For the Grand Ballon, the route first swings south. From Osenbach, it passes Soultzmatt and the villages along the vineyard edge toward Guebwiller and the Hartmannswiller area. After that, the real climb begins. The road rises through wooded slopes toward Col Amic and the Grand Ballon, with long ramps, bends and occasional open sections above the Rhine plain. Near the top, the highest summit of the Vosges sits close to the route; this section feels much more mountainous than the lower kilometres. The ride then continues across the high ground toward Markstein. The descent drops back into the valley via Lautenbach and Guebwiller. The final part becomes smaller again: vineyard slopes, villages and one last climb back to Osenbach.
