Route des Crêtes through the Vosges
A high road along the Vosges ridge from Gérardmer’s lake to the Grand Ballon, a First World War battlefield and the Ballon d’Alsace.
- Distance
- 75 km (47 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 02 min
- Suggested days
- 2
- Stops
- 6
- Countries
- France
- Updated
- September 1, 2026
At a glance: 2-day road trip of about 75 km (47 mi) with 6 stops, from Gérardmer to Ballon d’Alsace. About 1 h 02 min of driving in total.
Route description
Gérardmer sits on a lake among fir forests, with more lakes at Longemer and Retournemer just east. Climb to the Col de la Schlucht to join the Route des Crêtes, a road built by the French army in the First World War to supply the front out of sight of German guns.
The road follows the bare ridge south between summer pastures and farm inns. Take the spur up the Hohneck for the view, continue past the Markstein ski area to the Grand Ballon, the highest summit of the Vosges, then drop to the Hartmannswillerkopf, where trenches still cut through the forest.
Descend to Thann, where the collegiate church has a lace-like Gothic porch and the Rangen vineyard climbs steeply behind the town. From there the road over the Col du Hundsruck leads to Masevaux and up to the Ballon d’Alsace, where the Tour de France climbed its first mountain.
The ridge road is closed by snow from about mid-November to spring. Try a farm inn for a marcaire meal of potatoes, smoked pork and Munster cheese.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Gérardmer
France - 214 km
Hohneck
ViewsLa Bresse, FranceA grassy 1,363 m summit on the Route des Crêtes, reached by a short spur road. Chamois graze on the slopes and the view drops to the lakes on the Alsace side.
- 321 km
Grand Ballon
ViewsGeishouse, FranceAt 1,424 m the highest point of the Vosges, a short walk from the road. On clear autumn mornings you see over the Rhine plain and the Black Forest to the Alps.
- 48 km
Hartmannswillerkopf
HistoryWattwiller, FranceA First World War battlefield where trenches and bunkers still scar the forest, with a crypt and a Franco-German museum. Allow at least two hours for the paths.
- 58 km
Thann
France - 625 km
Ballon d’Alsace
ViewsLepuix, FranceA rounded 1,247 m summit with open pastures, the first mountain ever climbed in the Tour de France in 1905. Farm inns and gentle walks start from the pass.
