The Route des Crêtes by car

The 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. Another really great option in summer is the Navette des Crêtes, which takes you along the Route des Crêtes and lets you tour it by coach.

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.

It’s possible to drive along the Route des Crêtes, stopping regularly to take photos and also to take a gourmet break by stopping at a farm inn, a typically Alsatian experience!

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.

My photos of the Route des Crêtes