Vosges

Later this year taking a month to tour France and all points south with a mate. Starting from Calais and heading for the Vosges before turning south. Anyone got any useful info on the Vosges region?

http://www.uem-online.org/html2/tourism/mr/e-maps.html#center

Have a look at map MR9. Shows some lovely biking routes in the Vosges & Black Forest areas. Personally I have always found good value B&B and pensions easier to find in Germany than France.

Pick the windy ones, you can't go wrong. Zillions of bikes at the weekend. There are are a couple of cafe-restaurants at the top of the Col de la Schlucht (above Munster) with zillions of bikes at the weekend.

Thanks guys, We intend staying on the French side on the way south and possibly coming back up thro' Germany.

I've ridden in the Vosges several times. I'm still amazed it doesn't get more attention with British bikers, who tned to rush past to the Alps...

The Route des Cretes runs north-south through the Vosges. It is a great road and although it gets popular with tourist traffic in the summer they give you something to overtake! As the name suggests (Cretes = crest) it tends to be fairly high up, which gives some great views. It is, in places, a fairly twisty road with some hairpin sections, but also some faster sections.

If you prefer the "up and down" nature of passes, just zig-zag east-west. The Col de la Schluct is a fine road, but gets very busy on sunny weekends - the car park at the top has hundreds of bikes. But I've never ridden a road in the Vosges I didn't enjoy (except Col de Bonhomme before they did the roadworks). You could send a couple of days within a relatively small area without retracing your steps too many times. There are proper mountain roads, some really twisty minor ones, and some faster bigger ones.

We've stayed in Gerardmer a few times, which has plenty of hotels and is fairly central.

When you head South from the Vosges there are some nice roads in the Jura Mts as well. Col de la Faucille is worth doing, and from the top on a good day you get amazing views over Lake Geneva to the Alps.

You'll enjoy it!

Robin said:

I've ridden in the Vosges several times. I'm still amazed it doesn't get more attention with British bikers, who tned to rush past to the Alps...

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Shh!

The place is liberally sprinkled with GS-type roads, especially logging tracks.



The only downside is the weather can be gloomy even in summer.

If you go to the region, it's worth visiting Natzweiller-Struthoff, the only Concentration Camp on French soil.







Just don't tell anyone about the region when you get back!

More war sadness and photo's here:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showpost.php?p=712860&postcount=16 and

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showpost.php?p=712864&postcount=17

If you're up at the extreme north end of the Vosges, and like "old stuff" check out the Mont Ste Odile and the grounds around it. The Heath Wall - some believe it's Neolithic - 10km long, 3 m high. Fantastic views out over the Rhine valley. Mont Ste Odile is fabulous; some wonderful "Greek Orthodox" style mosaic work in small chapels. And the spring there is good to drink from, and is said to be a miraculous curative. (I know, they all are, but you never know.... ).

If you're in the area the Hotel L'Esbach in Ottrott is great Not only is Ottrott absolutely beautiful, but L'Elsbach is spotlessly clean and in 2006 was €27 for bed and breakfast, ensuite room. They'll help you get your bike off the road, too (last time, hidden behind some giant plantpots with trees in!) but I wouldn't have any worries about leaving it on the street, to be honest.

+1 on Le Struthof, too. Extremely moving.

Ended up there "by accident" last year, we hadn't got a route planned and thought it looked like it might be alright. Fantastic roads, lots of camps sites and great local food. Plenty of nutter bikers to wave to as well.

Thanks for all the info guys, I'll have to get the maps out now and start planning!!