Tour de France 2026: Nearly 900 Trees Cut at Ballon d’Alsace to Secure Race Route
As the Tour de France 2026 route takes shape, a controversial safety measure is unfolding in northeastern France. Organizers have authorized the removal of 872 trees along the Ballon d’Alsace climb to secure the roadway for Stage 14 of the race, scheduled for July 18.
The tree clearing operation, which began on April 15 and will continue through May 15, affects the Départementale 466 road between Sewen and the summit of Ballon d’Alsace in the Haut-Rhin department. Local authorities confirm that only trees identified as dead, weakened, or hazardous by the Office National des Forêts (ONF) are being removed.
“We are really only cutting what has been marked by the ONF,” said Quentin Perez, a subcontractor with BEA Bois, speaking to France 3. “It’s dry, deteriorating wood. We’re not clearing everything.”
The initiative stems from a safety assessment launched in 2023, well before the Tour route was finalized. Initial cost estimates for the project reached 130,000 euros — a significant burden for the small commune of Sewen. Mayor Hubert Fluhr noted the financial strain, explaining that the town lacked funds until a forestry operator agreed to undertake the work in exchange for rights to the harvested timber.
Stage 14 of the 2026 Tour de France will cover 155 kilometers, starting in Mulhouse and finishing at Le Markstein ski resort. The Ballon d’Alsace ascent — 8.7 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6.9% — comes approximately halfway through the stage, following the Grand Ballon climb. After summiting Ballon d’Alsace, riders still have 61 kilometers to reach the finish line.
The route features approximately 3,800 meters of cumulative elevation gain, including subsequent climbs to Geishouse (10.9 km at 7.3%) and the Col du Haag (11.2 km at 7.3%), the latter featuring a final 1.6-kilometer segment averaging 10.3% gradient.
Local business owners, particularly farmers and innkeepers in the Sewen area, have expressed concern over the one-month road closure during peak tourist season. The shutdown coincides with May holidays and traditionally brings increased visitors to natural sites and farm-based accommodations in the region.
“We’re already receiving numerous phone calls and emails at town hall from people who planned to visit us for a green getaway and now don’t know what to do,” Mayor Fluhr told L’Alsace newspaper on April 15.
The operation has drawn criticism on social media, with some users questioning the environmental trade-off for a single race stage. Comments highlighted the decades-long growth period required to replace mature trees, framing the removal as disproportionate to the sporting event’s duration.
Officials maintain that the work addresses pre-existing risks unrelated to the Tour, emphasizing that the sécurisation project would have proceeded regardless of the race’s inclusion. The closure aims to prevent falling trees or branches from endangering both race participants and regular road users once the route reopens.
As of mid-April, crews were actively removing timber along the upper stretches of the road, including specimens located significant distances above the pavement on retaining walls. The harvested wood is being processed and sold by the contracted forestry operator to offset municipal costs.
Stage 14 will mark the Tour de France’s return to Mulhouse as a starting point since 2019. That year, the stage concluded at La Planche des Belles Filles in a dramatic finish between Dylan Teuns and Giulio Ciccone. The 2026 routing instead directs riders toward the Vosges Mountains, with Le Markstein serving as the first mountain-top finish in the region since 2014.
The race continues to evolve its course design, balancing historic routes with new challenges. While the Ballon d’Alsace has featured in previous Tours, its 2026 inclusion comes amid broader discussions about sustainability in major sporting events and the environmental footprint of race preparations.
With the tree clearing scheduled to conclude by May 15, authorities will have approximately two months to assess road conditions before the peloton arrives in mid-July. The Tour de France 2026 official route confirmation remains pending, though Stage 14 details have been consistently reported across cycling-specific platforms and regional news outlets.
As preparations advance, the intersection of sporting logistics, environmental stewardship and local economic impact continues to shape conversations around one of cycling’s most iconic climbs.
For updates on the Tour de France 2026 route and stage announcements, fans are directed to the race’s official communications channels as the July start date approaches.
