, sunglasses off - then nothing stands in the way of driving through the tunnel.When you cycle through the green meadows and fields in the direction of Theisbergstegen, it is worthwhile to look carefully to the left and right. In Theisbergstegen there is a breeding station for storks, which is why the proud bird can be seen here particularly often.In Altenglan you have the opportunity to get off your bike and still arrive at your destination. This is where the Glantal draisine starts. Up to four people including bicycles (including electric trolleys) fit into such a vehicle, which you drive yourself and use the rails of the old Glantalbahn, which have been preserved over a section of around 40 kilometers.There are few places to stay in the tranquil stage destination of Ulmet, so it is a good idea to book these in advance. The railway line has been out of service for a long time (which is why you can cycle on it so nicely) and it is relatively complicated to continue using public transport from here.

Idyllic views of the Glan, which always accompanies the route, exciting evidence of industrial culture and magnificent churches and castles - the short fourth stage of the Glan-Blies Cycle Path offers all sorts of entertaining stops where you can learn about the history of this beautiful area.After just a few kilometers you can see a real rarity. The old oil mill in Sankt Julian is one of the last of its kind in Europe and is still fully functional, even if oil is only produced here during the demonstrations. You can look at the heritage-protected testimony of industrial culture from the outside, which is possible at any time. If you want to discover its insides and experience a demonstration, you need to register in advance - it's worth it, because the mill is considered a marvel of old mill art.In the further course you cycle along the bike path along the Glan - the route is always slightly sloping at first, so that you can make progress without much effort. In Offenbach, it is worth taking a short detour to the impressive Protestant parish church, but it also makes sense to stop for a coffee. A little later, in Lauterecken, you can have a look at the elaborately restored area around the old Veldenzschloss and of course the castle itself. If you want to delve deeper into the history of the castle and town, a tour including a city tour is recommended, but you can have to agree in advance.After Lauterecken, a few small hills bring some variety into play before you reach the stage destination in Meisenheim. We can highly recommend a visit to the historic old town with its well-preserved medieval city wall. An evening night watchman tour through the city is particularly exciting and a highlight for young and old. In Meisenheim there are all kinds of holiday apartments and even a bed + bike hotel, the Meisenheimer Hof, which has been certified by the ADFC as being particularly cyclist-friendly (information: meisenheimer-hof.de/startseite). Meisenheim has no train connection. The next train station is in Bad Sobernheim and can be reached by bus.

The short fifth and last stage on the Glan Blies cycle path changes the character of the tour as soon as you leave the beautiful old town of Meisenheim. From here on, you will still follow the course of the Glan, which is now lined with the beautiful landscape of the Nahe wine region.In Odernheim you can follow in the footsteps of the nun, poet and scholar Hildegard von Bingen, who lived, worked and enjoyed great popularity here in the 12th century. Even today, many researchers are concerned with the work of the "saints", on whose tracks you can go if you take a little trip to the ruins of the monastery on the Disibodenberg. Today, only the foundations testify to the once imposing dimensions of the complex. On the "meditation path" texts from the psalms of St. Hildegard create a contemplative mood, while in the museum of the Scivias Foundation you can marvel at treasures from Roman, Roman and Gothic times.After this contemplative stop, it is not far to the mouth of the Glan in the near. Here in the resort of Staudernheim ends the Glan Blies cycle path. We recommend you on the following Naheradweg still a few miles further to go to Bad Sobernheim. For a visit to the city with its sights worthwhile, on the other hand, you have access to the network of the train, so you can easily travel from here home or to the starting point of the tour to Sarreguemines.