Guide to Vosges and Properties in Department 88

The Vosges Mountains are a stunning range of low mountains in northeastern France, near its border with Germany. The mountains cover an area of approximately 8,000 square kilometres, and together with the Palatine Forest, a low mountain range on the German side of the border, they form a single geomorphological unit. The range runs in a north-northeast direction from the Burgundian Gate, which is the Belfort-Ronchamp-Lure line, to the Börrstadt Basin, which is the Winnweiler–Börrstadt–Göllheim line. The Vosges Mountains mark the western boundary of the Upper Rhine Plain. The highest peak in the Vosges Mountains is the Grand Ballon, standing at an impressive height of 1,424 meters, followed by the Storkenkopf, which is 1,366 meters high, and the Hohneck, which stands at 1,364 meters. The region is entirely located in France, extending far above the Col de Saverne, which separates them from the Palatinate Forest in Germany. However, the Palatinate Forest area continues the same geologic structure as the Vosges Mountains but with a different name for historical and political reasons.

The Vosges Mountains have played a critical role in the history of France and Germany. From 1871 to 1918, the Vosges Mountains marked the border between Germany and France, mainly due to the Franco-Prussian War.

Nature enthusiasts will be delighted to know two nature parks are in the Vosges Mountains. The Ballons des Vosges Nature Park and the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park offer a chance to explore the region's natural beauty. Additionally, the Northern Vosges Nature Park and the Palatinate Forest Nature Park on the German border form a cross-border UNESCO-designated Palatinate Forest-North Vosges Biosphere Reserve, making it a must-visit destination for nature lovers.

In the late 20th century, a vast area of the Vosges Mountains was included in two protected areas, the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord, established in 1976, and the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges, established in 1989. These protected areas are a testament to the region's natural beauty and the efforts to preserve it for future generations.