Find Your Next Holiday

leave blank to search all

Oberammergau Passion Play 2022

There are no available dates at this moment, please check back soon.

What you can expect

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the famous Oberammergau Passion Play, taking time to enjoy the journey and to savour the experience. Our route passes many interesting and historic places in France and Germany and is truly a voyage of discovery. Tickets to the play in the highest category of seats are included (worth almost £200). 13 nights' accommodation, 1 breakfast not included (on ferry outbound), 9 evening meals included.

More detail

Every ten years since 1634 the inhabitants of this small Bavarian village have performed a Passion Play, based around the events surrounding the death of Christ, to give thanks for being spared from the Black Death. The whole village is involved and the participants must all have been born in Oberammergau - but this is far from an amateur production, rather one of the highest quality. We rode this route in 2010, the last time the play was performed. Whether you wish to visit for religious reasons, or to see one the most historic cultural events in Europe, or to re-create the happenings in Jerome K Jerome's 'Three Men on a Pilgrimage', this is an event you will always remember. The route takes you north of Paris then across France to the southern Vosges, via Verdun, and into Germany passing the source of the Danube, Lake Constance and finally to the little village near the famous ski resort of Garmsich-Partenkirken. A true journey giving a real reason to travel. 12 days cycling. Not to be missed, this is why travel was invented!

Please be sure to read the notes about this particular tour at the bottom of the page.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

What you need to know...

Start Location
Portsmouth

Finish Location
Oberammergau, Bavaria

Country/Region
End to End (UK and European rides)

Grading
Difficult

Shortest Day
50 miles / 80km

Longest Day
80 miles / 130 km

Total Days
14

Total Miles
706 miles / 1,131 km

Departure Dates & Prices

There are no available dates at this moment.
Please choose an alternative Tour or check back soon.

Itinerary

Day 1

Meet at Portsmouth for the overnight ferry to Le Havre. Accommodation is in cabins.

Day 2

From Le Havre we are soon into open countryside and this part of Normandy is beautiful, with quiet roads and pretty villages. It is not a hilly day and with the relatively early start you should arrive at our nice hotel in time to relax or a stroll around the hotel’s parkland before the evening meal. (72 miles / 118km)

Day 3

More open countryside today as we ride into Picadie and see the wonderful chateau at Chantilly, surrounded by the famous racecourse and stables that most humans would be glad to call home! The lovely oak-leaved forest leads us to Senlis where we pause for the night; this charming small town is often used for period film shoots, being unchanged and unspoilt. (62 miles / 100km)

Day 4

Today is a slightly longer day bit not difficult. The countryside is gently rolling and the run-in to Reims is straightforward as we come in on the canal. Reims is famous as being the centre of the Champagne producing region, and you will pass vineyards as you approach the city; its magnificent cathedral is also noteworthy, being where French kings were crowned, and the outlying streets and squares are of great architectural merit. There is a lively area for those who enjoy pavement culture, and all in all this is one of our favourite larger stop-overs. (75 miles / 125 km)

Day 5

Exiting on the canal towpath it is a quick and easy run to our next stop, Verdun, which is a town high in the national conscience in France. Exceptionally severe battles took place here during the Great War and we pass some of the monuments on our approach to the town. For those interested we will be delighted to elaborate as the battlefields are our other passion along with cycling! (73 miles (120 km)

Day 6

The ride to Nancy is a lovely one and probably not often done by British cyclists, lying as it does off the beaten track; so much the better then, to explore something new and interesting. The city of arrival is based around the Stanislas Square, which is as beautiful as it is impressive. Our hotel is close to here, the beating heart of this cultured and wonderful city. A real jewel of eastern France and one which will leave a lasting impression on you. (62 miles / 100 km)

Day 7

A hillier day as we cross the Vosges mountains, but also one of immense beauty. The Vosges are once again an area not well known, with many whizzing past on the motorway on the way to the south. You can feel satisfied that you have explored the region and tonight you will stay in a typical village inn, where the food is good, the welcome warm and the wine made by the owners son and daughter! (74 miles / 123 km)

Day 8

Today we leave France, but not before visiting some of the prettiest villages in the region; wine has long been the source of revenue for these parts, and the well maintained villages, wineries and public buildings are testament to this. Descending to the Rhine plain you will cross into Germany and spend the night in lovely Freiburg, with the Black Forest to come tomorrow! (50 miles / 80 km)

Day 9

Another short day sees us visit the source of the Danube; a small fountain which will eventually spout into the Black Sea some 2,850 km later. There will be plenty of time to wander the streets of the town and indulge in some café culture, giving the legs a well deserved rest after a week in the saddle. (50 miles / 80 km)

Day 10

Lake Constance beckons and with it a sublime view of the shimmering blue waters with snow-capped mountains as a backdrop. Fortunately those mountains are not on the route, but it is easy to see why people have been coming here for centuries to ‘take the cure’; the combination of fresh air, exercise and uplifting scenery is enough to lighten anyone’s spirits. (62 miles / 100 km)

Day 11

Another shorter day today as it is hillier now we are in true alpine foothills, although there is nothing that could be termed a mountain climb. It is yet another day to have the camera close at hand with the luxury of a short day meaning you can stop as often as you like and revel in the feeling of almost having arrived. (53 miles / 85 km)

Day 12

A morning’s ride will see the day done and leave you free to explore the fabulous, magical, wonderful Neuschwanstein Castle. This turreted beauty featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and was the model for Disney’s Cinderella’s castle. (50 miles / 80 km).

Day 13

Our last riding day and we will get to Oberammergau by lunch, in good time to change and freshen up in time for the performance of the world famous Oberammergau Passion Play. This will start at 2.30pm and has an interval from 5.30 – 8.30pm. It is long but riveting, and in any case having been sat on a saddle for 2 weeks a theatre seat will be the height of luxury. It is hard to overestimate the importance of this highlight of western civilisation, continuing a tradition which started in 1634. Whilst the stage is open to the elements the auditorium is covered and has splendid views of the mountains behind. We have secured the best category seats to ensure your enjoyment of this amazing spectacle. All parts in the paly are given to those who meet strict residency criteria and must have been born in the village. In two halves, there is a long interval during which the evening meal is served, and you will see the actors stretching their legs around the village. We recall, in 2010, seeing the actor playing Christ riding a bicycle, which was not only rather surreal, but also proves you have arrived by the best means possible!

Day 14

Departure after breakfast.

Notes for this particular tour:

Accommodation on the night of the play is allocated by the Passion Play authorities prior to the play opening in May 2022. It is not guaranteed to be in the village of Oberammergau but if it is not, a transfer will be provided both ways.
Due to the ticketing requirements and commitments for the play, our usual deposit arrangement is different for this tour. A £250 per person deposit secures your place with a further £250 per person being due 6 months before the play performance date (12 December 2021). The balance is due as usual 6 weeks before departure.

Some Tour Photos...

A beautiful Norman village on the first morning

A view over the Rhine plain

A wonderful preserved town near Paris

Beautiful Reims lies on the route

Champagne vineyards

Cycling in Alsace

Cycling in Normandy

Huat Koenigsburg in the Vosges

Lake Constance

Neuschwanstein, the famous Chitty Chitty Bang Bang castle in Bavaria comes the day before our arrival

Norman cows

Oberammergau Passion Play theatre

Oberammergau with the Alps behind

Open countryside and quiet roads for cycling in France

Pretty chateaux abound in Normandy

Riding towards the German border in Alsace

The Rhine awaits!

The trial of Christ (Oberammergau Passion Play)

Verdun

Verdun old town gate

Vineyards

Wine villages in Alsace

Travel Information

Outward overnight ferry travel is included from Portsmouth - Le Havre with accommodation in a cabin.

For the return, Munich airport is easily accesible and is a major international hub. Trains run from Munich direct to Paris and connect to Eurostar there.

Click here for our Travel Information page.