The route
The route on your Garmin – click on “Les Marcaires 2022” and you will be able to download the .gpx file.
The start will be given at the Cheese House, located in Gunsbach, then direction Munster, crossing the coquette city, known for its cheese and its storks. The route will be neutralized until the 4th km, real start of the race.
After a few kilometers of false flat, you will ride the Wettstein Pass whose slope never exceeds 6%. On your left, enjoy the unique panorama stretching from Petit Ballon to the beautiful cirques surrounding Lac Vert and Lac des Truites.
At the Wettstein pass, you will take the direction of the Collet du Linge. Known for its Memorial and Battlefield of the First World War. Follow 12 km with successive turns to reach the climatic health resort of Trois-Epis. You will enjoy 6.5 km of descent to reach Labaroche by first following the golf place. Two small steep paths allow you to reach Basse Baroche. Then the road rises through the scattered characteristic habitat of Labaroche.
After crossing the village, you will dive into the Val d’Orbey via Tannach.
The real difficulties begin with the ride to the Calvaire Pass altitude 1144 meters with some passages at 10%.
Before the summit, you will leave on your left the White Lake (Lac Blanc) that owes its name to the presence of a white reflex reflective quartzite on the lake. At the top of the pass, you can enjoy the first water point to fill your cans.
The following 15 km of road will take you to the Schlucht pass through prestigious sites such as the Gazon du Faing or the Tanet overlooking the Lac Vert. Then follows a toboggan downhill after the fork to the left of Collet.
The Col des Feignes will be climbed without problem at all. You will enjoy the food installed at the top to fill up with calories.
The 6 km of Blanchemer road (with some passages up to 13%) is undoubtedly the decision point of this race. From the Blanchemer lake, you will not see much, hidden that it is in its greenery. However, its floating peat bog is an invaluable asset for the fauna and flora and deserves a future visit.
When you return to the Route des crêtes, you will see on your right the lake of the Landes whose water is used in winter to feed the snow cannons of the La Bresse ski resort.
It follows 15 km ont the Route des Crêtes (not so easy) where you will see here and there producer farms of Munster cheese. After crossing the summit of the Platzerwasel pass you will ride down to Sondernach and reach Muhlbach where you will enjoy the second water point.
From there, you have 7 km to climb, average 6.6% (with some passages up to 11%) to reach the ski resort of Gaschney where is judged the arrival of the race. Altitude 993 meters.
