The best road cycling routes around Lac de Kruth-Wildenstein

The Col du Rothenbach is a 5-kilometer climb. This is a category 2 climb. The average gradient of this climb is 6.6% with a maximum of 9%. The Col du Rothenbach rises from 903 meters at the start to 1,234 meters at the top, with a total of 331 meters of elevation gain.

The Col du Rothenbach is a 1205-meter-high mountain pass in the High Vosges. The pass is located directly on the famous, panoramic Route des Crêtes (D430) and lies within the territory of the municipality of Wildenstein. The pass is situated in the heart of the Hautes Chaumes du Rothenbach protected nature reserve, known for its characteristic high-altitude meadows (chaumes) and subalpine flora. For cyclists, the col is mainly known as a link station or a rolling intermediate section (approx. 5 kilometers of climbing depending on the approach) on the ridge route between Le Markstein and the Col de la Schlucht.

There are no restaurants or cafes at the summit of the Col de Bramont itself. However, the pass serves as a strategic junction. From the summit, you can directly connect to the famous Route des Crêtes (the D431), which links the main mountain peaks of the Vosges. This allows you to easily cycle or hike to larger attractions nearby, such as the Col de la Schlucht, the Hohneck, or the Grand Ballon. The climb is enjoyable due to its 12 hairpin bends on the southern flank (Kruth).

Nice, 12 beautiful hairpin bends

The climb starts relatively calmly; the first 4.5 kilometers hardly show any significant incline, while the road runs slightly undulating along the Lac de Kruth-Wildenstein reservoir. Only after that does the real climbing work begin over a distance of about 3.5 to 4 kilometers. From that moment on, the road winds its way up via 12 characteristic hairpin bends. The gradient during this section is very constant and fluctuates almost continuously around 5 to 6%, making the climb ideal for finding a steady rhythm. The road is well-asphalted and leads entirely through a dense pine forest. This allows you to cycle delightfully in the shade, although due to the dense vegetation at the top and during the climb, there are few sweeping views of the valley. Once at the top (955m), you can descend directly to the north side towards La Bresse or join the well-known Route des Crêtes to extend the ride to, for example, the Col de la Schlucht or the Grand Ballon.

The building was designed by the architect A. Sassary from Colmar. He gave the structure a characteristic neoclassical portal on the front of the semi-basement tower, where the year 1834 can still be read above the entrance door. The striking upper part of the church tower with the spire was added later in 1908. The church is officially included in the French Mérimée base, the national database for architectural heritage.

The Cascade du Bockloch is an atmospheric waterfall in Alsace (Haut-Rhin department), located on the wooded northeastern bank (right bank) of the Kruth-Wildenstein Lake. The waterfall is fed by the Hinterbockloch mountain stream, which originates on the slopes of the nearby Grand Ventron massif. Water plunges here via an abrupt, steep rock face about 12 meters down into a small, photogenic basin, just before it flows into the reservoir.

The Col d' Oderen is an 8.2 kilometer climb. This is a category 3 climb. It is located in Cornimont, Lorraine, France. The average gradient of this climb is 3.9% with a maximum of 6%. The Col d' Oderen rises from 573 meters at the start to 885 meters at the top, with a total of 312 meters of elevation gain.