The Vosges: seven categorised climbs in one Tour stage, 3,800 metres of elevation gain over 155 km, and virtually no flat sections. When the pros on July 18th from Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering riding, they show exactly why this mountain range, about a 7-hour drive from Utrecht, is a playground for cyclists. The question for us: where will you be bivouacking for your next cycling adventure? Finding a basecamp is always tricky, but we've laid out the options side-by-side: Remiremont is the perfect ‘all-round’ base., Mulhouse is top to be there for the Tour start, and Gérardmer is a well-known alternative

Remiremont - the best all-round cycling base

If you're coming to ride, and not just to look, Remiremont is the logical choice. The Green Route of the High Vosges Starts here: 53 km of trails for various activities in the middle of the mountains. Tourisme Vosges also calls the region around Remiremont the place where two-time Olympic champion Julien Absalon developed his talent.

From Remiremont, you ride straight into the mountains. The village is located on the western flank of the massif, so you won't be affected by the road closures that paralyze the Alsatian side on July 18th. There are plenty of route options: the bike.vosges app offers 11 signposted routes across the Vosges massif and the surrounding plains. You can fill an entire training week here without taking the same road twice.

You have peace and quiet, beautiful routes and direct access to the mountain passes.

Mulhouse

Mulhouse is a delightful city. Especially if you want to catch the Tour de France on your adventure. Do you want to experience the atmosphere of the publicity caravan, the team buses, and the peloton as it rides out of the city under escort? Then Mulhouse is the place for you. The neutralised start of stage 14 is at 1:10 PM, with the official start following around 1:30 PM. Mulhouse is hosting the Tour for the eighteenth time.

The trade-off: on race day, the city is in event mode. The prefecture of Haut-Rhin warns of significant traffic and parking restrictions along the route, and public transport operator Soléa is making drastic adjustments to tram and bus routes. So, plan your journeys well in advance.

From Mulhouse, you can head into the mountains towards Grand Ballon or Ballon d’Alsace after the race day. It works well as a base for the Tour weekend plus a few rides.

Épinal to Gérardmer: for a different type of trip

Épinal Trekk Mountain Bikers: La Téméraire des Vosges is a MTB weekend around Lake Bouzey with routes ranging from 20 to 85 km, plus a cross-country eliminator through the town's streets. Good for those who want to combine gravel routes and off-road with road miles.

Gérardmer reads stronger as a multisport base. The Iron Man takes place here every other year in September, with 90 km of cycling as part of it. An all-rounder, therefore, rather than a pure cycling base.

Stage 14 – the profile at a glance

• Date: Saturday 18 July 2026
• Distance: 155.3 km
• Altimeters: around 3,800
• Climbs Grand Ballon (21.5 km, 4–4.8%), Ballon d’Alsace (8.9 km, 6.9%), Col du Schirm (3.7 km, 5.3%), Col du Hundsruck (3.6 km, 5.2%), Col du Haag (11.2 km, 7.2–7.3%)
• Character It's a really challenging mountain stage, without going above 1400m altitude.

Practically the whole day up and down, without any rest sections: terrain that would keep an amateur busy for a full week.

The choice summarised

Are you coming to cycle? Remiremont. Are you coming for the Tour start? Mulhouse. Are you coming to the mountain for the finishing fever? Le Markstein. Would you like an MTB too? Épinal.

Do you know of any other good base camps in the Vosges, or do you have a favourite col that we must ride? We'd love to hear about it!