Road bike France
A beautiful road cycling trip offering beautiful routes through forests and meadows, the Alsace vinyards and charming typical villagesRef CR80
The eastern ridge of the Vosges massif has long marked the border between France and Germany. On the western side, the Vosges gastronomy punctuates days of cycling between these ridges, like the one visible from the Schlucht pass or from the Hohneck. On the eastern side, the Alsatian foothills are dotted with a string of villages with pink and pistachio-coloured facades, most of which are classified as "the most beautiful villages in France". Not to spoil anything, we follow the Alsace wine route, and take the time to stop for a tasting in a typical Winstub! To the south, this grand tour of the Vosges takes us to the Haut-Saône side, with the mythical Planche des Belles Filles climb and the Ronchamp chapel in our sights. An original end to the route thanks to a foray into the neighbouring Swiss Jura. As the route winds its way through the countless little lost roads that forge the identity of this great tour, history is never far away...
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Highlights
- The tour of the Vosges mountains, a land of contrasts
- The Alsace wine route and typical villages
- The ascent of the Planche des Belles Filles, the Grand Ballon and the Col du Bonhomme
- The crossing of the Swiss border
Description
Day 1: Belfort - Thann
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is fixed on day 1 at 9am at Belfort Montbeliard SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous nights accommodation for you in Belfort.
Passes of the day:
- Le Ballon d'Alsace from Malvaux, 1171 m (level 2)
- Le Ballon d'Alsace from St Maurice sur Moselle, 1171 m (level 3)
- Col du Hunsdruck, 748 m
Highlights:
- The crossing of Belfort and the famous and monumental Lion of Bartholdi, carved in the rock
- The ascent(s) to the Ballon d'Alsace and, from its summit, the view of the Alps: Mont Blanc massif and Bernese Alps in Switzerland
- End of the day on a superb forest road before arriving in Thann
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 : approx. 85 km and 1300 m.
- Level 3 : approx. 115 km and 2200 m.
Day 2: Thann - Soulzmatt
Passes of the day:
- Le Grand Ballon, 1343 m.
- Le Markstein, 1266 m.
- Col de Bramont, 956 m (level 3)
- Col des Feignes, 954 m (level 3)
- Col de la Schlucht, 1138 m.
- Col de Firstplan, 722 m (level 2)
Highlights:
- The ascent to the Grand Ballon, and the passage by the Hartmannswillerkopf, place of a famous battle of the Great War.
- The route des crêtes
- The descent to the plain of Alsace
- A particularly bucolic stage
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 : approx. 95 km and 1900 m.
- Level 3 : approx. 120 km and 2700 m.
Day 3: Soulzmatt - Riquewihr
Passes of the day:
- Col du Firstplan, 720 m (level 3)
- Col du Haut de Ribeauvillé
Highlights:
- The passage through several Alsatian villages with their typical charm: half-timbered houses, facades coloured with pistachio and pink...
- The old town of Colmar
- The rollercoaster ride between the Vosges mountains and the Alsatian wine route
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 : approx. 90 km and 1600 m.
- Level 3 : approx. 110 km and 2300 m.
Day 4: Riquewihr - Ventron
Passes of the day:
- Col de la Charbonniere, 961 m (level 3)
- Col de Steige, 534 m. (level 3)
- Col d’Urbeis, 602 m. (level 3)
- Col de Fraisse sous Vologne (level 3)
- Col du Calvaire, 1134 m (level 2)
- Col de la Schlucht, 1138 m (level 2)
- Col des Feignes, 955 m (level 2)
Highlights:
- The Roman road north of Osthei
- The castle of Haut Koenigsbourg
- The Vosges mountains and their steep valleys
- The lake of Longemer
- The ascent to the route des crêtes and its northern section
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 : approx. 65 km and 1450 m.
- Level 3 : approx. 130 km and 2200 m.
Day 5: Ventron - Ronchamp
Passes of the day:
- Col du Ménil, 621 m (level 2)
- Col du Page, 957 m (level 3)
- Col des Croix, 679 m.
- Col de Servance, 1158 m.
- La Planche des Belles Filles, 1050 m.
- Col de Chevrères, 916 m.
Highlights:
- A succession of Vosges passes
- The ascent of the mythical Planche des Belles Filles (optional)
- An overview of the Plateau des Mille Etangs
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 : approx. 100 km and 2200 m.
- Level 3 : approx. 115 km and 2430 m. (with the Planche des Belles Filles)
Day 6: Ronchamp - Pont de Roide
Passes of the day:
- Climbing of the Notre Dame du Haut, 474 m.
Highlights:
- The rest of the Plateau des Mille Etangs
- The Franc-Comtois villages: the washhouses, their particular architecture in grey stone
- Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, signed by Le Corbusier
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 & 3 : approx. 115 km and 1250 m.
Day 7: Pont de Roide - Belfort
Passes of the day:
- Le Fort des Roches, 800 m.
- The coasts of St Hyppolite and Maîches
Highlights:
- The Doubs valley, very steep and winding...
- The passage into Switzerland
- The Swiss medieval towns of Ste Ursanne and Porrentruy
Distance and altitude gain:
- Level 2 : approx. 90 km and 1450 m.
- Level 3 : approx. 120 km and 2430 m.
Itinerary end: The tour ends in Belfort Montbeliard at around 3-4pm. On request we can book the following nights accommodation for you in Belfort.
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
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