BLACK FOREST – The best motorcycle roads of Germany?

BLACK FOREST – The best motorcycle roads of Germany?

– Are you looking for the most famous motorcycle
roads in Germany? When the high alpine passes are still buried in spring snow or already closing again in October, there is one place I always return to, the Black Forest. Here, the roads wind like ribbons through pine-covered hills, past villages with timbered houses, cuckoo clocks in the windows and cafes serving Black Forest cake. It may not be as high as the Alps, but the Black Forest in
Germany has its own magic, welcoming, cozy, and some of the most
famous motorcycle roads in all of Germany. (bright music) (pleasant music) So, today, I’m going to
one of our favorite routes that’s Schwarzwald, and there are so many roads that you cannot cover this
whole area in one video, I’m gonna try to show you the best places and I only have two days, so let’s go and see as much as possible. – Hello, everyone. Welcome to this Schwarzwald video, Black Forest it is in English, and before actually starting
in the Black Forest, I first have to get there and I would drive on the Autobahn
on the highway in Germany to the most northern tip
of the Black Forest region, so we can ride the whole length of it from north to south, but it’s quite a transport ride because it’s a long, long forest, the Black Forest. The Black Forest, or
Schwarzwald in German, stretches across the
southwest corner of Germany, along the border with
France and Switzerland. It’s a landscape of dense pine forests, rolling hills and deep valleys that have inspired legends for centuries. The Brothers Grimm even set many of their famous fairytales, like Hansel and Gretel here. So, yes, I always feel like
there is some magical mystery to be found in the Black Forest, and if you don’t believe in fairytales, the twisty roads should be what I call the best happy ending in the world. So here I finally exit Autobahn, it has been a drive of
several hours from Switzerland and I’m looking very forward to the twisty roads of the Black Forest and I have so many things to
show you, so I’m very excited. ♪ We can run away, we don’t gotta stay ♪ ♪ I can feel it, it burns inside me ♪ ♪ Take away the pain ♪ ♪ We can go insane ♪ ♪ Trust me, I won’t let you down ♪ ♪ I won’t let you down ♪ ♪ I won’t let you down ♪ – Oh this is so nice, finally back on my beloved
Black Forest roads. And now I will take you to a place I actually have never visited before because normally I just ride
and don’t stop so often, basically, really just enjoying the curves and, yeah, I really rarely
stop for sightseeing, but this is supposedly very
beautiful and very famous, so let’s check it out together. So party people, here we go down to the waterfall, here is a little path. So this is our first stop here at this Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, which is actually, in English, I would say, Black Forest high road. I don’t know if you can
translate it like this, I will look it up. And this waterfall that
we are looking at now, they are basically at the start of the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, of the Black Forest road. And I think they’re
probably worth a look at. I’ve never been here before,
so I’m super curious too. Just outside the spa town of Baden-Baden, which is not part of this video, but I can highly recommend
for a visit or night, you will find the Geroldsauer Waterfall. The waterfall drops about nine meters, framed by ferns and rhododendrons that explode into color in late spring, making it one of the
most photographed spots in the Northern Black Forest. But the waterfall has
been famous for centuries. The famous composer Johannes
Brahms used to walk here during his summers in Baden-Baden, drawing inspiration from
the calm of the forest and the sound of the rushing water. Now we’re gonna go on the B500, it’s called the Bundesstrasse 500, which is the so-called Black Forest Road. And this Black Forest Road is one of the most famous destination here in this whole area, not only for motorcyclists, motorcyclists love it
because of the curves, but also for all travelers
of the Black Forest. So join me, we’re gonna do this now. One of the most famous
roads in the Black Forest is the Black Forest High Road. It runs for about 60 kilometers following the B500 from
Baden-Baden in the north all the way to Freudenstadt. With its fast curves
and changing conditions, it’s also one of the most dangerous roads in Germany for motorcyclists. Every year, too many riders
misjudge the corners. So the high road has
become well known enough that sections are heavily policed, and in recent years, more speed limits have been put in place. It’s still worth the ride though. Along the way, it offers sweeping views
across the Rhine Valley, and on clear days, even to the
Basque Mountains in France. (exciting music) (exciting music continues) Literally the most amazing
thing about the Black Forest is the amount of small roads it has. Every time I ride here, I am on roads that I feel like
I have never ridden before because there’s just
too many to keep track. Anyways, now we are going to another place I wanted to show you, and that is great for having lunch or also just for a stop for a snack. ♪ Wanna hold you ♪ ♪ Wanna make you mine ♪ ♪ One little piece of my
heart is the sweetest love ♪ ♪ The sweetest love ♪ – I think these detours are so worth it. I mean, just to ride these beautiful remote countryside roads, well, yeah, I’m here for it and also here we are at our destination (birds chirping) Tacked near the village Ottenhoefen, Lebenshof Mut im Bauch, which translate as, “Farm
with courage in your stomach,” isn’t your average roadside cafe. It’s a sanctuary for animals who have faced tough beginnings, now lounging in loving comfort. (people laughing) The food is all vegetarian and seriously good, especially their Flammkuchen, a pizza-like delicacy of the area, baked in a wood-fired oven or vegan schnapps if
you’re feeling spirited and don’t ride bikes. I decided for a Black Forest cake that was quite different than normally, and I preferred this version big time. Every bite, by the way, will help support the animals
calling this place home. So there’s not many lunch
spots in the Black Forest where your money is better spent. (upbeat music) (rooster crowing)
And now let’s see, mm. Excellent. (people chattering) Back on the road again and we will head to the
Black Forest High Road again, to ride it to kind of
the bitter end, I think. (train horn blaring) (train whooshing) (lively music) The ride was not that bitter though because this was one of the most beautiful parts
of the B500 high road, twisting, beautiful curves on end. And because it was already
quite late in the afternoon, it was also much more empty than usual. We are leaving the B500 now,
the Black Forest high road and it would actually continue another 10 kilometers to
the town Freudenstadt, but they are not that nice no more. So instead I just decided that I would take you
guys on some smaller roads and head to another town
that’s much more worth to see, and that town is called Wolfach. (bright music) ♪ You seal my date with
queen of the night ♪ ♪ My friend, let’s drive off again ♪ ♪ Let’s drive off again ♪ ♪ Let us where we fall
once for what’s right ♪ ♪ My friend, let’s drive off again ♪ ♪ Let’s drive off again ♪ – [Lea] And you know what the nice thing is about these small roads? You’re pretty much alone
for a very long time. Sometimes you meet some other bikers, but it’s really lovely, and even if it’s like a
motorcyclist paradise, you always find empty roads
if you go on very small roads. (people chattering) (pleasant music) Wolfach look like a fairytale town, but it has a tough side too. It’s a real flussstadt in English, rafting town. For centuries, huge rafts of timber were floated down the Kinzig and Wolf Rivers from here, bringing wealth and
shaping the local culture. Today you can still feel that heritage in the cobblestone roads, festivals, half-timbered houses, riverside charm, and living traditions. Today I’m heading to a very special hotel and also a hotel I have never been because a very sad thing happened. My favorite place in all of
the Black Forest just closed, so I had to find something new. And because I’m actually meeting with my partner and little A tonight, which was something not
too far from Switzerland and also what looked like it
would be fun for all of us and has also some facility for kids, but also still is just nice to be. (birds chirping) (gentle music) Hidden in the Southern Black Forest, as the gateway to Switzerland, Gasthof Tannenmuhle welcomes its visitors with real Black Forest charm. The cozy inn offers
hearty Black Forest food, kids love the petting zoo and
the little watermill park, while grownups can enjoy the local trout fresh from the ponds or a slice of the famous
Black Forest cake. (goat bleating) I, by by the way, have
eaten different cakes called Black Forest all around the world. And the last one was my trip to Bhutan that will still come
up here on the channel. How is that? What did you choose? – It’s (speaking in foreign
language) oh, Black Forest. – Black Forest? Oh nice. And everyone who sells Black Forest cakes all around the world, I have to disappoint you guys, the real Black Forest cake
doesn’t look like that, it looks like this and has pretty strong
cherry alcohol in it. So this is the real deal, it’s made with alcohol
and like cherries, ooh. Quite strong. (birds chirping) Just a short walk from the Gasthof, you’ll find an old Tannenmuhle mill turning steadily in the stream. It’s not just for show, this watermill has been
grinding grain for generations, a reminder of how life in the Black Forest was once powered by nothing
more than water and wood. Fun fact, at one time, there were hundreds of small mills scattered through the Black Forest valleys each serving its village. Today, only a few remain and Tannenmuhle keeps that history alive. (soft music) So this is a new day of
riding the Black Forest and the area here more in the
south and central Black Forest is also very famous for its lakes. So we will look at them now. And, actually, I maybe
can’t say this too loud, but, for me, also this
more southern region is much more nice to ride. ♪ So let go, let go ♪ ♪ I don’t want you but I’m gonna try ♪ ♪ Does she love him ♪ ♪ Yeah but a little bit inside ♪ ♪ You know, you know ♪ ♪ Maybe things are gonna be all right ♪ ♪ ‘Cause I just wanna see the light ♪ – [Lea] This lake here that we’re driving by now is called Schluchsee, and I have to admit, I never
really stopped here to stay, but there is a very famous
and very good sausage stand on one of the ends of the lake, so that’s basically all I know. (upbeat music) Schluchsee is the largest
lake in the Black Forest, stretching about 7.5 kilometers long and up to 1.5 kilometers wide at almost 1,000 meters above sea level. Once a natural glacier lake, it was expanded by a dam and now serves as an important reservoir. Schluchsee is considered
one of the cleanest lakes in all of Germany, making it the perfect place for a refreshing dip after a long ride. (engine chugging) We are going from one lake to the next and they’re very close, and the name of the next leg is Titisee, and I think it’s the most
famous lake in Schwarzwald. And I have always wondered if
that’s because of its name, but I guess I will never know. ♪ She can be anyone there ♪ ♪ She can be anyone there ♪ ♪ But they’re sure no one cares ♪ (water splashing) – [Lea] Titisee is one of the Black Forest’s most famous lakes. Formed during the last ice age when glaciers carved
out its steep bassinet. Two kilometers long and
nearly a kilometer wide, local legend says the name Titisee comes from a Roman general named Titos, who once camped by the lake. Right on its shores sits the town with the same name, Titisee. Tourism here really took
off in the late 19th century when the railway line from Freiburg made the lake easily accessible. Soon, holiday makers from all over Germany and later the world were coming to enjoy the fresh mountain air and the scenic surroundings. Today the lakeside promenade
is lined with cafes and shops, while Black Forest cake and also the famous Black
Forest cherry liquor remained a classic treat to enjoy with a view across the water. (gentle music) Well, the Black Forest is
famous for its twisty roads, but also for its Black Forest
cake and also the schnapps, but also for another
very special handcraft that is kind of niche and very funny. And so, the Black Forest is
famous for its cuckoo clocks, and we will now head
to the cuckoo capital, I guess, in the world. (cuckoo clock chirping) The Black Forest is
famous around the world for its cuckoo clocks, and of course you can also find
the biggest one ever built. In the town of Schonach
stands a giant cuckoo clock built into a traditional
Black Forest house. Built in the 1980s by local clock makers, the clockwork inside
is the size of a garage and every half hour the
cuckoo itself pops out, almost as tall as a person. So right next to this giant cuckoo watch that we just saw is the
town called Triberg, which is supposedly very scenic and has quite some sights to see and is the place if you
want to learn something about making of cuckoo watches. And to be honest, I have
never stopped here before because it’s quite touristic, and, you know, meanwhile,
I love the riding, but I think a Black Forest
guide is not complete without this part of
the Black Forest history so we are gonna see it now together. (wind whooshing) Triberg is one of the Black
Forest’s most famous towns. It’s considered the birthplace of the Black Forest cuckoo clock. The first clocks were crafted
here back in the mid 1700s, and the tradition has
been perfected ever since. What makes a visit to Triberg special is that you don’t just buy a clock here, you can actually watch
the craftsmen at work, step inside a workshop, and see the careful carving,
painting and assembly that go into every cuckoo. It’s a tradition handed
down for generations, and in Triberg, it’s still alive. (waterfall whooshing) Just a few steps from the town center, you’ll find the Triberg waterfall, Germany’s highest accessible waterfall. The Gutach River plunges
over seven cascades, dropping a total of 163
meters through the forest. The waterfalls have been
a tourist attraction since the 19th century, and they are so famous that they were among the
very first German sites to be lit with electric
light back in the 1880s. So when motorcycling in the more southern
part of the Black Forest, in my opinion, there is only one law, and that is no matter where you drive, all roads lead to the town Todtmoos and it’s really funny because there is so many
nice and curvy roads that, at one point, I always get lost on and actually don’t know at all anymore if I have ever ridden this road before. But then, all of a sudden, Todtmoos appears and I head up here, it’s like every time I drive here. So that’s where I was heading now, this time on purpose, this time trying not to get lost on the curvy Black Forest roads. ♪ I’d walk through fire,
flames just to call you mine ♪ ♪ Breaking shackles and
chains just to call you mine ♪ ♪ Breaking shackles and
chains just to call you mine ♪ – So I’m here in Todtmoos now, and this is what I feel is
a place you always come to because, look at the map, there are so many curvy roads
that lead to this place. I don’t even know if I’ve
taken these roads before. But, yeah, I have the feeling I always land in Todtmoos at one point, and I actually had lunch
here twice or three times and it was always not so super good. But, today, there’s a little
festivity here, so look here. And I also think it’s
quite a good place or area to have as a base for your
Schwarzwald motorcycle adventure. Todtmoos is my Rome of the Black Forest, but even if your roads don’t
lead here naturally like mine, it’s worth a visit because Todtmoos has always been a town famous for pilgrims. Its story goes back to the 13th century when legend says a hermit named Dietrich von Rickenbach lived here and placed a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary in a spruce tree. From that legend grew the
pilgrimage side of Todtmoos and the Barocke Pilgrims
Church still stands at the heart of town today. So, guys, my famous last words are, there are so many lovely curvy
roads in the Black Forest and you can’t really make a guide for them because it’s just too many. But just look at the map, take the next curvy small roads and you’re gonna have fun here, I promise. It’s really motorcycle curve paradise, and I come here I think
at least once a year, mostly in spring or autumn
because then it’s not so crowded, and also then the high alpine passes are still closed due to snow so it’s a very good
time to motorcycle here. And now I will enjoy some
more of these lovely curves, so see you guys soon. (joyful music) (joyful music continues) Guys, I know that the Black Forest is not one of these
famous high alpine passes that everyone puts stickers
off on their bikes, but it is a lovely ride and you can just focus on having fun on perfect curvy tarmac roads. If you are here for the ride, give the video thumbs up and comment, and let me know where
your curvy paradise is. I’ll see you again next month with a lovely Christmas
episode in a winter paradise. Got2Go. (upbeat music)
(engine chugging)

The most famous motorcycle roads in Germany and an area full of traditions like cuckoo clocks and delicious cakes – welcome to the Black Forest.
When the high alpine passes are still buried in spring snow—or already closing again in October—there’s one place I always return to: the Black Forest. Here the roads wind like ribbons through pine-covered hills, past villages with timbered houses, cuckoo clocks in the windows, and cafés serving Black Forest cake. It may not be as high as the Alps, but the Black Forest in Germany has its own magic—welcoming, cozy, and some of the most famous motorcycle roads in all of Germany.

00:00 Intro to the Black Forest
01:01 Getting to the Black Forest – From Switzerland to Germany
01:51 All you need to know about the Black Forest
03:05 Geroldsauer Waterfall – one of the most scenic spots of the Black Forest
04:48 The B500 Black Forest High Road – one of Germany’s most famous motorcycle roads
07:23 Lebenshof Mut im Bauch – the perfect Lunch Spot on your Black Forest Trip
09:24 Wolfach – the most historical charming town on the water
11:04 Gasthof Tannenmühle – a special place to stay (or to eat the famous Black Forest cake)
13:36 Schluchsee – Famous motorcycle route along a lake
16:08 Titisee – the most famous lake (and town) of the Black Forest
17:19 Visit the worlds largest cuckoo clock!
18:22 Triberg – the cuckoo clock capital of the world (and the beautiful Triberg Waterfalls)
20:24 Todtmoos – the center of the Black Forest motorcycle curve paradise

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