Short climbs in the Basque Country, moderate climbs in the Pyrenees - a Massif Central that probably won't produce any significant gaps, perhaps not even the relatively easy or short mountain finishes in the Alps: all this speaks in favour of a final, exciting showdown in the Vosges. And of the five categorised climbs of the Vosges stage on 22 July from Belfort to Le Markstein, the last two are the steepest. The 9.3-kilometre climb to Petit Ballon has an average gradient of 8.1 per cent, while the final climb to Col du Platzerwasel is 7.1 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 8.4 per cent. The Ballon d'Alsace (11.5 kilometres/5.3%), Col de la Croix des Moinats (5.2 kilometres/7%) and Col de Grosse Pierre (3.2 kilometres/8%) lie ahead of it.
Tour de France 2023 - Vosges: Where to watch?
Start (Belfort) and finish (Le Markstein)
If you want to combine the two, start in Belfort, drive along the southern edge of the Vosges, then through the Thur valley and reach Le Markstein after just over 50 kilometres.
First and last mountain
Ballon d'Alsace and Col du Platzerwasel. To get from the first to the last climb by bike, it is 44 kilometres and 1,360 metres in altitude via Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle, Bussang, Le Saute and Kruth. However, the Platzerwasel climb is completely in the forest. It is better to position yourself on the meadows between the pass and Le Markstein, which offer great views.
Col de la Schlucht and destination
The Col de la Schlucht, which the peloton reaches after 80 kilometres, and the Col du Platzerwasel/Le Markstein are linked by a panoramic road (D 430) that is around 20 kilometres long and relatively flat at 400 metres in altitude, with sensational views.
Lookout
The best view is at kilometre 108 from the Petit Ballon. From there, however, you won't get to the Col du Platzerwasel or the finish in Le Markstein in time. Because of the good view of the Vosges and the approaching peloton, there is probably a stadium atmosphere with thousands of fans at the Petit Ballon.
Travelling to the Vosges for the Tour de France 2023
Train
Colmar and Mulhouse are good starting points. From Frankfurt am Main by ICE to Basel, then by TER (Transport express régional) via Mulhouse to Colmar; four hours in total. Cross-border cycle transport requires a reservation, the ticket costs nine euros - to be booked at DB travel centres, DB agencies or by telephone on 030/2970 - and includes a parking space reservation. The journey from Frankfurt to Colmar takes five hours with four changes of trains.
Car
It is 290 kilometres from Frankfurt am Main to Colmar via motorway and national road (in France). Anyone travelling to the Vosges by car or camper van should find out about road closures on the day of the race and arrive very early or the day before in order to find a good parking space along the route. In France, you are allowed to stay overnight in a campervan wherever you are allowed to park, as long as the size of the campervan does not affect traffic visibility. Before and after the race, you can expect major traffic jams around the route. So bring your racing bike with you! You will be much more flexible on site - and have more fun.
Teams, jerseys, stages - on TOUR-Online you can find everything about the Tour de France 2023.
Road bike and gravel tours in the Vosges
If you fancy riding in the area of the 20th Tour de France stage yourself, we present the most beautiful routes here. Tours 1 and 2 are road bike tours and start in Gérardmer. For the more adventurous, we have selected a two-day gravel tour that starts and finishes in Guebwiller, a small town on the edge of the Vosges at the transition to the Rhine Valley.
Tour 1: Final with a bite - road bike tour
117 kilometres | 2000 vertical metres | max. 10 % gradient
The route follows the middle section of the 20th Tour stage shortly before the end. After 20 flat kilometres from Eloyes in the Moselle valley, the route crosses the Croix des Moinats (891 m) and Grosse Pierre (955 m) passes. If you have any energy left in Gérardmer, you can press on up the two-kilometre-long ramp to the La Mauselaine ski station, where the finish arch was already waiting for the pros in 2014. Slightly shorter option: from Gérardmer, take the D 423 directly to Granges and join the loop there (88 kilometres, 1500 metres in altitude).
Tour 2: Balloon ride by road bike
113 kilometres | 2640 vertical metres | max. 12 % gradient
The difficult lap follows the finale of the Tour Vosges stage with the passes Schlucht, Petit Ballon and Platzerwasel. Key passage: the climb from Luttenbach to the Petit Ballon. The little road is narrow, steep and barely signposted. The following Col du Platzerwasel is also a tough one, especially as there are more undulations to come before Le Markstein. Final hurdle: the 956 metre high Col de Bramont. If the metres in altitude are not enough for you, you can take another loop from the Col de la Schlucht over the Col du Wettstein to Munster.
Gravel tour day 1: Single trails in the mixed forest
62 kilometres | 1900 vertical metres
From Guebwiller via Staufenmatt (722 m) and Col du Wettstein (883 m) to Ferme Auberge Soultzersmatt.
Gravel tour day 2: On the panoramic deck
68 kilometres | 1800 vertical metres
From the Ferme Auberge Soultzersmatt via Col du Sattel (738 m), Le Breitfirst (1280 m) and Grand Ballon (1423 m) back to Guebwiller.
