Almost every cyclist dreams of climbing a big Alpine col. Now, you can start there untrained, but preparing really helps. For that, the Vosges eminently suitable. It is a medium-high mountain range seen by many as a warm-up for the 'real' work in the Alps. The reason it is also often forgotten. Because after two loops of Amstel Gold Race, you can tackle Alpe d'Huez, right? We really think otherwise. With this triptych about, in our opinion, the 'big three', we will show you that the Vosges is more than worth it. Certainly this cycle route to the Grand Ballon is also more than a warm-up.
The Ballon d'Alsace and Col du Petit Ballon preceded this big brother. If we are talking about the big three, the biggest of course cannot be left out: the Grand Ballon. At 1424 metres, it is the highest peak you can find in the Vosges.
text and photos: Erwin & Erwin // Mountain High Chasers
Something for everyone
If you want to climb the Grand Ballon, there are no less than six different cycling routes to get to the top. From long 'runners' to short slopers, all to the roof of the Vosges. The six climbs are fine to ride separately, but what could be more fun than making a nice lap of them? In this cycle route, we have chosen to climb the 'balloon' twice, one of which is just short of the summit. This does create a nice lap where you really get to know the area, including the Grand Ballon!
The warm-up
From our flat in Le Régit, we roll south towards the Grand Ballon. In total, almost 120 kilometres await us with an altitude difference of 2293m, so plenty to do! So the fact that we start with a lovely descent full of beautiful curves is no punishment. We descend to the Lac du Kruth-Wildestein. An idyllic lake that gives the Vosges landscape its character. When we talk about runners and wreckers, this is a fine runner. It never gets really steep and the trees swallow you up as you climb. Between kilometres 8 and 14 of the climb it is more like false flat than real climbing, but this keeps the pace nice and steady.
So the end of this climb is not at the summit, but as soon as you get to the top it is clear that you have reached the top somewhere, le Markestein. A sort of junction of several roads coming together combined with ski lifts and a mountain hut make you imagine yourself in the mountains. For now, we will leave the apple strudel for now as we will pass this junction again later in the day.
Descending at its best
We cross Route des Crêtes, more on this later, and dive into the descent. According to Garmin, no less than 25 kilometres of downhill follows. This is briefly interrupted by a small bit of climbing, but it is mostly enjoyment and hanging in the stirrups. It remains a through road, so pay attention to your fellow road users. The first part of the descent is a bit more technical, while in the second part you can pedal along to loosen your muscles for the real thing.
Serious climbing
As mentioned, we think the Vosges Mountains are more than just a warm-up for the high mountains and this is the climb with which we want to prove it. After descending, the road starts to pick up a bit and the climb of the day comes into view. The official climb starts in Cerna, but we turn in the town before it, Wattwiller. From now on, it's 22 kilometres of hard work where you do get a breather halfway up. The climb starts with a nice steady gradient of seven per cent. In summer it can get incredibly hot here, as we are now on the southern slope of the Grand Ballon. So always think carefully about how you ride your route in the sun. Also check here our tips about that.
Briefly down and up again
After about 9 kilometres of climbing, there is a short descent of about 1 kilometre after which we ride over another small pimple until we can really recover for a while. As we take the gels out of our back pocket, we enjoy the fantastic views. The trees give way to beautiful vistas. On the one hand, this break is very nice to take the tension off the legs, but at the same time it also takes you completely out of rhythm. And you soon need this rhythm once you start the second half of this climb.
Steep final kilometres
The last 7 kilometres colour the screen redder than during the first 9 kilometres of climbing. It climbs a little less consistently and the percentages occasionally hit double digits. As we do shoot up in altitude, the views get better and better. You notice that you are slowly riding towards the roof of the Vosges Mountains because soon there are no more peaks to look at, only peaks to look down on.
Once we reached the top, unfortunately, we are not at the summit. For cyclists, it is not possible to ride to the 1424-metre summit, but you have to make do with the 1325 metres indicated on the sign. Should you have energy to spare (and shoes nearby), it is definitely worth doing the hike to the weather station at the top of the Grand Ballon. For a climb the mid-mountain range, this one is unique. Not only for its length of 22 kilometres, but certainly for the feeling of being at a lonely height once you reach the summit.
Routes des Crêtes
After the real climbing, another highlight awaits us, Routes des Crêtes. This route literally runs over the back of the Vosges Mountains. We keep riding at altitude which means the views never cease to amaze us. Along the way, we stop briefly for the promised apple strudel before continuing our way along this amazing route. There is the possibility to plan another stop at Le Hohneck or Col de la Schlucht during the route for the views and/or a bite to eat and a drink.
Whether you are going to ride the whole route or are just in the Vosges for some shorter rides, this route is not to be missed! It is also doable for the novice cyclist because you can park the car at the top and just ride the 'Routes' without having to do a real descent or climb. You are in the mountains though so it is never flat.
The icing on the cake
The Routes des Crêtes continues far into the northern flanks of Alsace. We turn off at the Col de la Schlucht to descend towards our flat. What a pleasure to end the day like this. An almost new layer of asphalt makes for a relaxed descent without too much traffic. As the wheels come to a near standstill, we look back on a fantastic ride in a prime area.
Conclusion
After a trilogy on the Vosges' big three, the feeling prevails that the Vosges is fun as a stopover. You might also think of it as a stopover on the way to the real thing in the Alps. But cycling the various routes in this area certainly changed our view. The Vosges Mountains are more than a warm-up. In terms of cycling, there is plenty to enjoy and plenty of challenge. At the same time, there is still something to be gained in terms of hospitality.
Is it the Alps? No it is not, but when asked if it is worth coming here to cycle, we say a resounding yes.
Cycling route to the Grand Ballon
The GPX file for this beautiful cycle route can be found here. You can find even more inspiration for beautiful routes on our komoot page.
