Your email will not be communicated to any third party or company outside France Bike Trips / Velorizons. You may receive occasional emails from France Bike Trips, with the possibility to unsubscribe at any time. CNIL (French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties)
Please type in your search terms.
You can prefix chosen words with the '+' sign to make them mandatory, or with the '-' sign to avoid results containing this word from appearing, e.g. west +nepal -canada
A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.
How many French regions can boast a sunny climate (300 days of sunshine per year...), a splendid mountainous environment (the Meije Glaciers, the Ecrins, the Pelvoux...), and as great a network of mountain bike trails? Welcome to the Queyras - Briançonnais! The area is a singletrack paradise, offering technical traverses, high ridge rides and long flowing descents... This trip offers a "real mountain" itinerary, which winds through the Hautes-Alpes from the Massif des Cerces to the forgotten valleys of the Queyras, with the discovery of numerous forts and fortified villages built by Vauban...
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is on day 1 at 9 am at Briançon SNCF train station. We will leave directly from the train station. Please arrive in your cycle clothing.
On request we can book the previous night's accommodation for you in Briançon.
If you are coming from the Paris area, or from the Rhone Valley, a night train arrives in Briançon on day 1 shortly before 9 am. Just in time to join the group! Please note: When booking your ticket be aware that the trip starts at Briançon railway station, but ends at Montdauphin-Guillestre railway station. A train normally leaves on Saturdays from Montdauphin at around 8 pm to the Rhone Valley and Paris.
We start with a ride through the centre of Briançon and its numerous fortifications, in the middle of which is a network of small steep pedestrian streets overlooking spectacular bridges and offering dramatic views of the surrounding mountains. Perfect for urban mountain biking! Then we leave Briançon on nice trails and go up the Guisane valley below the peaks of the Ecrins. This wide valley is a very interesting playground because it gathers all the types of trails, as long as you take the trouble to climb a little on the sides! We have our first taste of single-track in the Briançonnaise style. Night in a gîte below the Lautaret pass.
Distance covered: approx. 35 km / ascent: approx. 1200 m / descent: approx. 350 m
After gaining a bit of altitude, we tackle the best trails on the left bank of the Guisane Valley. The views from the Col de Buffère and Col de Granon are as captivating as the singletrack! A true mountain stage to remember, only a stone’s throw from the town of Briançon! Accommodation in a gite near Briançon.
Distance covered: approx. 40 km / ascent: approx. 1200 m / descent: approx. 1400 m
A small section of road and we quickly leave Briançon behind us. We head north, in the direction of Névache, nestled in the Vallée de la Clarée. Impossible for to miss out this tucked away valley, known for its tranquillity, its scenery... and its singletrack... offering a multitude of narrow trails to climb and descend on. We make the most of the Clarée Valley, before taking on the impenetrable citadel that is the Queyras! We tackle the "north face", on the side of the Col de l'Izoard, a mountain pass that we will cross tomorrow. But for today, we climb on tracks up to Cervières, then a short road section takes us to Laus, and our gite for the night.
Distance covered: approx. 50 km / ascent: approx. 1500 m
Today’s route takes us into the heart of the Queyras. The perimeter of the Queyras Regional Natural Park is entirely made up of mountain ridges, which doesn't make for easy access! An inevitable road section this morning allows us to cross the majestic Col de l'Izoard, before dropping in to the Casse Déserte descent. We then pick up another trail, for a difficult climb up to the Col du Tronchet. Descent to Souliers, then on to a pretty forest section in the direction of the Guil Valley, before a superb descent to Château Queyras that will have the brakes smoking by the end! But the day isn't over yet.
We tackle a long hard climb in order to join Saint Véran, surely the most emblematic village in the Queyras, notably for its status as "the highest village in Europe". St Véran is a truly remarkable village, with its traditional chalets and fountains made of larch wood. By the time we arrive, our legs are telling us we must be at altitude... We're certainly glad to arrive at our gite!
Distance covered: approx. 40 km / ascent: approx. 1400 m
Today sees us ride almost to the Italian border, on a loop that lets us discover the jewels of the "Haut Queyras". On leaving Saint Véran, we ride up to the Col Vieux, then on past several high altitude lakes, with 3000 metre summits overhead (Rocca Bianca, Pic de Caramantran...), before a long singletrack descent that takes us into one of the remotest valleys of the Queyras, and the villages of Abries and Aiguilles en Queyras. Technical singletrack in a high mountain setting! Night in a gite.
Distance covered: approx. 40 km / ascent: approx. 1400 m.
We follow the Guil River for a short time this morning, before tackling a climb in the direction of Molines en Queyras. From Molines, we continue climbing up to the Sommet Bucher before making our way up to the famous Col Fromage in order to earn our dessert: a superb singletrack descent to the village of Ceillac. Accommodation in a gite in Ceillac (a charming village that is well worth a visit).
Distance covered: approx. 35 km / ascent: approx. 1200 m
Riverside singletrack trails allow us to gradually make our way out of the Queyras along the Cristillan River. But be warned, the river may always go down, but this is not always the case for our trail, which has a few surprises up its sleeve! Our exit from the Queyras takes us to the top of the impressive gorges of the Guil, overlooking the Durance Valley. The decor even becomes canyon like for a short time! We then join the Citadelle du Montdauphin (also built by Vauban) before dropping down to the Durance, and the end of our journey.
Distance covered: approx. 30 km / ascent: approx. 500 m / descent: approx. 750 m
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Itinerary end: Separation is on the last day at Montdauphin-Guillestre SNCF railway station at around 3 pm (5 pm for level 3 groups).
This tour has not yet received any reviews.
