Ghent to Colmar Road Trip: Hidden Gems via E40 & A5

The 530-kilometre drive from Ghent to Colmar connects the Low Countries with the Upper Rhine. The most direct route uses the E17, E40, then A4/A5 through France – roughly 5 hours of driving time without stops. A little-known fact: the section near Reims follows the old Roman road Via Agrippa, built in 20 BC, linking the Rhine to the English Channel.

This guide answers is it worth driving Ghent to Colmar? Absolutely – the route weaves through three wine regions, past two UNESCO sites, and offers dozens of best stops Ghent to Colmar. Whether you ask how long to drive Ghent to Colmar (barely a morning) or want things to do between Ghent and Colmar, this article unpacks every detail.

For more on curating your own journey, see our guide on how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities.

The core corridors are the A1/E19 from Ghent to Lille, then the A4/E50 past Reims, and finally the A5/E25 via Nancy to Colmar. Tolls apply on French motorways; expect €30-40 total for a car. Fuel prices in Luxembourg are often €0.20/L cheaper than France – detour via Luxembourg City (exit 8 on A3) for savings.

There are ample rest areas every 20-30 km. Notable ones: Aire de la Lys (picnic tables, clean WC), Aire de la Champagne (views over vineyards), Aire de la Forêt de Haye (playground). All major stops have 24h fuel stations with coffee and snacks.

• Drive time: 5 h non-stop; plan 7-8 h with breaks.
• Milestone: crossing the Meuse river at Verdun (historical WWI sites).
• Toll costs: €32-38 (pay by card or cash).

French motorways (A4/A5) have excellent tarmac, average speed enforced by radar. Speed limit 130 km/h (110 km/h when raining). Belgian sections have variable limits due to construction. Note that Luxembourg imposes a 110 km/h limit on all motorways.

For families, the Aire de l’Aube has a wooden playground and a small zoo with goats and ponies. Another excellent stop is the Aire de la Citadelle (near Verdun), where a kids’ maze and war memorial create an educational break. Pet-friendly stops: Aire de la Meuse offers a designated dog zone with waste bags.

Fatigue management: rest every 2 hours. The Aire des Aubrées (between Reims and Nancy) has a relaxation area with reclining chairs. For a longer break, exit at Saint-Dizier (exit 7) to walk along the Marne canal – a 20-minute leg stretch that refreshes.

Hidden gems: the village of Hautvillers (birthplace of Dom Pérignon) lies 5 km off the A4. Or drive the Route des Vins from Colmar to Eguisheim – a 10-minute detour that feels like a medieval time capsule.

The route transitions from flat Flemish polders to the rolling chalk hills of Champagne, then the dense Ardennes forest, and finally the vineyards of Alsace. Each landscape brings its own microclimate and agriculture. In Champagne, the Coteaux, Maisons et Caves de Champagne UNESCO site includes the cellars of Reims. The Vosges mountains offer fir forests and the crystalline Lac de Gérardmer, a 15-minute detour from the A5.

Local commerce thrives in villages along the way. In Chouilly (just off A4), buy direct from small Champagne producers. At the Colmar Marché (Saturday morning), taste Alsatian riesling and kougelhopf. The route passes through the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle – a medieval fortress rebuilt in 1908, now a major attraction.