The furthest-east trip in this series, made viable by a free overnight at a friend's place in Belfort each way. Two real Black Forest lakes, deep pine forest, the Westweg trail network, and a genuinely toll-free destination country — Germany charges cars nothing on the Autobahn.
At ~601 km one-way, Titisee is still a long push for a direct there-and-back on a Model Y Premium with realistic ~330–370 km per charge — a single Supercharger stop gets the range there, but with no natural break and a long day either side of it. Instead, this trip uses the same pattern as the Savoie Lakes weekend: a free overnight at a friend's place in Belfort, splitting the drive into two comfortable legs and turning Friday into a remote workday instead of a driving day. Belfort sits on the natural corridor to this destination — Basel and Freiburg im Breisgau are directly on the way, and the run from there to Titisee is only ~132 km via Basel.
The payoff versus this series' Swiss lake trips: Germany has no vignette or general car toll on the Autobahn at all. The EU Court of Justice struck down Germany's proposed Pkw-Maut (car vignette) in 2019 and it has never been revived — private cars and motorcycles simply drive free. That's a real cost and hassle advantage over Switzerland's mandatory CHF 40 vignette, and it means this trip's only real "toll" line item is Supercharger electricity.
| Leg | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meudon-la-Forêt → Belfort | ~430 km | Free A-road/A6/A36 mix, one Supercharger stop en route (e.g. Beaune or Langres corridor) |
| Belfort → Titisee (via Basel) | ~132 km | Belfort–Basel ~54 km, Basel–Titisee/Freiburg ~79 km — route stays on French roads through Mulhouse/Village-Neuf then crosses into Germany at Weil am Rhein, avoiding the Swiss Autobahn network entirely so no Swiss vignette is needed |
| Titisee → Belfort (return) | ~132 km | Same corridor in reverse |
| Belfort → Meudon-la-Forêt | ~430 km | Same as outbound, reversed |
Load the bike inside (front wheel off, no range penalty) and leave after work. One charging stop on the way — arrive Belfort late evening for a free night at your friend's place.
Full remote workday from Belfort. No range spent today; the car sits and (if possible) tops up on a normal outlet overnight for a head start on tomorrow's German leg.
Drive out Friday evening after logging off, or first thing Saturday morning — either works, since the leg is short. Route via Mulhouse and Village-Neuf, crossing into Germany at Weil am Rhein onto the A5, which keeps you off the Swiss Autobahn network (and its mandatory vignette) entirely. Optional Supercharger stop at Freiburg (Tiengen) on the way in.
Titisee is a real glacial lake ringed by dense spruce forest, with a lively lakefront promenade. Swim from the public lido area, or rent a pedal boat: €8 for 30 minutes / €15 for 60 minutes (1–4 people) from Bootsbetrieb Schweizer, the main lakeside operator. Wander into town for the Black Forest's signature souvenir, the cuckoo clock, and treat yourself to a slice of the real thing — Schwarzwälder Kirsch-Schnitte (Black Forest cherry cake), €4.90/slice at Café am See. In the afternoon, pick up the Westweg — the Black Forest's flagship 285 km long-distance hiking trail (Pforzheim to Basel, red-diamond waymarked) — which runs directly past Titisee and over the Feldberg, the range's highest peak. Even a short out-and-back gives a real taste of the high moorland and ridge views.
Short drive south to Schluchsee, Germany's largest lake in the Black Forest (by surface area) and noticeably less crowded than Titisee. Swim from one of several free public beach/lido spots around the shore, and if you brought the bike, ride part of the Schluchsee-Rundweg, a mostly flat lakeside loop (~19 km) — a good complement to the previous day's hiking. The Black Forest's mountain biking network around both lakes is extensive and well-signed, with routes ranging from easy lakeside gravel to serious Feldberg climbs.
Morning swim, then drive back via Freiburg/Weil am Rhein and Basel's northern edge to Belfort. Free night at your friend's again.
Second remote workday from Belfort, or push straight home Monday evening if you'd rather bank the extra day — this trip works either as a Thu–Sun or an extended Thu–Tue depending on how much of Friday and Tuesday you can work remotely.
Home in time for Thursday.
Bike travels inside the car with the front wheel removed, per the Car Camping, Food & Bike Guide — zero range penalty on either the ~430 km French legs or the ~132 km German leg, unlike a roof or hitch rack. The Black Forest is genuinely one of Germany's best regions for it: the Schluchsee-Rundweg is an easy, mostly-flat lakeside loop, while the Feldberg massif above Titisee has a serious singletrack and fire-road network for anyone who wants a harder day. Same bike, same car, no rack logistics.
| Category | How it's calculated | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tolls / vignettes | France: normal A-road tolls only on the Meudon↔Belfort legs (~€25–30/leg); Germany: €0 (no car toll or vignette); route avoids Swiss Autobahn entirely so no Swiss vignette either | ≈ €55 |
| Charging | ~1,220 km round trip × ~0.17 kWh/km ≈ 207 kWh × ~€0.40–0.45/kWh Supercharger rate | ≈ €88 |
| Lodging | 2 free nights at friend's (Belfort, both ways) + 1 free Stellplatz (Titisee) + 1 paid night Camping Wolfsgrund, Schluchsee (~€38) for a shower | ≈ €38 |
| Groceries (self-cooked) | ~4 days × €10–12/day, German supermarket prices | ≈ €44 |
| Treat: Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte + coffee | Café am See, Schluchsee — cake €4.90 + coffee ~€3.90 | ≈ €9 |
| Pedal boat, Titisee | 1 hour, 1–2 people, Bootsbetrieb Schweizer | ≈ €15 |
| Misc (parking, showers, small extras) | ≈ €20 | |
| Total (mixed free/paid lodging) | €269 | |