The Vosges - France

Judging by the number of bikes at the top, this is the biker route of the area. It is a main road, but at the weekend it's not that busy. This road is fast and brilliant fun. It's wide with an excellent surface, and the only concern is a little bit of overbanding on the higher sections. The second gear bends have good visability, even in the forest. So you can really go for it and get right over. There are no nasty surprises. Highly recommended--well with a reservation. Rode it again in 2006 and the Sunday afternoon traffic was really very heavy. The ski station doubles as the local biker hang-out with a few restaurants and loads of parking. The western ramp is very fast and straight.

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A wide excellent suface in a very dark forest. The unmarked hairpins are also wide. There is a fair bit of holiday traffic, but overtaking is easy. The Northern ramp is more difficult as the hairpins are often hidden by a small preceding curve. Near the Col the D466 runs down to the town of Sewan. The road is narrower, but still has an excellent surface.

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A fairly wide road with loads of hairpins, but way too much overbanding on the southern side.The northern ramp is better, but fairly short.

This roads very steep in places, and a bit worn. So it's fairly difficult, and a great place to test out your tyres and brakes. It's still quite reasonable and helps make a circuit around the Schlucht. Also the best named pass in Europe unless you know better?

A major road that's very wide and with another excellent surface. Race track similarities, but legal overtaking is restricted by the solid white line. The road has overtaking lanes in places. Once you do get past the petrol tankers etc, the road has real ton-up potential.

As with many passes going up is more fun than going down. I've only done the latter, on this one.
Starting from near the top of the Bonhomme road, the road is fairly straight and level. It then descends though a number of hairpins. The surface is excellent. The most enjoyable section (on the descent) is the middle snaking curves before it gets steeper.

A very low level pass with yet another excellent surface (getting the theme here?). It's not too demanding but still a good, if short ride.

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For Route des Crêtes read Route de Touring Campervans. This is the scenic must for the Vosges region. The road is high enough to rise above the forest and runs along several ridges with views to the valley and lakes below. Don?t let that put you serious bikers off though.The compensation is that the road is wide well surfaced and has plenty of overtaking places. The route is really several sections strung together. Starting in the south at Cernay there is an excellent climb with a number of good hairpins up to the Col de Herenfluh and on to the Col Amic. There are a couple of wide cobbled hairpins near the Amic. The Grand Ballon section attracts alot of cyclists and the campervans abound. There is some overbanding on the wide smooth road amounst the meadows and a tricky corner (deceptively tight) on the descent just after the ski resort.
The section from le Markstein to the Col de La Schlucht is a scenic section with views of the lakes down in the valley.
After the Schlucht to the Col Du Bonhomme and then on to Ste Marie aux Mines is my favorite section. It starts mostly on a simerlar elevation through light forest. Drive this very fast, if that?s your thing and it?s briiliant. This year the road surface has washed away in a couple of places, near the Col du Bonhomme but it?s no real problem.

Narrow very twisty fairly difficult with a good surface. Widens near the top with a few hairpins. There are a couple of cobbled corners, one of which will allow you to slide into a biker hangout in Bourbach le Haut. Surface remains good towards Masevaux with some more hairpins, and the occasional tightening bends as well.

Typical of the region. A wide road with a good suface if a little worn. Northern end mostly twisties. Easy enjoyable route.

The roads around this particular area are mostly on a bit of a plateau without much elevation change. I managed to get lost up here and stumbled on a tourist hangout at Koenigsbourg. There's a castle and very impressive view of the valley to the east of the Vosges.

Another excellent surface mostly through forest. A bit narrow on the southern end by Vosges standards.

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If you are staying in the Vosges the majority of of hotels are to be found outside the mountains towards the east amonst the wine growing areas. Colmar is a historic town with some interesting Germanic architecture. The centre has a number of hotels, but these tend to be expensive. Just outside the centre near the small local airport are some Motel-type places to stay at more reasonable prices. The centre of Colmar is a tourist magnet, so has plenty of restaurants.

A fairly main road, but is very quiet at the weekend. Wide with an incredible number of excellent curves with knee down potential if so inclined. The road follows the windy Bruche River, but you won’t be looking at that! This is an excellent way into and out of the Voges, and a road worth seeking out.

Low pass with some good curves on a medium wide road. The roads rather patched up with some overbanding.

Following on from the Col du Donon, there is the very fast Plaine valley road. The road is quiet as it’s off the main tourist routes and in excellent condition. Mainly fast sweepers, with an occasional village.

The road consists of mostly fast bends. A bit patched up, but still good. Not good enough to go out of your way in the context of the rest of the Vosges roads.

This is a fairly average route for the Vosges (very good). The surface is excellent on medium bends with a hairpin near the Col.