Lake Constance cycling tour

Easy: 35 to 60km (or more in some flat destinations) of cycling each day, with almost no elevation gain. Mostly on cycle paths, greenways or quiet roads. Minimal elevation gain: a maximum of 100m per day. Suitable for children.

You only carry a small bag with your picnic and the things you need for the day. Your luggage will be waiting for you at the hotel in the evening: it is transported by the hotel staff or by taxi, with no limit on the number of bags per person (1 is recommended). Maximum weight of 20kg per bag.

Available for 2 people or more; solo travellers can book, but this incurs a supplement higher than the single room supplement.

7 days, 6 nights, 5 days of cycling.

Depart on the day of your choice.

We provide you with a digital travel pack that includes access to our smartphone navigation app, a list of your accommodation, any vouchers required and all the information you need for your trip to run smoothly. A paper pack containing your vouchers, luggage labels and the roadbook with maps of the itinerary can be provided at an additional cost. It will be handed to you at your first hotel. This is a self-guided trip, without a guide, so you will travel independently throughout your stay.

• For the classic 7-day Lake Constance circuit (DEULV0015), you can choose between two hotel categories:
  • Superior category (A+): charming 4*-star hotels offering excellent comfort, some with a spa and swimming pool, in rooms for 2 people.

Charming hotels, superior category (A+)

• Comfort category (A): 3- to 4*-star hotels offering a very good standard of comfort, some with wellness facilities and a swimming pool, in rooms for 2 people.

• Standard category (B): 2- to 3*-star hotels offering a good standard of comfort, with en-suite toilets and showers, in rooms for 2 people. Accommodation is located in smaller towns around the lake (approximately 4-5km from the main towns).

Please note: accommodation photos are for illustrative purposes only. Accommodation may change. Depending on availability, we may book other hotels of an equivalent standard and level of comfort.

All rooms have private en-suite toilets and showers.

In categories A and A+, you will generally stay in the main towns along the lake. In category B, accommodation tends to be in smaller towns.

In Germany and Austria, double beds with a single large mattress are generally uncommon, as are rooms with 2 separate single beds. Usually, there is a single bed base with two 90cm mattresses, each with its own duvet. If you would like a twin room, please let us know when booking. We will do our best, subject to availability.
Rooms for 3 or 4 people: these generally have an additional sofa bed; however, the rooms are usually spacious. A cot can be provided on request.

Breakfast is included. Lunches and dinners are not included.
Half board is not available on this trip. You will easily find places to eat along the way.
Please note! People in Germany, Switzerland and Austria often eat dinner early. Please keep restaurant serving times in mind.

Day 1 in the afternoon in Constance.

Day 7 in the morning in Constance.

Discover our 8-day, 7-night trip around Lake Constance, including the Rhine Falls. See our trip information sheet DEULV0016.

Zurich Airport

Train from the airport to Constance: journey time approximately 1 hour, with departures every hour. Visit www.bahn.com/fr.

Direct scheduled flights from Paris and several regional French cities.

Alternatively, fly to Friedrichshafen or Stuttgart Airport.

Konstanz railway station: approximately 6 hours by train from Paris or Lyon, with one or two changes, depending on your travel dates and departure times.
For more information, please visit the German railway company’s website: https://int.bahn.de/fr or the Swiss railway company’s website: https://www.sbb.ch/fr.

Example timetables (for guidance only):

• Depart Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:52, arrive in Konstanz at 12:50 (1 change in Zurich).
• Depart Lyon Part-Dieu at 10:04, arrive in Konstanz at 15:50 (2 changes in Mulhouse and Zurich).

For the part of the journey operated by the French railway company (for example, from Paris to Zurich), please see: https://www.sncf-connect.com/.

See https://www.viamichelin.fr/. Contact us for parking options.

You can park your car in the car park at our partner’s office in Konstanz, which is ung uarded but gated (arrival before 19:00). Please reserve a space when booking.
Free parking is available in the neighbouring streets.
Paid public car parks (Fischmarkt, Dammgasse, Lago, Altstadt, Benediktinerplatz) and hotel car parks cost approximately 25 € per day.

Please note: The travel information above is provided for guidance only and is subject to change. Please check before departure.

Equipment hire

Collect your hire bikes from our partner’s office (next to their car park) between 09:00 and 19:00 (on arrival on Day 1, or on the morning of Day 2 if you arrive after 19:00). On request, we can arrange for the bikes to be delivered to your hotel, but in this case, qualified staff will not be available to adjust the bike to fit you personally. Return the bikes to the same location or to your hotel.

These are very high-quality, comfortable German bikes fitted with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres, which should allow you to enjoy your cycling tour without any mechanical problems.
The bikes are equipped with a luggage rack, a pannier, a handlebar bag with a map holder, a cycle computer, a lock, a pump and a repair kit.

Unisex hybrid bikes: standard bikes with a crossbar, for riders from 1,45m to 1,90m

• 8 gears, a wide saddle, a coaster brake + 2 conventional handlebar-operated brakes. Please let us know if you would like this model.
• 27 gears, no coaster brake, with a freewheel: this is the model we reserve for you by default, as French riders are generally unfamiliar with coaster brakes.

Men’s bikes: bikes with a horizontal crossbar
For riders from 1,75m

• 8 gears with a coaster brake + 2 conventional handlebar-operated brakes. Please let us know if you would like this model.
• 27 gears without a coaster brake, with a freewheel: this is the model we reserve for you by default, as French riders are generally unfamiliar with coaster brakes.

E-bikes: electrically assisted bikes, ideal if you are not entirely confident in your cycling ability or if the members of your small group have different fitness levels.
8 gears, with a coaster brake

• Unisex bikes for riders from 1,45m to 1,80m

• Men’s bikes for riders from 1,80m

Children’s / teenagers' bikes: (on request) up to 1,55m
20, 24 or 26 inches

Weehoo (on request): for children aged 2 to 7, weighing up to 30 kg (with pedals)

Child trailer: (on request)
Small trailer for towing 1, or even 2 children (max. 45 kg).

Child seat: (on request) FREE!

A number of our trips offer opportunities to swim, either along the day’s route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame to miss out. However, please bear in mind that your guides are not lifeguards; you therefore swim at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

We have served on the board of directors since 2018, actively helping to steer industry practices towards a more meaningful approach. In practical terms, we focus on:

• Transparency in our practices and prices
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and enjoy rewarding encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has held Travelife Partner status, an international label that certifies our responsible practices in environmental protection, ethics and sustainable management, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a demanding international certification scheme, recognises our practical efforts towards responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in accordance with our sustainable development policy

For cycling

• Cycling shorts or tights, depending on the season
• Cycling gloves
• A helmet
• Sunglasses (to protect against the sun, wind and small insects)
• A windproof jacket
• T-shirts or cycling jerseys
• A handlebar mount and a power bank for your smartphone
• A water bottle

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting sweat odours (brands include Icebreaker, Ruka, etc.)!
As a general rule, avoid cotton, which makes you cold when wet.

Protection against sun and rain

• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat (helmet)
• A windproof jacket
• A rain cape or a “Gore-Tex” jacket

Clothing

• A jumper or fleece
• Comfortable trousers for walking
• A pair of shorts
• A tracksuit or a change of clothes
• A lightweight, long-sleeved cotton shirt
• A pair of running-style trainers for the evenings
• Spare clothes and underwear
• Toiletry bag
• A swimsuit
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, adhesive bandages, medicated gauze or “second skin” (2), gauze, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin for minor aches and injuries …

• If your bike does not have a pannier, bring a comfortable small 40-litre backpack with a waist belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic during the day. If you have a luggage rack, you can secure your bag to it with bungee cords. Rental bikes come with a pannier for your belongings. Bring a small backpack as well; this makes it easy to carry your belongings when you stop to visit somewhere along the way.
• A bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, suitcase or travel bag in good condition

Travellers, including minors, must carry a national identity card or passport (EU nationals).

Bring your European Health Insurance Card, which you should request from your health insurance provider at least 15 days before departure. Health conditions are similar to those in France.

Dialling code for calling France from abroad: 0033

Dialling code for calling Germany: 0049

Dialling code for calling Switzerland: 0041

No time difference from France. GMT +1

Swiss franc in Switzerland: 1 CHF = 1,06 € (10/2024).

Euro in Germany.