For a nice climb on a nice col, you don't necessarily have to go to the Alps, Dolomites or Pyrenees. In about a seven-hour drive from Breda, you are already in the Vosges Mountains, a mountain range in northeastern France in the Grand Est region. "For us Dutch, this is also the first real mountains," said an editor of Wed. And the organisers of the Tour de France know that too. Riders have already climbed the Grand Ballon several times, the region's highest mountain at 1424 metres. (Super)planche des belles filles is also a favourite. Talking about beautiful cycling routes in the Vosges.
France with a touch of Germany
The Tour is a purebred French event, but this region certainly is not. When you say Guebwiller, Issenheim or Le Markstein, you are talking about villages in the Vosges Mountains. Many places have German names. Add to that the fact that steaks, flammkuchen and spätzle are on the menu and you can safely address the locals in German. So you'll find France with a hint of Germany here. Not surprising when you consider that this area was part of Germany for many years and the Swiss border is also nearby. Basel airport is even in this part of France.
Climbing on one of the balloons
We talked about it briefly just now; the Col du Grand Ballon is a must for any cyclist visiting this region. Located in the Ballons des Vosges Nature Park, this mountain can be climbed from different sides. We spent the night in Guebwiller and chose the eastern side from Soultz. To reach the summit, which is just above the tree line, we climb 18.8 kilometres with 1085 altimeters and an average gradient of 5.7%.
Once at the top, we overlook the Black Forest, which is nearby. The sound of cowbells makes us feel like we are in the Alps. They are not far away either; on a clear day, you can see them from the summit. With a bit of luck, you can even spot Mont Blanc. Besides the famous radar station, from which you can recognise the Grand Ballon from afar, you will also find a restaurant at the summit. A big tip are the delicious sandwiches with sheep's cheese and flavoured tomatoes.
Route des vins d'Alsace: cycling through the vineyards
Unfortunately, we are not lucky with the weather and little remains of the promising views. But something else beautiful awaits us: the Route des vins d'Alsace. Between the mountains and the Rhine, France's oldest wine route winds over 170 kilometres. Past picturesque villages, famous wine towns and beautiful landscapes. We cycle only part of it, but are lucky. You literally cycle through the vineyards here and this period (late August/early September) is the time when the grapes are harvested.
The smell of wine meets us everywhere. Laughter sounds from the vineyards and cheerful Frenchmen stand picking grapes. I greet one of the people in the vineyard and ask in my woody French if I can take a photo. Immediately I am enthusiastically received. "Oui, oui, bien sûr!". I then get a bunch of white grapes pressed into my hands to taste them.
The man tells a whole story. What I understood from it is that the grapes are fantastic and meant for 'le champagne'. And he is right, they do indeed taste very good! Curious about our itinerary? Then take a look at the bottom of our blog.
Opt for peace and quiet: go graveling in the vast forests
If you are adventurous, then the Vosges and Alsace are also for you. You will find a lot of unpaved paths through forests, meadows and even vineyards leading you to the most beautiful spots. You will hardly meet anyone here and can enjoy the views in peace and quiet. Some paths are quite steep with large boulders, so tyres with coarse tread are not a luxury. Stop along the way in a village at one of the many bakeries or pastry shops and you will be good to go. Want to cycle this route yourself? You can find it at the bottom of the blog or on our KOMOOT page.
Tips
- Can you see yourself sitting in your own Jacuzzi with a glass of bubbles after a bike ride? Then stay the night at Domaine Bôheme in Guebwiller. Beautifully decorated, super clean, a private garden near your room where you can put your bike, small scale and within walking distance of restaurants.
- On Saturdays between June and September, the roads of several cols are closed to motorised traffic for the Col l'Attitude. A free event for cyclists from young to old and from e-bikers to cyclists. There is a start and finish line and the atmosphere is very convivial. There is no need to register.
- Our favourite restaurant in Guebwiller was Au Petit Gourmet.
- Going graveling in the Vosges? Then make sure you choose tyres with an extra coarse tread. A mountain bike is definitely not a bad idea either.
- Fantastic food at Auberge Sundgovienne in Altkirch. You can also spend the night there, which we were slightly less enthusiastic about. They do have good bike storage. From Auberge Sundgovienne you can cycle this route, for example. You can easily replace the stretches of gravel for asphalt.
