Route des Cretes

The 55 mile Routes des Cretes forms the border between Alsace and Lorraine.  It was built by the French during WWI when Alsace belonged to Germany, and follows the crest of the Vosges Mountains on the western side in order to remain out of range of German guns. 

view along the Route des Cretes

The road is a popular destination for winter and summer sports including bicycling, motorcycling, hiking, dirt bike riding, and hang-gliding.  Today, a sunny Sunday, the road was busy with motorcycles, cars, and bicycles (in order of frequency).  We spent the day riding it--a real pleasure despite the speed of some passing two-wheelers.  The highest point is a mere 4406 ft., lower than the Santa Monica Mountains, but the air was chilly in the mid-50s so I plugged in my liner and gloves often and wondered at the hearty French and German hikers in their shorts.

Munster and the Rhine, with the cable ferry crossing

At the end of the Route we took the autoroute for an hour to Basel and our hotel, arriving in time to walk three blocks to the Rhine and through a bit of the old city, past the Munster and back along the river.  Sadly we are giving this city only a brief look since tomorrow we head south to Interlaken.  I've posted many photos today, in case you want to check the link.