Racetrack experiences around the Black Forest

The Black Forest and motorsport share a longer history than you might expect. As early as 1946, German motor racing celebrated its rebirth at the Ruhestein hill climb, directly above Obertal. The passion has stayed. Only the venues have moved.

If petrol runs in your veins even on holiday, Baiersbronn puts several options within reach. One of Germany's great circuits lies an hour and a half away, there is track day territory on the far side of the Rhine, and a historic rally weekend takes place right on the doorstep.

The first port of call for a racetrack experience is the Hockenheimring on the Rhine plain, a good hour and a half by car from Obertal. The Grand Prix circuit, around 4.6 kilometres long, has written Formula 1 history and is open to ordinary visitors surprisingly often these days.

During the public driving sessions, the Touristenfahrten, you can take your own car onto the track, from sports cars to the more ambitious everyday car. Driving takes place in time slots, for as many laps as your concentration allows. Check the dates in advance, follow the helmet and vehicle rules and be realistic about your own brakes. The track is less forgiving than a country road.

If you want to feel the limit without taking the wheel yourself, book a race taxi. In the passenger seat of a Porsche GT3 or Mercedes-AMG, you watch a professional show what is physically possible on a racing circuit. It is an experience that recalibrates your idea of "brisk driving". Adults only, and breakfast is best saved for afterwards.

Several operators at the Ring offer passenger rides and driving experiences of this kind, and as a voucher they make a popular gift. The time slots do fill up quickly, though.

An alternative with a French accent lies on the other side of the Rhine. The Anneau du Rhin in Alsace is a private circuit that regularly hosts track days for drivers and motorcyclists. The atmosphere is more relaxed than at the big German circuits, and the journey there can be combined with a detour to Colmar or into the vineyards.

For motorcyclists, Alsace is a rewarding double destination in any case. First the Vosges passes, then the track, or the other way round, depending on temperament.

If you would rather watch than drive, there is no need to leave Obertal at all. Once a year, the Baiersbronn Classic brings historic racing and sports cars onto the region's roads, including the ascent to the old hill climb course at the Ruhestein. We have devoted a separate article to that weekend.

On every other day, the loveliest "track" in the region remains the Schwarzwaldhochstraße, driven for pleasure rather than against the stopwatch, with breaks at the Mummelsee instead of pit stops. The race taxi adrenaline is there for your next trip to Hockenheim, and the massage for your neck muscles afterwards is waiting at Wolke 7.