Route des Crêtes, Vosges

About this drive

The Route des Crêtes was built along the crest of the Vosges mountains during the First World War to allow troop movements without crossing into the German-controlled Rhine Valley below — a military road whose purpose stamped its character permanently. The D430 runs roughly 80 kilometres from Cernay in the south to Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in the north, staying at or above 900 metres for most of its length with almost continuous views east across the Rhine plain to the Black Forest in Germany. The western slopes of the Vosges are heavily forested with silver fir and Norway spruce; the eastern slopes are more open, dropping through vineyards to the Alsatian wine villages below. The route passes the Hartmannswillerkopf — a ridge summit that was the site of intense fighting in 1914-15, now a French national monument with a museum and the preserved trenches of both sides. The road is open year-round but icy in winter; the best conditions are June through October. Alsace below the ridge is one of the most food-focused regions in France — the wine villages between Colmar and Strasbourg are worth a dedicated lower-valley drive after descending the crêtes, with Riquewihr and Eguisheim the most rewarding stops.