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From belchen to balloon
From the belchen to the balloon
In the triple jump
Three countries, five mountains and one name: Belchen (balloon) can be found in the Black Forest, Switzerland and Alsace. Combined to a round tour, they offer the ultimate overview.
Annette Johann
07.10.1997
It should be the most beautiful mountain in the Black Forest. Dear me, what an option! Some Black Forest man emphatically said this on the Belchen a hundred years ago, and since then it has been noted in every travel guide and is even posted on a board on the summit. As if Heinz Ehrhard wore a sign on his lapel that he was the most beautiful man in Germany. No, too embarrassing. But it really has something, this mountain. Filled with a top-class serpentine approach, I park the Aprilia in front of the old inn on the Belchen summit, throw the leather jacket over one of the red plastic chairs, and finally, finally it gets cool. The wind gently brushes over the skin, which is still glowing from the boiling Rhine plain, a good thousand meters below, where on such hyper-summer days the mercury column is easily driven into the late thirties. Hard to bear on a motorcycle. But as soon as the first steep curves to Kandel, Schauinsland or Belchen have been taken after Freiburg, it becomes clear what they are good for. With every meter it gets cooler, the westerly wind begins to sweep through the fir trees. At some point they step back, now revealing the view of the Rhine valley for miles. In that respect, this mountain really has something. Even if it is really not beautiful, but rather lifts its mighty 1414 meters more or less uneventfully into the atmosphere in an even, bald semicircle. But it is precisely this absence of any noteworthy vegetation that makes the unbeatable view possible, which reverently pushes me deep into the plastic chair. You can’t be unjust. In the far north-west, under the haze, Freiburg is more to be suspected than to be seen, to the south of it the Munstertal, which opens like a funnel to the Rhine, tiny houses that crowd in small groups around the mountain, and finally, picturesque The northern mountain ranges of the Black Forest are staggered in paler blue. In the south, when the weather is clear, the Alpine chain as far as Mont Blanc should be visible. Hard to believe, actually. Today, however, only the dark mountain ridges greet you in the glaring backlight from the western side of the Rhine. The Vosges, especially the three balloons, as the word Belchen is translated more melodiously. Geological colleagues of the Black Forest, until the earth upheaval that occurred xx million years ago was divided by the collapse of the Upper Rhine Rift. Like their counterparts, they are enthroned opposite the Black Forest, the Grand Ballon, Petit Ballon and the Ballon d´Alsace. Another and thus fifth Belchen is almost symmetrically scattered at the southern tip of an imaginary triangle in the Swiss canton of Soloturn, the Blechenflue. Comparable to the English Stonehenge, according to an old myth, the Celts who once lived here used the constellation of the position of the sun and those mountain peaks to keep their annual calendar. A group of hikers rumbled to take their place at the red Blechtisches Platz, chatting animatedly in a melodious and incomprehensible mixture of Swabian and French, mixed with Swiss throat sounds – Alemannic, the dialect of the triangle. The dark purple clouds of a thunderstorm front push themselves over the Hell Valley , the gentle wind is picking up, suddenly sweeps cold over the pine tops. I grab my leather jacket, the place becomes uncomfortable. Due to its exposed location, the Belchen is climatically not exactly a spa area. The summers are short, the winters long and snowy. Even now in August, the meadows still seem strenuous and only produce a dull gray-green, bravely supported by alpine and sometimes even designated arctic vegetation. In the tavern shed, the jeep and snowmobile park amicably next to each other. Since unfortunately no more rooms are rented in the 131-year-old hostel, I strap my rucksack back onto the Aprilia and immerse myself in the warmth between the fir trees, which in Schonau is like a steam bath around me. Old, dark Black Forest houses with wide, protective roof overhangs characterize the places, now overgrown in summer by a colored network of geraniums and fuchsias and thus relieved a little of their gloom. Feldberg and Titisee, cuckoo clocks and bus tourism seem far away. In quick turns I cover the last kilometers to the Swiss border. Now I want to see them all, the five Belchen. The narrow geography of the Black Forest valleys opens up unexpectedly, the mountains recede, everything suddenly seems light, almost Mediterranean. Industrial companies appear, the Upper Rhine begins. In Rheinfelden, the Swiss customs officers stand directly on the Rhine bridge, integrated into the lively life of the small town. Every body search can theoretically be experienced perfectly from the street cafe, the small border traffic dominates the place. On the side road in the direction of Olten, Switzerland reveals a completely different face than usual. Not the well-known jagged white summit smile à la Zermatt or Grindelwald, no, here your everyday face seems to emerge, the B-side, so to speak, a kind of pre-Alpine mixture of England and Allgau. Small valleys bathing in a sea of green with light islands of trees, isolated wooden houses, hidden streams, cows with heavy bells in front of their chests. White limestone bores its way through the thin layer of earth – the Jura is already in sight. The road is now only as wide as a car, hiking signs mutate into unexpected orientation aid, “Belchenflue 40 Min”, so it can’t be far anymore. I cautiously circled around the curves, uncalculated oncoming traffic probably swept you straight down to the valley. Then a short hesitation at the junction »Oberbelchen 50 Min -Belchenflue 20 Min«, finally it seems to be there: a wonderfully wild point, towering high above the valley and presenting magnificent white Jura rock on the flanks – a picture of a mountain. I look at it with awe, including a view of the Upper Rhine. Only when I drive on do I see another sign in the corner of my eye, »Belchenflue 10 Min.« … it was the wrong mountain! In fact, after a bend, it rises up in front of me, sparse and shaved like the German. Not even imposing, but simply ugly. Well, even a mountain can’t choose. One more passport and the French border would have to be in sight. An empty customs house and a “France” sign appear behind a woodshed – I’m over there. It goes a few kilometers along the border river Lutzel, pardon me, along Lucelle, then the route branches off to the north in Roggenburg. The signposts are painted on white stone, the streets are equipped with a weathered center line as a guide, changing seamlessly at the edges into a crumbling void, at best limited by occasional milestones. The only fatal thing is the graphite made of greasy bitumen strips that turn every curve into a game of vabanque. It becomes flatter, the so-called Burgundian Gate between Jura and Vosges opens. A small lake area spreads out, ponds full of duckweed, horses with blond manes and still clumsy stalking foals graze around them, in the villages it smells of summery jam-making. The busy Mulhouse – Belfort transit route crosses in Dannemarie. During a break in the street cafe, screeching racing scooters, mopeds with low-set stub handlebars and roaring 40-tonne trucks give the impression of being in an economically important region. Then the rescue jump into the Vosges succeeds. With a work of art of the serpentine construction, the Ballon d`Alsace provides an animating entrance at 1247 meters above zero – the third in the Belchen family. In the last light I sweep up, two hotels, a restaurant plus ski rental, a couple of designated hiking trails around the summit – this balloon is well aware of its tourist attraction. Here, too, the vegetation looks strained, as if winter is still on its neck. Such an exposed altitude is not fun for any local resident. The first bastion for the westerly winds from the Burgundian Gate, lack of forest – the factors of defenselessness quickly accumulate. Belchen means Duden as much as pale or pale. Not inappropriate. One of the hotels still has space. 200 France should cost the quarter, including a multi-course Alsatian menu and French breakfast – around 60 marks for an all-round gastronomic event that also makes up for missing room keys and shared toilets. Not atypical in Alsace, simple night quarters and famous cuisine to combine inexpensively, the local wine is almost free for a few France. Strong coffee in large bowls helps you wake up the next day, outside on rough wooden tables in the morning sun. Horses trot across the meadow, racing cyclists and hikers prepare to set off, the first motorbikes roar past on the pass road. Summer attracts outdoor activists to the mountains. I feel like years away from home. To reach the last two of the five balloons or balloons, the route leads north over the Route des Cretes, into the heart of the Vosges, so to speak. Quickly cross the hectic and sun-roasting town of Thann, turn left to Cernay and climb steeply into the air. As soon as the chestnut forest replaces the lower-lying vineyards, the first fresh air comes, then the distant view and, at the Grand Ballon, finally the Rhine Plain and Burgundian Gate combined in a single mega panorama. Perfect. The tour seems to be a single interplay of climatic zones, an incessant ups and downs of meters in altitude like mercury rashes. But now I stay on the ridge, because the route des Cretes follows the mountain ranges over long stretches. Often light and woodless, almost Scandinavian barren. During the First World War, an important line of defense ran here between the hereditary enemies Germany and France. Extensive military cemeteries, especially at Hartmannsweiler Kopf (Vieil Armand), are reminiscent of four years of bitter trench warfare for Alsace / Lorraine, which is so coveted for its natural resources and which killed 30,000 soldiers. Today, only the bilingualism of the region reminds us of the centuries multiple changing nationality. There is the Lac de Fischboedle, the Col du Platzerwasel and of course the Col de la Schlucht, so named because of its picturesque rocky slopes. In the Brasserie de la Schlucht on the top of the pass, the waitress welcomes me with a distinctive Alsatian dialect mixture of the broadest Baden with French pronouncements. Absolutely fascinating and probably a Dorado for every linguist. Passing the icy mountain lakes of Lac Noir and Lac Blanc, you will reach the last stage destination of the tour – the Petit Ballon. At 1267 meters, it is almost 200 meters lower than its big brother, but still a good 20 meters more stately than the Ballon d’Alsace. Nevertheless, after his Swiss colleague, he is the least prominent of the five. Only a tiny white lane can be seen on the map, which, more or less asphalt, should lead from Munster to the small Belchen. Here, too, the hiking markings help decisively. One hour’s walk to the Petit Ballon, two to the Col de la Boenlesgrab. A hiking tour was worth it for the name alone. A single lane leads up a small path, flanked by several Ferme Auberges, farms that offer simple meals in front of the house. But there is no time to take a break, the omnipresent thunderclouds billow threateningly over the peaks again. Then they spoil me one last time, the Belchen siblings. The smallest one literally shines in the last sunlight in front of the dark weather front. Like the whole family, bald and spherical, pushing rough boulders through the karst earth cover and towering over all the other mountains all around. Almost familiar by now, almost familiar, there is no longer any question of which summit is the right one. For the last time I enjoy the silence and the feeling of overview and a kind of freedom that only really big guys can offer. The five brothers don’t take anything. Except maybe that this one is the prettiest, to say the least. The baby boy. Maybe it’s because of the French accent. You might want to put up a notice board.
Info
The route is based on five of the highest peaks in the border triangle and thus touches the absolute highlights for motorcyclists in this region. It can be driven completely or divided into extended individual tours. A possible abbreviation is already entered on the map.
Arrival: In the center of the region runs the A 5, Karlruhe – Basel. If you leave it north of Freiburg (exit Riegel), you can start the tour at the Kandel in the southern Black Forest and from there curve south to the Belchen. If you are traveling from Stuttgart, choose the side climb from the A 81 shown on the map. The A 5 is again the best way to end the tour. Or – as a fast south-north connection without a motorway – in France the N 83 to Strasbourg and via the Kehl border crossing. Then continue on the B 36 to Karlsruhe. Travel time: The three-country corner can be traveled from spring to autumn. However, the route often runs at over 1000 meters – the snow forecast should be observed accordingly in the early and late season. While unrestricted motorcycle enjoyment is possible in the Black Forest during the week, some of the routes mentioned are closed on weekends: Schauinsland, Belchenzufahrt (nature protection). Overnight stays: Nice overnight accommodations can be found literally by the wayside in the three-country triangle, which has been developed for tourism. While in the Black Forest the majority of private accommodation is cheap, a friendly hotel association has established itself in France, whose yellow-green “Logis der France” logo can be found in almost every place in Alsace: individual houses with inexpensive, sometimes quite simple rooms, but always with a good restaurant. Especially in more remote regions, the overnight stay is often only offered in conjunction with dinner, which, however, almost always turns out to be a recommendable deal. We have had good experiences in the following hotels: Hotel Zum Engel, Langackern 14 in 79289 Horben near Freiburg, phone 0761/29111, fax 290627, bed and breakfast from 80 marks. Auberge du Langenberg, F-68290 Sewen, phone 0033- (0) 3 89 48 96 37, directly at the Ballon d´Alsace, half board around 60 marks per person. Auberge du Bramont, F-68820 Kruth-Wildenstein, phone 0033- (0) 3 89 82 28 55, on the Route des Cretes, half board around 60 marks per person. In both cases simple rooms and good cuisine. Camping: is possible in many places (shown on the Michelinkarte), especially at the larger lakes (Geradmer, Schluchsee). Enduro: In all three countries there is a strict no for the areas described. The unpaved paths offer mountain bikers a paradise, but they are usually closed to motor vehicles. The Upper Rhine region functions as an intensively used recreation area in which any type of motor sport would be problematic. So please respect the signs. Literature: Background information on the three-country tour can only be compiled from individual works on the regions. The Belchentour is not listed in any guide, but its historical origin can be read in the little DuMont guide “Alsace”. For the Black Forest, Reise Know-How recently published the Black Forest holiday manual. Gastronomy: Alsatian cuisine is known to be one of the best in Central Europe (see Accommodation). The so-called Ferme Auberges are less well known: simple restaurants on farms that offer hearty, good food and can often be found along the way. Finances: Unfortunately, on this tour you can’t avoid having three different currencies in your wallet. Although EC checks and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere in France and Switzerland, you should have some cash with you for smaller amounts. At the weekend, an ATM can be used in almost all larger towns without any complications.
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