You start this route by leaving for the second time in this tour at Gasthof zum Ochsen. A few kilometers on the way you will pass a gas station where you can fill up if necessary.

The first part takes you through the beautiful Black Forest. You drive eastwards via beautifully winding roads, towards the border. After 75 kilometers you reach the Rhine, which forms the border between France and Germany here. With the ferry Rhinau-Kappel you will be taken to the other side. This crossing is free, there is no charge.

On the other side of the Rhine you have arrived in Alsace, a region in the far east of France. The area was added to the newly established Grand Est region in 2016. On January 1, 2021, the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin were administratively merged into the Collectivité Européenne d'Alsace, giving Alsace again an administrative function.
The Alsace is, among other things, known as a wine region of white wine, including Riesling and Sylvaner. Tourism is also of great importance. The Alsatian cuisine, with a strong southern German influence, consists of hearty food, adapted to the long, dark and cold winters.

The first 25 kilometers in France are very nice. First you drive through the rolling meadows, further on more and more vineyards appear. Not surprising, this region is of course known for its wines.

In the center of Andlau you have the idea of going back in time. Beautiful houses, all neatly maintained and flower boxes on the facades, a very colorful whole. The cozy market with terraces invite you for a cup of coffee and something delicious. Definitely do it.

Just behind the square you will find a museum, Les ateliers de la Seigneurie. This is a local cultural development resource that aims to help visitors explore and understand the heritage of both the Pays de Barr region and Alsace itself.
The museum is housed in one of the iconic buildings of the village, a former residence of the lords of Alsace, built between 1582 and 1583 and a characteristic example of noble Renaissance architecture.
The permanent exhibition occupies the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of the Seigneurie, totaling 700 m² and covers themes related to architecture, wine production and crafts.
The various aspects of the local heritage are explored through exhibits illustrating the building itself and its archaeological excavations, local half-timbered houses and castles, religious architecture, wine production and crafts.

After this idyllic village you continue on the D425, a truly beautifully landscaped road. Usually through the woods, but every now and then a view over a meadow and a single hamlet. Soon the first pass presents itself, the Col du Kreuzweg.

Col de Kreuzweg from Andlau is a climb in the Grand Est region. It is 13 kilometers long and spans 548 vertical meters with an average gradient of 4.2%. The top of the climb is at 768 meters altitude. No unobstructed view on top, trees prevent the view unfortunately.

Shortly after this pass you leave the D425 and continue on the D57. This one meanders just as pleasantly through the woods so that you soon reach the second pass, the Col de la Charbonnière.

The Col de la Charbonnière is 8.66 km long, has its highest point at 961 m and rises over a distance of 8.66 km at an average of 6.5%. On top of the col is an inn with the same name as the col. It's that you just had a coffee stop in Andlau, otherwise this would be a nice place for coffee too.

Further on the D57 you continue to drive through the woods. Little built-up area, occasionally a stray exit, but it's just nice to drive on this road, great!

Via the D1420 and the D392 you arrive at the third and last pass of this route (even the last of this tour, or number 35!), the col du Donon. The Donon is a mountain in the Vosges, in France. The mountain is formed by a block of sandstone stuck to the granite bottom. The Red Saar, Sarre rouge, and the White Saar, Sarre blanche, rise from the Donon, which later unite to form the Saar. The department in which the Donon is located is Bas-Rhin, the commune of Grandfontaine.
At the top is a neoclassical style temple, the Temple du Donon, founded by Napoleon III.

But then... the D993. From Col de Donon, where you turn right on top and enter the D993, it is 18 kilometers to enjoy. What a beautiful driving route that is! Almost no traffic, lovely curves, slightly hilly and a great environment. You almost run out of superlatives for this stretch!
The part afterwards is not bad either, but you notice that the winding roads have made way for the somewhat longer straights. The environment remains beautiful, so you will not be bored.

The north of France is also known for carp anglers. The many lakes in this area seem to house considerable tanks of carp, many Dutch fisherman will try his luck here for several days. You will pass Étang de Besville, a lake that is also popular with fishermen. Of course you can also just take a look at the water, it's quite soothing... :-)

A little further on, something less soothing, namely a reminder of the Second World War. This casemate (a space covered against enemy fire and provided with embrasures for the placement of a firearm on land or on a warship) near Francaltroff (Blockhaus C13) was part of the Secteur Fortifié de la Sarre (Maginot Line). On May 15, 1940, this casemate was fought over, in which 3 German pioneers were killed. On 20 November 1944 Francaltroff and the surrounding casemates were attacked by Combat Command A of the 4th Armored Division. At the casemate is an American M16 Halftrack.

It is known that in Normandy there is still a lot to look at what happened during that terrible period. But the northeast of France is also quite well equipped with monuments and museums about WWII, including this C13.
35 kilometers further along the route you will pass a second reminder of WWII, Ouvrage de Mottenberg. It concerns a 'less work' (petit ouvrage) of the Maginot Line. Part of the fortified sector of Boulay, the ouvrage consists of an access block and two infantry blocks and is located between the petits ouvrages Coume Annexe Sud and Kerfent, facing Germany.
The site was investigated by CORF (Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées), the design and construction bureau of the Maginot Line; Mottenberg was approved for construction in September 1931. It was completed at a cost of 13 million francs. The petit ouvrage was supposed to have a separate access block, an 81mm mortar turret and a 135mm gun turret in a second phase, but this was never implemented.
Mottenberg consists of three infantry blocks. The blocks are connected by deep underground galleries, which also provide space for barracks, utilities and ammunition storage. The galleries have been excavated at an average depth of up to 30 meters.

25 kilometers further you exchange France for Germany and you drive in the state of Saarland. That does not take very long, by the way, after 40 kilometers you are in Rhineland-Palatinate. After the last coffee stop in Merzigs, you meander further north on mostly minor roads until you finally arrive at the M13 hotel in Riol. This hotel is known from R01, which ended there as well. Reminder: Here you can plunge down a toboggan run if you wish. A beer on the terrace is of course also possible.

Have fun driving this route!