Vosges Route des Crêtes by Motorcycle: Col du Bonhomme to the Grand Ballon

The Route des Crêtes runs along the summit ridge of the Vosges mountains in eastern France, mostly between 900 and 1,400 metres, with Alsace and the Rhine plain on one side and the forests of Lorraine on the other. It was built by the French army in the First World War to move supplies along the ridge out of sight of German guns. Today it is one of the best ridge roads in France: open, flowing and full of views. Ride it as a loop from Colmar and you can finish in the wine villages at the foot of the mountains.

The route

Colmar to the Col du Bonhomme (about 30km). Leave Colmar west through Kaysersberg, one of the prettiest wine villages in Alsace, and follow the Weiss valley up to the Col du Bonhomme. This is where the Route des Crêtes starts.

Col du Bonhomme to the Col de la Schlucht (about 20km). The first section runs south along the ridge past the Lac Blanc area to the Col de la Schlucht, a busy pass between Gérardmer and Munster, with cafés and a big car park. The views open up over the Munster valley.

The Hohneck and the Markstein (about 25km). South of the Schlucht the road climbs around the Hohneck, one of the highest summits of the range, then runs over open grassland on the very top of the ridge to the Markstein. This is the best part of the route: smooth, sweeping bends with views on both sides, often above the clouds in the morning.

The Grand Ballon and the descent to Cernay (about 35km). The road climbs once more to the Grand Ballon, at 1,424m the highest point of the Vosges. On a clear day you can see the Black Forest across the Rhine and, on the best days, the Alps. The descent toward Cernay passes the Hartmannswillerkopf (Vieil Armand), a First World War battlefield with a national memorial and trenches you can walk.

Back to Colmar on the wine route (about 50km). From Cernay ride north at the foot of the hills through Guebwiller and the wine villages to Eguisheim and Colmar. With time to spare, carry on north to Riquewihr, perhaps the best preserved village in Alsace.

The roads

The Route des Crêtes is generally well surfaced, but it is narrow in places, with no barriers on some open sections, cattle on the high pastures and many cyclists and walkers on summer weekends. The grass verges hide soft edges. The ridge catches weather from the west, and fog can come in quickly. The lower roads into the valleys are tighter, with forest hairpins and shaded, damp corners.

When to go

May to October. The high sections are closed in winter, usually from around mid-November until spring, and can stay snowy into April. June and September are best: green pastures or autumn colour, and fewer people than in the August holidays. Start early on summer weekends to avoid the crowds at the Schlucht and the Grand Ballon.

Where to stay

Colmar, Kaysersberg and Munster make good bases on the Alsace side; Gérardmer is the main town on the Lorraine side. See all Vosges and Alsace biker hotels. The Black Forest is less than an hour east across the Rhine, so a weekend can easily cover both ridges.