In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Strasbourg via Obernai, Haut-Kœnigsbourg and the wine villages around Colmar up onto the Vosges ridge, to Lac de Gérardmer and over the Ballon d’Alsace to Belfort: about 370 km in eight short stages, where the narrow lanes call for more planning than the passes.
The spirit of the route
Alsace is a region to drive slowly. Between Obernai and Eguisheim one wine village follows another, each with its town wall, stork nest and courtyard gates behind which the grapes are being pressed. From the sliding door you see rows of vines climbing to the edge of the Vosges forest, castle ruins on every second spur above them and, in the evening, the Rhine plain in the haze with the Black Forest as a blue line beyond. Then the landscape changes within half an hour: beyond Munster it smells of fir resin and hay, cows graze among bilberry bushes on the Hautes-Chaumes, and from the Grand Ballon the view reaches the Alps on clear days. The route joins two rhythms – wine tasting and hairpin bend, half-timbered lane and ridge walk – and rewards those who drive early in the morning and leave the camper on the edge of town.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Strasbourg to Obernai (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- Visit Strasbourg without the camper: leave it at the campsite or at a level park-and-ride lot on the tram network, then take the tram into the centre. After that, take the A35/M35 south and, from the Obernai exit, the country road into the little town at the foot of the Vosges. About 40 minutes of driving, with reduced speed limits on the M35 in the urban area and frequent congestion at rush hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Notre-Dame Cathedral with the astronomical clock and the viewing platform – queue early in the day.
- Petite France with the Covered Bridges and the Barrage Vauban, whose roof terrace offers a view over the arms of the Ill.
- Obernai: market square with the corn hall, the Chapel Tower and the wine trail on the Schenkenberg hill above the town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Strasbourg, Camping de Strasbourg lies on municipal land in the Montagne Verte district, usually open all year, with electric hook-ups, sanitary facilities, service point and a tram stop within walking distance – the simplest solution for a day in the city. In Obernai: Camping municipal Le Vallon de l’Ehn on the western edge of town towards Klingenthal, with electricity, sanitary facilities and waste disposal, a few minutes’ walk from the old town.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Within the city of Strasbourg, overnighting in public car parks is effectively not an option: many height barriers, controlled parking zones and the ZFE. Park-and-ride lots are intended for parking during the daytime tram trip, not for the night. In Obernai, the Parking des Remparts has a designated area for motorhomes; check the signs for permitted length of stay and fee.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Eurométropole de Strasbourg is a low-emission zone (ZFE-m): no entry without a Crit’Air sticker, and under the most recently adopted schedule Crit’Air 4, 5 and unclassified vehicles are excluded, while Crit’Air 3 is still permitted until 31 December 2026 and is due to be excluded from 2027. This also applies to motorhomes and vehicles with foreign number plates. The Conseil constitutionnel struck down the planned nationwide abolition of the ZFE in May 2026 – so the zone remains in force. Check the current schedule on the Eurométropole’s website before you travel. You can usually fill up cheaply at the supermarket filling stations along the route.
2Stage 2: Obernai to Dambach-la-Ville via Mont Sainte-Odile (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- Via Ottrott and Klingenthal on a winding but well-built mountain road through beech and fir forest up to the convent at just over 760 m, then back down to the foothills and along the Wine Route via Barr, Andlau and Itterswiller to Dambach-la-Ville. About 1.5 hours of pure driving time; the roads through Barr and Andlau are narrow, and in Itterswiller the road runs right alongside the terraces.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Mont Sainte-Odile convent with the terrace above the Rhine plain – as far as the Black Forest in clear weather.
- Mur païen: the prehistoric stone wall, about 10 km long, in the forest around the Odilienberg, with sections reached on short circular walks from the convent car park.
- Andlau with the Romanesque abbey church of Sainte-Richarde and its sculpted frieze; above it the ruins of Spesbourg and Haut-Andlau.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Dambach-la-Ville, Camping-Car Park runs a motorhome area on the edge of town with service point and electric posts; payment and access are by the network’s card. The same system operates in Andlau (the “La Porte des Ours” area). If you prefer a campsite, in Sélestat you will find Camping municipal Les Cigognes with electricity, sanitary facilities and waste disposal.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): You may park during the day at the Mont Sainte-Odile convent car park, but it is not intended for overnight stays. Along the Wine Route, numerous winegrowers offer their own pitches, some free for guests, some through networks such as France Passion – only what the owner permits is allowed there, and stays are usually limited to one night.
- Insider tip for campers
- The farm tracks through the vines (chemins viticoles) are mostly closed to vehicles other than agricultural ones, even if your satnav suggests them as a shortcut. During the grape harvest – from late August into October, depending on the year – you will meet tractors with trailers and grape harvesters on the Wine Route; in the villages there is shunting at the wine cellars, and lanes are occasionally closed briefly. Allow plenty of patience and, above all, avoid driving through village centres in the morning.
3Stage 3: Dambach-la-Ville to Ribeauvillé via Haut-Kœnigsbourg (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- Via Scherwiller to Châtenois, then from Kintzheim up the narrow, winding mountain road to Haut-Kœnigsbourg at just over 750 m; downhill via Saint-Hippolyte back to the Wine Route and on via Rorschwihr and Bergheim to Ribeauvillé. Just over an hour of driving; in high season the castle road is tight between buses and lay-bys.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg: the castle reconstructed around 1900 under Wilhelm II, with views over the Rhine plain, the Ried and the Vosges.
- Bergheim with its almost complete ring of walls and the Witches’ Tower.
- Ribeauvillé: walk to the three castles of Saint-Ulrich, Girsberg and Haut-Ribeaupierre, starting at the upper end of the Grand’Rue.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Ribeauvillé, a larger motorhome aire with service point and electric hook-ups lies at the wine cooperative at the entrance to town from the Colmar direction. Alternatively, Camping municipal Pierre de Coubertin on the edge of town, with grass pitches, electricity and sanitary facilities (seasonal). For a visit to the castle early in the morning, the small municipal aire in Châtenois is also a good choice.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): You may park for your visit at the castle car park and in the lay-bys along the access road, but overnighting is not allowed there. Saint-Hippolyte designates small areas for motorhomes in several places; the duration and rules are on the signs.
- Insider tip for campers
- Drive up to the castle before 10 a.m.: later the car parks along the access road are full, and long vehicles find it hard to get a space. There is no actual large car park; parking is in lay-bys along the access road. For motorhomes over 7 m it is worth making the trip without the camper – bus line 500 runs from Sélestat station to the castle (timetable depends on the season, check in advance). The Grand’Rue in Ribeauvillé is largely pedestrianised; leave the camper at the aire.
4Stage 4: Ribeauvillé to Eguisheim via Riquewihr and Kaysersberg (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- On the Wine Route via Hunawihr and Zellenberg to Riquewihr, on via Mittelwihr, Bennwihr and Sigolsheim to Kaysersberg; then via Ammerschwihr and Turckheim, past the edge of Colmar, to Eguisheim. Short stretches between villages and many roundabouts; about an hour of driving in total, but allow plenty of time for the towns.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Riquewihr: the Dolder gate, the Thieves’ Tower and the Schoenenbourg and Sporen vineyards right behind the walls.
- Kaysersberg: footpath to the castle ruin above the rooftops, and the birthplace of Albert Schweitzer.
- Eguisheim with its lanes laid out in rings around the castle; on a ridge path to the three towers of the castle ruins above the village.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Eguisheim has a large motorhome aire on the edge of the village with service point and electric hook-ups, a few minutes’ walk from the centre; next to it is Camping des Trois Châteaux with electricity, sanitary facilities and a view of the vine slopes (seasonal). In Kaysersberg there is a large motorhome area on the edge of town and a municipal campsite on the Weiss.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Riquewihr and Kaysersberg direct motorhomes to paid areas outside the walls; in the lanes and in the car parks for cars, bans apply. In Riquewihr the motorhome area is signposted at the car parks on the edge of the old town. Overnighting on farm tracks in the vines is out of the question: the tracks belong to the winegrowers, and the municipalities carry out checks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Turckheim is worth an evening stop: from May to October the night watchman makes his rounds of the old town there. In Eguisheim, do not drive into the centre with the camper – the lanes are already tight for delivery vans. Top up water and empty the cassette at the aire before heading into the Vosges.
5Stage 5: Eguisheim to Munster via Colmar (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- A few kilometres to Colmar, park on the edge of the city centre, then via Wintzenheim into the Munster valley along the Fecht to Munster. Broad valley road without difficulties, about 45 minutes of driving not counting the city visit.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Musée Unterlinden with the Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald.
- Petite Venise and the Tanners’ Quarter in Colmar, quietest in the early morning.
- Munster: town hall square with the stork nests, plus a farm cheese at a ferme-auberge in the valley.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Munster has a large motorhome aire, the “Munst’aire”, with service point, electricity and payment at a machine; the municipal Camping du Parc de la Fecht lies on the river, with electricity and sanitary facilities (seasonal). For a night in Colmar, Camping de l’Ill in Horbourg-Wihr on the Ill is suitable, with a bus connection into the city.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Colmar the area on Rue de la Cavalerie is designated for motorhomes, within walking distance of the old town; it is intended for parking during the city visit, so check the rules and fee on site. Multi-storey car parks are out of the question because of height barriers. Overnighting at hiking car parks on the forest edge in the Munster valley is unwelcome and prohibited by signs in many places – the municipalities refer you to the aire.
- Insider tip for campers
- As of 2026 Colmar has no ZFE with driving bans, but it has a compact old town with pedestrian zones and delivery hours. In Advent, Colmar and Strasbourg are overrun because of the Christmas markets, and additional traffic restrictions apply – read up on the cities’ rules in advance for that period. Market day in Munster is Saturday morning; you can buy cheese from the producer more cheaply on the farms.
6Stage 6: Munster to Gérardmer via Col de la Schlucht (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- From Munster on the D417 in long hairpins uphill, first through meadows, then through fir forest and past rock galleries to the Col de la Schlucht at around 1,140 m, where Alsace passes into the Vosges (Département Vosges). On the west side downhill past Lac de Retournemer and Lac de Longemer, or directly via Xonrupt to Gérardmer. About an hour of driving; the pass road is wide and cleared all year, but often foggy in autumn.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Col de la Schlucht with the Sentier des Roches, a path blasted into the rock towards Frankenthal (sure-footedness required, closed in winter).
- Lac de Longemer and Lac de Retournemer at the head of the valley beneath the Hohneck.
- Saut des Cuves: waterfall on the Vologne near Xonrupt, a few steps from the road.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Gérardmer has a large municipal motorhome aire not far from the lakeshore and the village centre, with service point. On the south shore lies Camping de Ramberchamp right on the water, and at Lac de Longemer the large Camping municipal Domaine de Longemer – both with electricity and sanitary facilities, season varying by site.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Col de la Schlucht there are large parking areas where motorhomes also stand during the day; the area belongs to the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges, and nearby summit areas are nature reserve (Réserve naturelle) with a ban on bivouacking. For the night, plan on the aire in Gérardmer or a campsite, and watch for signs banning campers at night.
- Insider tip for campers
- Gérardmer is full in summer and at weekends, and the lakeside road is narrow. It is better to fill up and shop in the valley than at the pass. The path around the lake (about 7 km) is flat and almost empty in the early morning.
7Stage 7: Gérardmer to Wattwiller via the Route des Crêtes (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- Back to the Col de la Schlucht and south on the Route des Crêtes: past Hohneck, Kastelberg and Rainkopf to the Markstein, then on the D431 to the Grand Ballon (1,424 m, highest summit in the Vosges) and on to the Vieil Armand. Descent to Wattwiller on the Rhine plain. The ridge road was built in the First World War as a supply route: narrow, without crash barriers for long stretches, with cyclists and grazing livestock. Pure driving time a good two hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hohneck: short climb from the car park to the summit with views over the cirques and lakes on both sides.
- Grand Ballon with the Diables Bleus memorial and the panorama over the Rhine plain and, with the foehn, as far as the Alps.
- Hartmannswillerkopf (Vieil Armand): national memorial and First World War trenches, Franco-German history museum (Historial).
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: At the foot of the ridge lies Camping Huttopia Wattwiller in the forest above the wine village, with electricity, sanitary facilities and a swimming pool (seasonal). In Thann there is a small area for motorhomes at the Parking Bungert. In the mountains, individual fermes-auberges offer pitches for guests – ask beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the ridge lie the nature reserves of Frankenthal-Missheimle and Tanet-Gazon du Faing as well as sensitive high pastures (Hautes-Chaumes); bivouacking and camping are prohibited there, and at several car parks signs forbid motorhomes parking overnight. Checks are carried out in summer. During the day the car parks at Markstein and Grand Ballon can be used; in the evening, drive down into the valley.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Route des Crêtes and its feeder roads are closed in winter: the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace closes the sections between Col des Bagenelles and Ferme du Freundstein, including Rainkopf–Markstein and Markstein–Grand Ballon, in each case from about the end of November or the beginning of December – earlier if snow comes early – until spring; the Col de la Schlucht itself (D417) remains passable, as do the lower approaches from Wattwiller and Uffholtz up to the Ferme du Freundstein. The CeA announces openings and closures each time. Drive downhill in a low gear and, at weekends, set off before 9 a.m.
8Stage 8: Wattwiller to Belfort via the Ballon d’Alsace (approx. 80 km)
- The drive
- Via Cernay and Thann into the Thur valley, on the broad main road via Saint-Amarin to the Col de Bussang and down to Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle; then on the D465 in even hairpins to the Ballon d’Alsace (pass just under 1,180 m) and on the south side via Lepuix to Giromagny and Belfort. Just under two hours of driving. Alternatively, from the Ballon via Masevaux and the Doller valley to Mulhouse (about 60 km from the pass).
- Highlights & must-sees
- Thann: collegiate church of Saint-Thiébaut with its Gothic portal and the Engelbourg ruin (“Witch’s Eye”) above the town.
- Ballon d’Alsace: short walk from the pass to the summit with a viewpoint indicator, views of the Jura and the Alps.
- Belfort: Bartholdi’s Lion and Vauban’s citadel above the old town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Belfort, Camping International de l’Étang des Forges lies on the pond north of the old town, with electricity, sanitary facilities and service point (seasonal). On the way, Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle has a small municipal aire. If you end in Mulhouse, you will find campsites and aires on the edge of the city; check the current status of the low-emission zone for the city.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Ballon d’Alsace there are large parking areas for day visitors; overnighting is not intended there, and the summit area belongs to the nature park and borders the Ballons Comtois nature reserve. For the last night, plan on a place in Belfort or Giromagny.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Mulhouse conurbation (m2A) has set up its own low-emission zone, which according to the published documents initially affects only very old, unclassified commercial vehicles, lorries and buses; an extension is being examined. Check the current decree on m2a.fr before driving into the city; the Crit’Air sticker stays on the windscreen in any case. The A36 between Mulhouse and Belfort is a toll road. Before the journey home towards Germany, fill up cheaply at supermarket filling stations in Belfort or in Alsace.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- France distinguishes between “stationnement” (parking) and “camping”: a motorhome is legally a vehicle and may park – including overnighting in the vehicle – wherever parking is allowed and no municipal ordinance (arrêté municipal) says otherwise. If you use an awning, chairs, a table, levelling jacks or ramps, or drain grey water, you are camping – and that is mostly prohibited outside campsites.
- Mayors may regulate parking by arrêté; in Alsace, many wine villages display prohibition signs, height barriers and night-time camper bans. Administrative courts have repeatedly objected to blanket bans aimed only at motorhomes, but on site the signage is what counts; violations incur fines, and towing if necessary.
- Wild camping is prohibited, among other places, in nature reserves, in classified landscapes and in the vicinity of historic monuments. On the Vosges ridge there are several Réserves naturelles (Frankenthal-Missheimle, Tanet-Gazon du Faing, Ballons Comtois) with a ban on bivouacking; fires are taboo in forest and on the high pastures.
- You can stay overnight legally at campsites, municipal “aires de camping-car”, areas run by networks such as Camping-Car Park, and at winegrowers or farms that take in guests (for example through France Passion). Useful apps: park4night, Campercontact, Stellplatzführer; read the user comments about current bans.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Filling and emptying facilities are called “borne de service” or “aire de services” in France; depending on the manufacturer, the posts work with coins, tokens from the bakery or town hall, credit card or network card. Many aires in Alsace offer fresh water, a grey-water drain and cassette emptying, electricity only in some cases.
- Empty grey water and the cassette only at service stations – not into drains or in the vineyards. Disposal facilities are also available at many supermarkets.
- Tap water is drinkable; take “eau non potable” at cemetery and fountain taps seriously.
- Gas: German exchange cylinders are not exchanged in France, and French cylinders (Butagaz, Antargaz, Primagaz) have their own connections. Refillable cylinders and gas tanks can be filled at LPG filling stations with the dish adapter. In Alsace, Germany is close – arrive with full cylinders.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t as for cars – motorway 130 km/h (110 in rain), expressways with separated carriageways 110 (100 in rain), other country roads 80 km/h unless 90 is signposted, in built-up areas 50. Motorhomes over 3.5 t: motorway 110 km/h, expressways 100, country roads 80. Combinations with a permissible gross train weight of more than 3.5 t: motorway 90 km/h, expressways with separated carriageways 90, other country roads 80.
- Vehicles over 3.5 t have had to display “Angles morts” stickers (blind-spot warning) on the sides and rear since 2021 – including motorhomes and foreign vehicles; a fine applies if they are missing. Bike racks must not cover the number plate or lights, otherwise a light board with a repeater plate is required.
- Low-emission zones: the ZFE of the Eurométropole Strasbourg requires the Crit’Air sticker even for vehicles with foreign number plates; under the plan to date, Crit’Air 3 is excluded from 2027. The ZFE of the Mulhouse conurbation so far affects only very old, unclassified commercial vehicles. Order the sticker only via the official site certificat-air.gouv.fr. Euro 5/6 diesels usually get Crit’Air 2, Euro 4 gets Crit’Air 3.
- Tolls: the A35 through Alsace is toll-free, while the western bypass A355 at Strasbourg and the A36 Mulhouse–Belfort charge a fee; motorhomes over 3 m in height or 3.5 t usually fall into class 3, below that class 2. The planned Alsatian lorry charge “R-Pass” of the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace is due to apply from the start of 2027 on the A35, A36 and two connecting roads to Germany for lorries over 3.5 t; as of 2026 not yet in force. Whether and how motorhomes over 3.5 t will be covered has not yet been finally clarified – check the final rules before the trip.
- Winter equipment: in the mountain communes of the Vosges, winter tyres (3PMSF) or carried snow chains or snow socks are compulsory from 1 November to 31 March. Blood-alcohol limit 0.5 (new drivers 0.2); mobile phones at the wheel and headphones are prohibited; hi-vis vest and warning triangle must be on board.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Crit’Air sticker, ordered in good time via certificat-air.gouv.fr – without it, no entry into the ZFE in Strasbourg.
- “Angles morts” stickers for the sides and rear, if the motorhome weighs more than 3.5 t.
- Dish adapter for French LPG filling stations and some euro coins or a credit card for the service posts at the aires.
- Bicycles: the Véloroute du Vignoble links the wine villages away from the narrow village through-roads, and the camper stays at the aire.
- Windproof jacket, rain protection and sturdy shoes for Hohneck and Grand Ballon – on the ridge it is often 10 °C colder than in Colmar, and fog comes quickly.
- Snow chains or snow socks in spring and autumn, when the Col de la Schlucht and Ballon d’Alsace are already or still wintry.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
