Marne-Rhine Canal Towpath Cycle
The Canal de la Marne au Rhin slices through Saverne in a dead-straight line, its towpath forming one of Alsace's most effortless cycling and walking corridors. Rent a bike in town, pedal east towards Réchicourt lock or west towards the Arzviller inclined plane, and you will share the path with almost nobody except herons and barge skippers.
The Arzviller Boat Lift
Seven kilometres west of Saverne, the Plan Incliné d'Arzviller is one of the engineering marvels of France — a transverse boat lift that replaces 17 traditional locks, lowering or raising barges 44.5 metres on a wheeled water tank running on rails. It opened in 1969 and still operates daily, drawing a small crowd of genuinely astonished visitors.
You can watch the lift operate for free from the viewing area, or pay for a 30-minute boat trip that takes you through the mechanism itself. The combination of industrial ingenuity and forested gorge scenery makes it one of the most photogenic spots in northern Alsace.
Cycling the Towpath
The towpath between Saverne and Arzviller is almost entirely flat, surfaced and car-free — a 7 km ride that takes about 25 minutes at a gentle pace. Combine it with the boat lift visit and lunch at the canalside auberge at Lutzelbourg, a village of half-timbered houses squeezed into the gorge, for a perfect half-day excursion.
Bike rental is available in Saverne from local outfitters near the station; electric bikes make the slight return gradient entirely effortless. The canal path also connects east to Strasbourg via the EuroVelo 5 route for more ambitious cyclists.
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