The first mountain pass ever climbed by the Tour de France in 1905, the Ballon d’Alsace holds a special place in cycling history. From Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, the road climbs through Vosges fir forest to this rounded summit overlooking the border between the Vosges, Haut-Rhin, and Territoire de Belfort.
The route
From Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, at 564 m elevation, the road climbs for 9 km to the pass at 1,178 m, gaining 620 m at an average of 6.9%, with sections up to 8%. The gradient stays steady with no real flat stretch, cutting through fir and spruce forest typical of the Vosges range before opening onto the high pastures at the summit.
How to approach the ride
A compact crankset helps hold cadence through the sustained gradient of the second half of the climb. The road surface is in good condition throughout. At the top, a statue of the Virgin Mary and a viewpoint table let you pick out the southern Vosges, the Jura, and, on a clear day, distant Alpine peaks.
When to go
May to October: the road can stay snowbound into spring, while summer brings the best conditions, with welcome coolness at altitude compared to the valley below.
Good to know
Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, at the foot of the pass, has shops and cafés for refueling before setting off. The summit, where several Vosges roads converge, lets you continue on toward the Ballon de Servance or descend the Haut-Rhin side via Sewen, for anyone wanting to extend the ride into a loop.
