Cycling routes in the Vosges: mountains, forests and bubbles

For a nice climb to a beautiful col, you don't necessarily have to go to the Alps, The Dolomites or the Pyrenees. In about seven hours by car you’re already in the Vosges, a mountain range in the northeast of France in the Grand Est region. “For us Dutch people, they’re also the first real mountains,” said a journalist from Wedding. And the organization of the Tour de France knows this as well. Racers have climbed the Grand Ballon several times, with its 1424 meters being the highest mountain in the region. (Super)Planche des belles filles is also a favorite. Speaking of beautiful cycling routes in the Vosges.

France with a touch of Germany

The Tour is a truly French event, but this region is certainly not. Say Guebwiller, Issenheim or Le Markstein, and you’re talking about villages in the Vosges. Many places have German names. Add to that steaks, flammkuchen and spätzle on the menu, and you can safely address the locals in German. So you get France with a touch of Germany. Not too surprising, considering that this area was part of Germany for many years and the Swiss border is also nearby. The airport in Basel is even located in this part of France.

Climbing on one of the balloons

We just mentioned it; the Col du Grand Ballon It is a must for any cyclist visiting this region. This mountain is located in the Ballons des Vosges nature park and can be climbed from different sides. We spend the night in Guebwiller and choose the east side from Soultz. To reach the top, which is just above the tree line, we climb 18.8 kilometers with 1085 meters of elevation gain and an average gradient of 5.7%.

Once we are up there, we look out at the Black Forest, It's right there nearby. The sound of cicadas gives us the feeling that we're in the Alps. Those are not far away either; on a clear day you can see them lying there from the top. With a little luck, you might even spot Mont Blanc. Next to the well-known radar station, which you can recognize from a distance as the Grand Ballon, you'll also find a restaurant on the top. A big tip is the delicious sandwiches with sheep cheese and flavorful tomatoes. 

Route des vins d’Alsace: cycling through the vineyards

Unfortunately, we are not having any luck with the weather and very little of the promising view remains. But there is something else waiting for us: the Route des vins d’Alsace. Stretching over 170 kilometers between the mountains and the Rhine, this is France’s oldest wine route. Along picturesque villages, famous wine towns, and beautiful landscapes. We are only cycling part of it, but we are lucky. Here you literally cycle through the vineyards, and this period (late August/early September) is the perfect time for the grapes to be harvested.

The smell of wine greets us everywhere. From the vineyards, laughter rings out and cheerful Frenchmen are picking the grapes. I greet one of the people in the vineyard and ask in my French how I can take a photo. I am immediately received enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, of course”! Then I get a bunch of white grapes pressed into my hands to taste them.

The man tells a whole story. What I understand from it is that the grapes are fantastic and are meant for ‘le champagne’. And he’s right, they do taste really good! Curious about our route? Check out the bottom of our blog.

Choose peace and space: go graveling in the vast forests

If you're adventurous, the Vosges and Alsace regions are also for you. You'll find plenty of unpaved paths through forests, meadows, and even vineyards that lead you to the most beautiful spots. You'll hardly encounter anyone here and you can enjoy the views in complete tranquility. Some of the paths are quite steep with large rocks, so tires with a rough tread are not a luxury. Stop by a village along the way at one of the many bakeries or patisseries and you can have a quick break. Cycling this route itself? You'll find it at the bottom of the blog or on our KOMOOT page.

Tips

• Can you see yourself sitting in your own Jacuzzi after a bike ride with a glass of bubbles? Then stay at Domaine Bôheme in Guebwiller. Beautifully decorated, super clean, a private garden by your room where you can park your bike, small-scale and within walking distance of the restaurants.
• On Saturdays between June and September, the roads of various passes are closed to motorized traffic for the Col l’Attitude. A free event for cyclists of all ages, from e-bikers to road cyclists. There is a start and finish line, and the atmosphere is very relaxed. You don't have to register.
• Our favorite restaurant in Guebwiller was Au Petit Gourmet.
• Are you going mountain biking in the Vosges? Then make sure you choose tires with an extra coarse profile. A mountain bike is definitely not a bad idea either.
• You get fantastic food at Auberge Sundgovienne in Altkirch. You can also spend the night there; we were a little less enthusiastic about that. They do have a good bike storage area. From Auberge Sundgovienne Can you, for example, cycle this route?. The gravel pieces can easily be replaced with asphalt.
  

Cycling routes in the Vogeens: Grand Ballon