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Welcome to what is surely one of the greatest MTB enduro tours! A superb high alpine point-to-point route between the towns of Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland. Make the most of this epic high route's amazing singletrack by shortening the demanding climbs, thanks to a clever mix of uplifts using vehicles and chairlifts. Panoramic views of the surrounding 4000 metre peaks, high mountain cols, superb and seemingly endless singletrack, idyllic alpine pastures, wooden chalets, rich alpine forests and plenty of chamois and marmots along the way... Day 3 follows the footsteps of the famous “Grand Raid Cristalp”. We climb the Gornergrat (3089 m), which offers us a unique panorama of the surrounding peaks (Dufourspitze, Castor, Pollux, Breithorn...). The final descent to Zermatt, opposite the Cervin (4478m), is a superb finale to an unforgettable week!
An Enduro version of the Chamonix-Zermatt high route, allowing us to ride the most beautiful single tracks in the Valais! The use of shuttles and lifts allows us to make the challengin alpine raids accessible by reducing the physical effort (as much as possible) and therefore increase the number of descents on dreamy single tracks. Although this enduro tour is designed with 2 to 3 times more descents than climbs, and the mileage remains relatively short, this tour is still a mountain bike tour. We limit the amount of climbing on the track as much as possible by using a vehicle with a bike trailer or ski lifts. However, we cannot avoid some climbs and hike-a-bike portions to reach the most beautiful passes, inaccessible by vehicle. Please note that the itinerary can be modified on site by our guides, according to the general level and the wishes of the group.
Itinerary start: Rendezvous on the first day is at 12:30am on the carpark of the Flégère cable car (located in Praz de Chamonix, chemin de l'école). The SNCF Praz train station is located 50m away.
We will leave directly from the parking. Please arrive in your cycle clothing (plan to have had lunch).
We start in Chamonix, at the foot of the majestic Mont Blanc. From the balcony path in the forest, we see appear the massif of the Aiguilles Rouges, some 2,000 m higher up. From this standpoint, we still feel quite small... Arrived at the hamlet of Tour, we take La Balme cable car which propels us up to Balme pass, some 1,200 m higher up. We start one of our first mythical downhills, riding through various vegetation's steps, from pastures to forests of larch trees and finally spruce trees. We are now in Switzerland without having noticed it! Wonderful views on the Trient Glacier. Night in a typical Swiss mountain village.
Highlights of the day: We begin with "La Piste des Diligences". This route was created in the mid-nineteenth century to help the transport of stagecoach passengers from the valley of Martigny to Chamonix. Strategically, the route was built to avoid rushing mountain streams and the bottom of steep valleys… therefore the balcony road we can benefit from… The dive into the Valley of Martigny is swirling. A small flat and wooded single track leads to Martigny. All vegetation levels appear: vineyards and orchards of apricot and apple trees, followed by forests of spruce and larch... The last 200m require to carry our bike (which is welcome to change a bit the posture!..) Dazzling panorama on the imposing ice mass of Grand Combin (the Mont Blanc seems very small next to him...), the Dents du Midi, the Rhone Valley... Night in a high altitude accommodation at the foot of the Croix de Coeur, which offers a beautiful panorama of the Bernese Alps.
Highlights of the day: We ride on the portions of the famous mountain bike race "Verbier - Grimentz" or "Grand Raid Cristalp". We will ride on portions of its route today and tomorrow, including many more interesting variants on the way… After a short climb to Col des Mines, we treat ourselves with a superb descent on single track to the bottom of La Fare Valley, to the foot of the almost suspended village of Isérable. Here begins a piece of anthology of our raid: we ride on an endless flat small single track following a "Bisse", an ancestral irrigation canal in the Alps. Unforgettable in the life of a biker, the icing on the cake: a shelter worthy of "Little House on the Prairie", all of stones and wood, dominating the valley. This cottage is both a refuge and a mountain chalet. To date, we're not sure you can have a shower tonight (it's the only day of the week), but we always try to find a solution (small portable shower).
The day starts in a blaze of glory with a descent on single track trail that passes through a beautiful spruce forest. Some parts look similar to a natural bobsleigh track... The "mayens" (small typical chalets) in ruins attest to the pastoral activities of yesterday. Many herds of Herens cows create a nice atmosphere with their bells... Our efforts are rewarded by a superb narrow little track in balcony which brings us, as if by magic, from Heremence Valley to Herens Valley. Suddenly, we see the mighty Dent Blanche (4357 m)... A pyramid that sits majestically enthroned at the end of Herens Valley, rising from the glaciers. A nice single track ahead through pastures and larches, first switchback, then downhill. We reach the small mountain lake of Arbey. This gem is nestled in a small grassy bowl like in a postcard: pastures, traditional chalets, jagged peaks, glaciers, rocky peaks, ridges... Everything is there! Heading for a superb single track in balcony we end up at the end of the Herens Valley and its impetuous torrents.
Highlights of the day: We continue to play leapfrog with the valleys of the famous Swiss Alps. For the main course, the Col du Torrent, about an hour of hike-a-bike (approx. 400 m altitude gain)... The reward is stunning: glacial peaks, of course, but also and especially a huge lake with turquoise water that sparkles down in the valley: Lake Moiry. We leave this beautiful panorama to embark on an endless descent of 1400 meters of almost vertical drop that leads to Grimentz! The downhill is extremely diverse; a technical start, then it twirls around, rolls smoothly, contains many switchbacks and finishes on rocky part before the arrival to the famous resort of Grimentz. The latter is a kind of "Megeve" of the Swiss Alps: narrow alleys, traditional restaurants, cafe terraces... Night in Zinal, nestled at the foot of the "Imperial Crown of the Alps" dominated by the Weisshorn (4th highest summit in Europe, 4506 m).
We come out of the narrow valley of Zinal to regain altitude above Anniviers valley, first by a small road, then on a alpine switchback track. Again great view on surrounding peaks. On the other side of the valley, we identify the route we followed the day before... A final hike-a-bike of about 45 minutes and we reach a pass with jagged rocks. The single tracks dives towards the valley, winding between the blocks that litter the grass. We see the famous Monte Rosa (4634 m) in the axis of the valley. Another amazing views of the Bernese Alps and their many glacier peaks... We reach our hotel located in a village nearby.
Highlights of the day: We reach the Moosalp Pass at the level of a clearing, again like in a postcard: traditional cottages, pastures, snow-capped peaks which exceed any part in the skyline. The show is just beginning as we embark on a new single track path in balcony… of anthology... We are now facing a string of peaks over 3000 meters, while overlooking the last valley we will ride down: Matter Valleys. The descent is again a great moment of happiness. Anything goes: hairpins, switchbacks, gentle curves, passages in balcony… Night in a small hotel close to the Mattsand lake.
At the gates of Zermatt, we start a loop ride that will be the true finale of our trip. We take seat on the legendary railway up to the Gornergratwith with our MTBs. The Belvedere offers a breathtaking panorama on the mythical summit Matterhorn (4478 m). A great moment... This mountain expresses both power and beauty. Nowhere such a rock mass exudes a similar elegance. We are taking a single track in balcony allowing us to enjoy this view as long as possible. We end in a blaze of glory with a last downhill on a swirling single track to finally reach Zermatt. This adventure is, regretfuly, complete. In free-wheel on the road, or on an ultimate small single track, we let ourselves roll down towards Herbriggen.
Itinerary end : The trip ends on the carpark of the Flégère cable car around 6 pm. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in Mattsand, or organise a transfer to Chamonix or Geneva airport.
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
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