Grand Ballon
1,424 m
France
Also known as Großer Belchen, Gran Ballon, +1Also known as
Großer Belchen · Gran Ballon · Гран-Бальон
- Elevation
- 1,424 m
- Prominence
- 1,081 m
- Difficulty
- 1/10
- Easy walk
- Best Season
- Jun–Jul
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The short standard ascent: about 200 m of climbing on open pasture and a little woodland from the Col du Haag (1,233 m) on the Route des Crêtes, straight towards the radar dome, to the highest point of the Vosges. About 45–50 minutes up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 1.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +193 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,424 m
- Time Up
- 49m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 33m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Park at the Col du Haag (1,233 m) on the Route des Crêtes (D431), in front of the Ferme-auberge du Haag. A path climbs south-east across the pasture directly towards the summit and its conspicuous radar dome, turns south, passes a few minutes through woodland and reaches the south flank of the Grand Ballon, which leads easily to the top (1,424 m). The orientation table circles the radome, and the Monument des Diables Bleus stands just below. Descend the same way. Even shorter approaches start from the col of the Grand Ballon at about 1,340 m near the Chalet-hôtel, about 15 minutes from the top. The route is technically trivial, but the open grassland between the col and the summit is exposed to wind and fog, and in winter it carries deep snow, often icy; snowshoes or microspikes are then needed. Stay on the marked paths: the summit area is a protected biotope, and the direct path from the radar to the hotel has been closed to protect wildlife.
Start
Col du Haag1,231 m
- Randobase reports a bus stop at the Col du Haag on the Lautenbachzell line; check the current timetable.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Col du Haag → Grand Ballon | 1.3 | 193 | 0 | 49m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Col du Haag1,231 m
Parking in front of the Ferme-auberge du Haag on the D431
- Summit: Grand Ballon1,424 m
Key Passages
- Open pasture towards the radar dome
- South flank to the summit
Equipment
0/3 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The highest point of the Vosges (1,424 m): a broad granite dome crowned by an air-traffic radar, a short walk from the Route des Crêtes or a 750–1,100 m hike from the Thur valley, with views to the Black Forest, the Jura and, on clear days, the Alps.
The Grand Ballon rises in the southern High Vosges about 25 km north-west of Mulhouse, above the Thur valley to the south and the Guebwiller valley to the east. Its rounded granite summit and high pastures are typical of the Vosges 'ballons'. The top is unmistakable from far away: a white radome built in 1997, with an orientation table around it and the Monument des Diables Bleus, a memorial to the First World War Chasseurs alpins, just below.
The Route des Crêtes passes just east of the summit at about 1,340 m, so the top can be reached in 15 minutes from the road or in under an hour from the Col du Haag. More rewarding are the valley ascents from Goldbach-Altenbach, Geishouse, Saint-Amarin or Willer-sur-Thur, with 750–1,100 m of ascent through beech and fir forest; the GR5 crosses the summit on its way from the North Sea to the Mediterranean.
It is a busy place on fine weekends, with a hotel, farm-inns and a small ski area nearby. The best views come in clear autumn and winter weather, often above a sea of cloud over the Alsace plain, when the Alps as far as Mont Blanc (229 km) can be seen.
Climbing Notes
No technical skills are needed. From the Col du Haag the summit is under an hour's walk; the valley routes from Goldbach-Altenbach (about 750 m of ascent, 5½–6½ hours round trip) or Willer-sur-Thur (about 1,100 m, 6½–7 hours) need normal hill fitness and attention to Club Vosgien waymarks, which change at each junction.
The main hazards are weather and winter conditions. The open ground above the Col du Haag is exposed to wind and often in cloud, when the view and the line are both lost; the radar dome helps as a landmark. Snow is usually more than a metre deep in winter and can last at about 1,370 m into late May; paths become icy and slippery, and snowshoes or microspikes are then useful. Parts of the Route des Crêtes are closed in winter, which affects the short approaches.
Stay on marked paths: the summit is a protected biotope with over 230 plant species, and some paths have been closed to protect wildlife. Keep dogs on a lead near livestock on the summer pastures.
History
The Monument des Diables Bleus was erected in 1927 by André Vermare and Paul Moreau-Vauthier and inaugurated by Raymond Poincaré; German forces removed its bronze statue in 1940 and it was restored in 1960. A memorial stone near the chalet-hôtel honours Chef d'escadron Louis Montjean, who led the 1er régiment du Morvan to the summit on 4 February 1945 to raise the French flag again. The air-navigation radar, designed by Claude Vasconi, has operated since June 1998. The summit weather station recorded −31.2 °C on 12 February 2012 and 3.70 m of snow on 7 March 2006.
Season
Best Jun–Jul- January: Good
- February: Good
- March: Good
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Good
- December: Good
- Jan
- Snowshoeing; deep snow and icy paths; parts of the Route des Crêtes closed
- Feb
- Snowshoeing and ski touring; clear days above valley fog
- Mar
- Snow usually persists above the Col du Haag
- Apr
- Melting snow, muddy and patchy paths
- May
- Snowfield near the summit can last until late May
- Jun
- Flowering pastures; long days
- Jul
- Busy at weekends; thunderstorms possible
- Aug
- Crowded and hazy; motorbike traffic on the Route des Crêtes
- Sep
- Good conditions, fewer people
- Oct
- Clearest views, often above a sea of cloud
- Nov
- First snow possible; short days
- Dec
- Winter conditions; check snow and road status
Access & Permits
- Rules
- The summit area is covered by a biotope protection order (FR3800119): stay on marked paths; the direct path from the radar to the hotel is closed to protect wildlife
- Keep dogs on a lead near livestock on the summer pastures
- Parts of the Route des Crêtes (D431) are closed to traffic in winter
- Getting There
Willer-sur-Thur and Saint-Amarin (Thur valley); Guebwiller
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL/MLH)
- Car: Route des Crêtes (D431) to the Col du Haag (1,233 m) or the Grand Ballon col (about 1,340 m); valley starts from Willer-sur-Thur (N66) via Goldbach-Altenbach, or via Wattwiller and the Col Amic
- Bus: Randobase reports a bus stop at the Col du Haag served by the Lautenbachzell line; check the timetable
- Train: Thur valley line from Mulhouse to Willer-sur-Thur and Saint-Amarin for the valley routes
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,351 m
Chalet-hôtel du Grand BallonHotelStaffed
Open all year (Club Vosgien)