The return from Ribeauvillé does not head straight for the Rhine. The route first stays along the edge of the Vosges and takes in the wine villages south of town. Via Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Ammerschwihr, it passes vineyards, narrow village centres and short climbs before the section toward Trois-Épis adds more elevation. Here the riding becomes quieter, more wooded and noticeably more rolling than in the plain. The route then drops back down and reaches the Colmar area. From there, the day changes clearly: long flat kilometres, fields, canals and straight roads lead toward Neuf-Brisach. Near Breisach, the route crosses back into Germany. The final kilometres run through the plain west of Freiburg, with the Kaiserstuhl and Black Forest as reference points.
