Half-timbered old town, canals, the Issenheim Altarpiece, and a genuinely excellent flat-ish cycling route through the vineyards — Alsace is a long haul from Meudon, but it earns the extended weekend.
Colmar's old town is the postcard version of Alsace — pastel half-timbered houses, flower boxes, and the canal-laced "Petite Venise" quarter, all free to wander. The Musée Unterlinden houses Grünewald's Issenheim Altarpiece, one of the most important works of Northern Renaissance art anywhere. And Colmar sits right in the middle of the Route des Vins d'Alsace, with a dedicated cycling route — the Véloroute du Vignoble — running through the vines past villages like Eguisheim and Riquewihr. It's a real drive (roughly 450–500 km depending on route, per ViaMichelin and cartes-2-france.com), but with the Model Y Premium's realistic ~330–370 km, it splits cleanly into a highway leg with charging stops each way.
A4 east past Reims/Metz, then A31 towards Nancy, then A33/A35 down to Colmar. With realistic Model Y Premium mileage of ~330–370 km on a full charge (97% SOH, not the 603 km WLTP sticker figure), the drive needs at least one Supercharger stop each way, with a second short top-up as a buffer:
Sources: Tesla — Laxou, Tesla — Nancy/Houdemont, Tesla — Strasbourg Sud, Tesla — Colmar.
Early start — this is a full driving day. Charge at Laxou (or Houdemont) near Nancy, roughly at the halfway point, then continue via Strasbourg (optional short top-up at Strasbourg Sud) into Colmar. Arrive in the afternoon/evening, settle into the overnight spot, and take an easy first walk through the old town and Petite Venise while the light is good — colorful half-timbered houses along the Lauch canal, free to wander (short flat-bottomed boat rides also available, ~€9/adult, ~€4/child 4-10, free under 3).
Full day in Colmar. Morning at the Musée Unterlinden — a former Dominican convent housing Grünewald's Issenheim Altarpiece, one of the great works of Northern Renaissance painting. Adult entry is €14 (reduced €12, ages 12–17 and students under 30 €9, under 12 free); closed Tuesdays. Afternoon wandering the old town — Koïffhus, the fishmongers' quay, Rue des Marchands, the covered market. Treat-yourself dinner: a proper Alsatian winstub meal — tarte flambée (flammekueche) runs roughly €9–15 depending on toppings, and choucroute garnie (the classic sauerkraut-and-charcuterie dish) is the most-ordered plate in town; lunch/dinner menus in neighborhood winstubs typically start around €13–18 including a drink.
Sources: Musée Unterlinden — admission fees, park4night — Rue de la Cavalerie, park4night — Aire Onlypark, Camping de l'Ill — tarifs.
Full day on the Véloroute du Vignoble d'Alsace, the dedicated cycling route that runs largely parallel to the Route des Vins d'Alsace — 131.5 km end to end (part of it forms a leg of EuroVélo 5), following old railway beds, farm tracks and quiet lanes through the vines. It's rolling rather than flat, but nothing technical. Ride out from Colmar towards Eguisheim (concentric circular medieval village, one of the "most beautiful villages of France," a short ride away) and as far into the vineyards as you like — Riquewihr and Kaysersberg are further north if you want to extend into a bigger loop another day. Stop at a vigneron's cellar for a tasting: average price for a cellar visit + tasting in Alsace is around €33/person; simpler tastings at a caveau are often cheaper, or free/low-cost with a bottle purchase.
Sources: Route des Vins d'Alsace — la Véloroute du Vignoble, France Vélo Tourisme, Rue des Vignerons — Alsace tastings.
Top up at the Colmar Supercharger before leaving if convenient, then retrace the route: Nancy (Laxou/Houdemont) is the mandatory return stop, with Strasbourg Sud as an optional buffer top-up if you want extra margin. Home by evening.
Bike loaded inside the car per the Car Camping, Food & Bike Guide — front wheel off, no range penalty, no rack. The Véloroute du Vignoble is genuinely one of the best dedicated wine-region cycling routes in France: mostly quiet lanes and repurposed rail beds, rolling hills through vineyards rather than flat, and well signposted the whole way from Marlenheim down to Thann. A day out of Colmar towards Eguisheim and back is an easy, scenic half-to-full day; more ambitious riders can push further north toward Riquewihr and Kaysersberg.
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tolls (A4/A31/A35, round trip) | ≈ €45–60 |
| Charging (Superchargers, round trip) | ≈ €35–50 |
| Lodging (3 nights: free aire or ~€15–19/night paid fallback) | €0–57 |
| Musée Unterlinden entry | ≈ €14 |
| Petite Venise boat ride (optional) | ≈ €9 |
| Wine tasting at a vigneron's cellar | ≈ €15–33 |
| Treat-yourself winstub meal (tarte flambée / choucroute) | ≈ €15–20 |
| Food (mostly self-cooked, rest of trip) | ≈ €35–45 |
| Total | €150–210 |