06 July: Luneville to Renguisheim

20160706_134752Today I crossed the Vosges, ending in Alsace, approximately 20 km South of Colmar. This is a fantastic region, with excellent food and wine on both sides of the massif. The roads in the middle are famous with cyclists and motorcyclists. There are some very famous “cols” but I chose to do minor ones both to avoid traffic and to reduce the total ascent. Overall, I passed three cols: col de Mandray (this is a short 3 km climb but very steep, some parts at 15% and one km with average 12% at the end), col des Journaux and col du Pre’ des Raves (highest point, just above 1000 m). These last two cols were battlefields during the first world war.

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The sign on this last tomb reads as follows: August 1914. The border is at 100 m. The enemy troops are invading the Vosges. 10,000 men will be killed during terrible battles of the col de Journaux, cold de Mandray et de la Behouille. To you, who are passing by: a thought, a prayer for the person who rests under this stone.

After the last col it is a fantastic and fast descent to Colmar, entering Alsace and going through the “Veloroute du vignobles d’Alsace”.

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Kaysersberg (recommended!)

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This is the trace for today: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1243948560

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