You'll depart from Saarbourg, ready for an enchanting journey through the natural splendor of Alsace and the majestic Vosges Mountains. As you leave the kilometers behind you, the most beautiful part of this scenic route through Alsace soon unfolds, which later in the day will turn into the rugged terrain of the Vosges. The forest cover and scenic views become more impressive with every turn, as do the heights you reach. Your ultimate destination is not far across the German border, in picturesque Heitersheim.

Alsace, known as Elsace and 'Grand Est', is a region that has passed back and forth between France and Germany, and exudes a unique charm.
Hesse and Abresviller, the first pearls of this journey, lie along the picturesque banks of the river "La Sarre Rouge". These villages seemed straight out of a fairy tale, with their colorful half-timbered houses and small windows that radiated a warm glow.
The real mountain adventures start at the "Rocher du Diable", the devil's rock, which towers above everything at 430 meters high. The road, called the 'Route des Vin d'Alsace', leads you further through the mountains, where every kilometer brings you closer to the clouds. The route south is known as the Route des Vins d'Alsace, or the wine route. This originally 170 kilometer long road winds through the medium-high mountain landscape of Alsace, from Station du Lac to the charming town of Munster.
Along the winding roads and with the river "La Sarre Rouge" at your side, you finally reach Munster. Here, at the crossroads of history and nature, you begin following the "Route des Crêtes" or Ridge Route, which once served as a supply route for French troops during the First World War. You will soon notice that the mountains become more and more impressive during the ride.
After driving 28 kilometers on winding roads, you reach the 'Tête de Malcôte' at an altitude of 800 meters, where the first small mountain pass, the 'Col de la Côte de l'Engin', unfolds before you. During most of the route you follow the erratic course of the river 'La Sarre Rouge', a tributary of the Sarre, which originates 35 kilometers away at Mont Donon, the highest peak of the northern Vosges. Then you descend south through the Vosges. Passing lush vineyards where Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer have their roots, you feel the breath of nature in every bend. Here, in this privileged corner of France, the landscape whispered its stories to the wind.
A little later the Vosges mountains loom on the horizon. The trees become denser, the views more spectacular, and the heights begin to rise.
Your lunch stop is planned at the enchanting hotel-restaurant "Les Terrasses du Lac Blanc" in Orbey, where you will overlook the ski slopes of Lac Blanc, perched between 1200 and 1130 meters above sea level. The panoramic view of the glittering lake "Lac Blanc" is like a painting that comes to life, like a moment where time seems to stand still.
This area is part of the regional park "des Ballons des Vosges", a refuge of natural splendor and serenity. The Route des Crêtes leads you from Col du Bonhomme to the Grand Ballon, the highest peak in the Vosges at 1424 metres. Here, on top of the world, embrace the surrounding beauty with every breath and click of your camera.
As you descend from the Grand Ballon through the Vosges, the roads become winding again and the views more breathtaking through the lush forests and the vineyards that produced the noblest grapes.
Then you drive on to the Haut-Rhin department in the enchanting Grand Est region, where picturesque Cernay with its historic old town, beautiful half-timbered houses, narrow streets and atmospheric squares, together with its thriving textile industry, will captivate you with its beauty.
This is also the place of your last coffee stops at MC Donalds.
Slowly but surely you approach the border of Germany, a country that always seems to be within reach. The places are given German names, as a reminder of a history in which boundaries have often shifted. The origin of these names can be traced back to the time when the region around Mullhouse was in German hands from 1871 to 1918 (peace of Frankfurt) and from 1940 to 1945.
Eventually you reach your final destination, Heitersheim, just across the German border. Just a quick fuel stop and then the OX Hotel welcomes you with open arms, a haven of comfort and hospitality after a day full of adventure.
As you watch the sun set over the German hills, you will know that this journey through Alsace and the Vosges has become a chapter in your own story, a memory you would cherish forever.