The Moselschiefer route (Moselschiefer-Straße) is an approximately 100–110 km long marked circular drive by car or motorcycle through the Vulkaaneifel and along the Moselle, themed around the extraction and processing of slate (“Moselschiefer”). The route forms a loop that officially starts and ends in Mayen, the “gateway” to the Eifel, but you can join at any point because it is a circle.

It takes you through the Vulkaaneifel with its craters and heights and then descends to the Moselle, passing places such as Cochem, Klotten, Treis-Karden, and Hatzenport, returning to Mayen via the Eifel region.​

“Moselschiefer” refers to the slate from the Eifel that has been mined in quarries since Roman times, but it was shipped via Moselle ports such as Klotten, leading to the name “Moselle slate.”

Along the route, you will see numerous slate roofs, quarries, and museums (such as the Deutsche Schieferbergwerk in Mayen and the Moselschiefer mine Margareta near Polch) that showcase the history of this stone industry.

The route is intended as a tourist panorama and cultural road with views over volcanic landscapes, Moselle vineyards, castles, and half-timbered villages; it is popular among motorists, motorcyclists, and campers.