Circular Tour of the Belles Filles from Servance

Departure from Servance Town Hall.

Circular loop no. 21

(S/E) Take the departmental road on the left towards the Proxi shop and then the Saut de l'Ognon to begin your journey. When you reach the waterfall car park, take the D133 on the left towards Miellin.
Continue straight ahead, admiring the mountains in front of you. You are about to climb them!

(1) When you reach the old town hall of Miellin, continue straight ahead through the village, then take the road on the left to begin the first of the three passes you will climb... The Col des Chèvreres: 8.4 km at an average gradient of 6.3% with sections at 17%.

(2) Once at the top, catch your breath as you head towards Belfahy. Enjoy Belfahy, the highest village in the Vosges Mountains (800 metres above sea level) with its magnificent panoramic views of the valley!

(3) Continue on the D98, a slightly technical descent to reach the Col de la Chevestraye.

(4) Once at the pass, turn left onto the D97 towards the Rahin-et-Chérimont valley.

(5) After the descent, at the intersection, take the D16 on the left towards Plancher-les-Mines.

(6) Drive straight through the village and, after crossing the Rahin, you will reach a three-way junction.

(7) The moment of truth is approaching: turn right at the junction towards the legendary Planche des Belles Filles. Get ready to tackle a Tour de France landmark: a 6 km climb with an average gradient of 8.5%. Once you reach the resort, the challenge gets even tougher . Take the road closed to cars to tackle the famous "Mur Pinot" and its 18% gradients.

(8) But it's not over yet! After the totem pole, it's time for the Super Planche: a 1 km gravel finish with a final gradient of 22%. Your intense effort will be rewarded at the top with a magnificent view of the resort and the Ballon d'Alsace.

(9) Then descend the Planche des Belles Filles very carefully, as the slopes are steep and speed can easily increase. Return to the crossroads at the foot of the slope.

(7) Take the hairpin turn to the right to tackle the Ballon de Servance. After a warm-up on flat ground passing by the Cascade de la Goutte des Saules waterfall, the road climbs for 13 km at an average gradient of 5%. On this narrow strip of asphalt, enter the heart of the Ballons Comtois Reserve: a total immersion in the wild and unspoilt beauty of the Vosges forest.

(10) At the summit of Ballon de Servance, the climb is over... All that remains is the descent to Servance. Be careful, as the descent is technical because the road is narrow and gravelly, especially in summer. At the end of the descent, ride past Château Lambert.

(11) Once you reach the Col des Croix, turn left onto the D486 towards Servance. Although this descent is the easiest part of the route, remain vigilant as the departmental road is quite busy. After passing Haut-du-Them, enter Servance. Continue straight on to the town hall (S/E).

Le Saut de l'Ognon, La Planche des Belles Filles ski resort, the picturesque village of Miellin and Belfahy!