Between the natural jewel of Lake Constance, which is flanked by the surrounding rolling hills, and Basel, the cultural centre of the three-country region of Switzerland, France and Germany, the journey runs along EuroVelo 15 from east to west and then further north. Switzerland forms the south bank of the Rhine and the German state of Baden-Württemberg the north bank. The route passes through Schaffhausen with its famous waterfall - the largest in Europe - and the many picturesque towns and villages in Germany and Switzerland.
Coming from the Swiss border, the Rhine forms the border river between France and Germany. For almost 200 kilometres, the Rhine Cycle Route follows both banks along nature reserves and hydroelectric power stations, picturesque villages and Strasbourg - one of Europe's capitals - before entering the German city of Karlsruhe. On the French side, the route is criss-crossed by a lock and typical Alsatian villages with characteristic churches. On the German side, EuroVelo 15 leads through the Markgräfler Land, a well-known wine-growing region, and Rastatt, a town with magnificent baroque monuments, and then on to Mannheim.
