Get Ride Ready
Six days. Six passes. All four seasons in one afternoon.
Live Weather Along the Route
Colmar (Valley)
Live forecast temporarily unavailable
Check forecastCol de la Schlucht
Live forecast temporarily unavailable
Check forecastStrasbourg
Live forecast temporarily unavailable
Check forecastLive data via Open-Meteo. Cached for 10 minutes. Falls back to seasonal guidance when unavailable.
Seasonal Guidance
Temperature Range
Valley: 18–26°C | Mountain passes: 8–14°C
Best Season
May – September
Watch Out For
Afternoon thunderstorms, cold at altitude even in summer
The Vosges gets weather from all directions — warm valley sunshine, cold mountain air at the passes, and afternoon thunderstorms that come in fast off the Rhine plain.
What You'll Need
Layerable. Waterproof for altitude. Comfortable for long days.
Helmets
Touring & Flip-Front
Mountain riding and long transit days demand quiet, comfortable headgear. Noise fatigue over 6+ hours is real — invest in quality here.
Shoei Neotec III
Flip-Front Touring
Exceptionally quiet at speed. Best-in-class comfort for multi-day mountain tours.
Schuberth C5
Flip-Front Touring
Integrated communication-ready, superb wind noise management for mountain passes.
Jackets
Continental Waterproof Textile
Valley warmth and mountain cold in the same day. You need a jacket that handles 10°C at altitude and 25°C in the valley. Layering is everything.
Rukka Nivala-R Gore-Tex
3-Layer Gore-Tex Touring
Waterproof from the factory. Handles the full temperature range with good base layers.
Rev'it Dominator 3 GTX
Adventure Textile
Excellent ventilation for valley sections, fully waterproof for mountain passes.
Gloves
Summer + Waterproof
Two pairs. Warm and dry on the valley roads. Waterproof at altitude. You'll use both.
Held Sambia 2-in-1
All-Season
Summer glove with removable waterproof inner. One glove, two conditions.
Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar
Waterproof Touring
Full waterproofing without losing feel on technical switchbacks.
Boots
Waterproof Touring Boots
Days on your feet at village stops and mountain viewpoints. Your boots need to work on and off the bike. Waterproof for the pass sections.
Sidi Adventure 2 Gore-Tex
Adventure Touring
Genuinely waterproof, proper ankle protection, comfortable enough for exploring towns.
TCX Infinity 3 Waterproof
Touring Boot
Comfortable all-day, CE Level 2, excellent grip on mountain passes.
Andy's Ride Setup for Vosges Mountains
Shoei Neotec III
Quiet enough for motorway transit, comfortable enough for mountain days.
Rukka Gore-Tex Textile
Valley warmth, mountain protection. One jacket, no compromise.
Two pairs
Summer for valley roads, waterproof pair always in the bag.
Sidi Adventure 2
Worn in town and on the passes. Still the benchmark.
SW-Motech Drybag
Tail bag only for shorter tours if you pack right.
What to Pack
The Vosges gets weather from all directions — warm valley sunshine, cold mountain air at the passes, and afternoon thunderstorms that come in fast off the Rhine plain.
- 01Merino base layers (3) — easy to wash, fast to dry
- 02Lightweight fleece mid-layer — for pass sections
- 03Waterproof over-trousers
- 04Neck tube / buff
- 05USB power bank
- 06European travel insurance
- 07Basic tool kit + tyre plug kit
- 08Phone mount + charging cable
- 09Cash (euros) — mountain villages often prefer it
- 10Earplugs for long days
- 11GB plate or sticker (required in France)
- 12Euros — mountain villages often prefer cash
- 13V5 logbook, insurance certificate, passport
Ready to Ride?
View the Vosges Mountains TourDon't Forget
Book Your Eurotunnel Crossing
Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes. Book early — prices rise fast in peak season.
Andy's Picks for Vosges Mountains — Buy on Amazon
The specific helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots I recommend for this tour. All available on Amazon UK.
Shoei Neotec III
Flip-Front Touring Helmet
The best flip-front touring helmet for multi-day tours. Exceptional noise suppression, comfortable all day.
Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar
Adventure Textile Jacket
Excellent value waterproof adventure jacket. Full CE Level 2 armour, removable liner.
Held Sambia 2-in-1
All-Season Glove
Summer glove with removable waterproof inner. One glove for two conditions — the smart tour packing choice.
Sidi Adventure 2 Gore-Tex
Adventure Touring Boot
Genuinely waterproof, proper ankle protection, comfortable enough to walk anywhere. My standard touring boot.
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Kit Up for Vosges Mountains
MaximoMoto carry a full range of touring and adventure gear — jackets, helmets, gloves, boots and more — at competitive UK prices with free shipping over £69.
Gear for Alpine & Mountain Touring
Mountain passes mean fast temperature changes — layers and waterproof capability are essential even in summer.
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One of the UK's largest motorcycle gear retailers — massive clearance pricing on helmets, jackets, boots and accessories.
Shop GhostbikeSome links may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe are useful for riders.
We only recommend gear we'd use ourselves. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission if you purchase, at no extra cost to you. This never influences what we recommend.