The Crest road (Route des Crêtes) is the road on the crest of the Vosges, between Sainte-Marie aux Mines and Cernay. It's a superb walk, but you can also do it by car (or by coach in summer with the Navette des Crêtes).
It’s possible to drive along the Crest road, stopping regularly to take photos and also to take a gourmet break by stopping at a farm inn, a typically Alsatian experience!
I tested this option on a beautiful summer day. It was a bit foggy that day but the views were still great. And the expression “the blue line of the Vosges” took all its meaning… On one side (on the right if you go from Sainte-Marie aux Mines to Cernay), the landscapes of the Vosges department (in Lorraine). On the other side (left in this direction), the Alsatian plain and the German Black Forest.
Farm inns are working farms that also serve as restaurants, offering products from their production. The ideal place to taste good fresh products! The traditional menu is the marcaire meal, consisting of a valley pie, roïgabrageldi (potatoes served with pork), Munster cheese and siaskas (fresh farm cheese served with sugar and kirsch). More simply, you can also stop at a farmhouse to eat a simple piece of cottage cheese or blueberry pie.
The route des Crêtes passes by the Grand Ballon, which is the highest point of the Vosges Massif. Don’t hesitate to stop there and walk to the top. For the gourmets, there is also a good store selling honey and gingerbread: the honey of the Riche family is 100% Alsatian and their gingerbread is very soft.
Please note that the Route des Crêtes is closed in winter, generally from December to the end of March.
I liked
- Superb views
- Possibility to stop at a farmhouse
I liked less
- If you have some energy, it’s even more fun on foot!
Practical information
Access by car
First option, from north to south starting in Sainte-Marie aux Mines, which is located in:
- 43 km from Colmar (about 50 minutes)
- 73 km from Strasbourg (about 1h05)
- 84 km from Mulhouse (about 1h10)
Second option, from south to north starting in Uffholtz (just next to Cernay), which is at:
- 23 km from Mulhouse (about 25 minutes)
- 38 km from Colmar (about 40 minutes)
- 115 km from Strasbourg (about 1h20)
Access by bus
In summer, the “navette des crêtes” shuttle bus takes you to and from the Route des Crêtes.