The best road cycling routes around Le Ménil

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).

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.

Het Meer van Kruth-Wildenstein (Lac de Kruth-Wildenstein) is een prachtig, kunstmatig stuwmeer in de Elzas (departement Haut-Rhin), gelegen op een hoogte van 545 meter aan de voet van de Col d'Oderen. Met een oppervlakte van 81 hectare is dit diepblauwe meer omringd door beboste berghellingen een van de absolute parels van de Vogezen en een ideaal rust- of startpunt voor wielrenners.

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.

As soon as you enter the village centre of Le Ménil, the road noticeably steepens. From here, it is still 2.1 kilometers to the top. This section is very regular and has no surprises or steep outliers. The percentages constantly hover around 4.1%. You cover the last 86 meters of altitude here to the highest point at 621 meters.

Smooth, even pace between Le Ménil and Cornimont, wide road and mild gradients — ideal as a connecting climb in the southern Vosges massif.

The center of Le Thillot lies in the valley of the Moselle and forms a small but lively village heart. On the Place du 8 Mai stands the 19th-century Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, surrounded by bakeries, cafés, and local shops. It is a compact, well-organized center with a mix of Vosges architecture, daily amenities, and a quiet village atmosphere. The bakery facade caught my attention.

De Col des Croix is a 679-meter-high mountain pass in the French Vogezen massif, located on the border of the Vosges and Haute-Saône departments. The pass forms an accessible connecting road (the D486) between the northern Le Thillot and the southern Servance. At the top, you will find the well-known Le Chalet Snack du Col des Croix, and the road splits towards the D16 (Route des Forts), the route that continues to the higher Ballon de Servance.