GROUP CYCLING TOUR FRENCH & ITALIAN ALPS ACROSS THE ALPS NORTHJoin this group cycling tour in the French and Italian Alps for road cyclists and conquer the iconic cols made famous by the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, such as Col de la Loze, Col de la...
A Travers les Vosges: April 26 – May 1 2026
GROUP CYCLING THOUR IN THE VOSGES
A TRAVERS LES VOSGES
JOIN-IN TOUR: APRIL 26 - MAY 1 2026
Join this group cycling tour in the Vosges for road cyclists and conquer the iconic cols and ballons made famous by the Tour de France, such as Grand Ballon, Ballon d’Alsace, and Super Planche des Belles Filles. Claim your spot now on this challenging, full-service stage tour and experience the stunning Vosges alongside like-minded cyclists. You ride, eat, sleep, and enjoy – we take care of the rest!
GRAND DÉPART
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GROUP CYCLING TOUR IN THE VOSGES WITH START AND FINISH IN SAINTE-MARIE-AUX-MINES
Salut! Can’t wait to hit the mountains in the spring and do you want to conquer the legendary Vosges cols and ballons made famous by the Tour de France? Then join our group cycling tour in the Vosges and experience an unforgettable stage tour for road cyclists, starting and finishing in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, in Alsace! When the high mountain passes in the Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees are still closed, the French mid-mountain range of the Vosges is the perfect alternative. You’ll cycle through forests and vineyards, past picturesque villages, and climb iconic passes such as Col du Grand Ballon, Le Petit Ballon, La Super Planche des Belles Filles, Col du Platzerwasel and Col du Ballon d’Alsace.
Over five stages, including a short warm-up stage, you can almost daily choose between a black route for a serious challenge, or a red route for a slightly lighter variant. The black routes add up to 450 kilometre and 9,500 metres of altitude gain, while the red routes cover 380 kilometre and 7,450 metres of altitude gain. This makes a Travers les Vosges both the ideal preparation for tougher cycling adventures later and a beautiful, accessible stage tour in its own right.
STAGES
5
OVERNIGHT STAYS
5
Period
April 26 – May 1
TOUGHNESS
DISTANCE (KM)
Red routes: 380
ALTITUDE GAIN (M)
Red routes: 7450
Explanation Toughness routes
Is this your first cycling tour in the mountains and are you wondering if you can handle our routes? Or are you an experienced climber and are you curious whether the challenge is interesting enough for you? Using our five-point scale, we help you gain insight into the toughness of our routes. Based on the number of polka dots you can easily see if the routes of this cycling tour match your level and ambition!
all fit cyclists
reasonably trained cyclists with some climbing experience
trained cyclists with climbing experience
trained cyclists with a lot of climbing experience
well trained cyclists with a lot of climbing experience
Within stages we often offer different routes so that groups with cyclists of different levels can participate in the cycling tour:
red = easier route
black = tougher route
If you are unsure whether the routes are suitable for you and your cycling friends, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help you!
EXPLANATION OF A JOIN-IN TOUR
Our join-in tours are perfect for individuals and small groups who want to conquer the legendary Grand Cols alongside other passionate mountain cyclists. Book your spot and join a fully organized stage ride from hotel to hotel, over a set period, with support from our team. You ride, eat, sleep, and enjoy, we take care of the rest. The group consists of 8 to 20 participants who share your passion of cycling. Experience an unforgettable adventure and make cycling friends for life!
Our General Terms and Conditions apply to this cycling tour. The listed prices include VAT.
STAGE 1 & 2: GRAND COLS AND CHARMING VOSGES-VILLAGES
We welcome you to the former mining village of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines for the first stage of a Travers les Vosges. We start gently with a short warm-up loop through Alsace-Lorraine, including three smaller cols. It’s the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit and ready for the rest of the tour. Stage two takes us through picturesque vineyards and some of the most beautiful villages in Europe, such as Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr. It’s well worth hopping your bike for a moment to soak up the atmosphere! Then the riding gets more serious with the climb of the Collet du Linge, once a WWI frontline where old trenches can still be seen. After descending towards Munster, we tackle the Col du Petit Ballon. We descend on the other side and finish back in Munster, a village not famous for a peace treaty, but for its rather pungent cheese.
‘In a Travers les Vosges you’ll enjoy the beauty of the Vosges and experience a full stage tour through the mountains in spring’.
STAGE 3 & 4: GREAT VOSGES-LAKES AND PLAN OF THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
In stage three, we start with the challenging Col du Platzerwasel. After reaching the summit, we ride across a plateau to Le Markstein, where we descend. The next climb is the winding road of Col du Bramont. In this stage, we pass three large Vosges lakes: Lac de Kruth, Lac de Longemer and Lac de Gérardmer. After Gérardmer, we ride through La Bresse, known for the Granfondo Vosges, and finish in Le Thillot. Stage four takes us through Ronchamp, famous for the Gran Fondo Les Trois Ballons. We tackle some of the most iconic Vosges climbs in recent Tour history, including La (Super) Planche des Belles Filles. This short, steep climb ends with a tough gravel section. Its name is beautiful but recalls a grim history. We close this stage with the Ballon d’Alsace, which in 1905 became the first-ever climb in the Tour de France. René Pottier reaching the summit first.
STAGE 5: COL DU GRAND BALLON AND ROUTE DES CRÊTES
From Moosch, we start stage five with the climb to the summit of our tour: Col du Grand Ballon (1,341 metres)! This famous Tour de France climb is also the highest point in the Vosges. The Grand Ballon can be climbed from many directions, but of course we take the iconic side with cobbled hairpins, starting in Willer-sur-Thur. From the top of the Grand Ballon, we follow the Route des Crêtes along the high Vosges ridge. This beautiful route was originally built by the French during WWI to supply their troops. This means we cycle for kilometres across a stunning plateau, picking up several cols along the way without excessive climbing. Among others, we pass Col de la Schlucht and Col du Bonhomme. We follow the Route des Crêtes until it ends at our finish in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. Arrivée!
WHAT's INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
The price includes:
- Hotel accommodation in nice, cycle-friendly hotels (minimum 3 stars) on the route (double room, 5 nights)
- Breakfast (5 times) and dinner (5 times)
- Participation in the stages prepared by Grand Cols Cycling Tours (5 stages)
- Professional, digital road book with all relevant route information
- GPX files for uploading routes to navigation devices
- Picnic lunch, coffee stop with good, freshly ground coffee and sports nutrition (sports drink, water, bars, etc.) during the stages
- Support during the stages with a support car, for example: handing over clothing and carrying out minor repairs
- First aid and AED
- Luggage transport from hotel to hotel
- Help with minor repairs along the way and the use of a bicycle pump, lubricant and bicycle tools
- Grand Cols Cycling Tours cycling jersey (contact us if you would like to design a custom jersey)
- Participation in the VZR guarantee scheme
The price does not include:
– The outward journey to the starting location and the return journey from the finish location
– Personal insurance, such as travel and cancellation insurance
– Drinks during the dinners
– Equipment (you participate with your own equipment, such as: bike, helmet and clothing)
Optional extra:
- Upgrade to a single room € 225, –
- Additional overnight stay (without dinner) before the start of the cycling tour (double room): € 100, –
- Bike transport from the Netherlands to the start location and back (subject to availability): € 75, –
- Commonly used spare parts, such as: tyres, cables and batteries (at cost price)
If you choose the six-stage version, we will adjust the price accordingly.
Anything else? Let us know!
DISCOVER A TRAVERS LES VOSGES
Interested in this cycling adventure? Sign up or feel free to reach out for more details.
SIGN UP FOR THIS ADVENTURE!
Eager to get started? Register now through our contact form, and we’ll send you a booking form right away.
PREFER TO HAVE MORE INFO FIRST?
Feel free to ask for more details about this trip—no strings attached. Let us know what you’d like to learn, and we’ll be happy to help.
QUESTIONS?
Our team is always here to answer any questions you have. Whether it’s about the routes, accommodations, or other details, we’re ready to assist.
PHONE NUMBER
+31648874713
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