Vosges: Ridges, Lakes and Forests

Three days on the Route des Cretes, cut during the First World War to supply the front out of German sight, and now one of the finest panoramic drives in France. The route starts at Lac de Gerardmer, the largest natural lake in the Vosges, follows the road from the Col de la Schlucht between high pastures and views over the Alsace plain, climbs the Hohneck, the range's third summit, then Lac Blanc, a glacial lake set in its cirque, and finally the Grand Ballon at 1,424 metres. The farm inns serve the repas marcaire, a set menu built around savoury tart, smoked pork collar and munster cheese. The Route des Cretes partly closes in winter and becomes a cross-country skiing area.