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Second act of our Grande Traversée des Alpes by E-MTB, this itinerary surprises by the diversity of the atmospheres: passage from the Northern Alps to the Southern Alps, from fir trees to larches, from cows to sheep. Along the tracks and small lost roads, a high mountain atmosphere is guaranteed all along this route, from the Savoyard valleys of Belleville and Maurienne, to the wild Queyras. Then, it is the switch to the Italian side with the majestic Mont Viso as a lookout.
This is the first part of our Great e-mountain bike crossing of the French Alps - the easy way.
The ambition of this new and unique crossing, 100 % made by France Bike Trips, is to make the exceptional panoramas and the incomparable atmosphere of the authentic Alpine landscapes accessible to electric mountain bikes.
The majority of the route is composed of fire and forest tracks (wide unpaved roads) and small mountain roads. We have also included short sections of singletrack trails without technical difficulty: not too steep, not too stony, no exposed sections. Very few hike-a-bike sections (only 3 or 4 during for this Alpine route!) are nonetheless necessary to pass the "key" sections of this crossing.
Chablais, Mont Blanc range and Beaufortain: through coniferous forests and mountain pastures, the kingdom of abondance and tarine cows, with the enchanting sound of their bells.
After the great Savoyard valleys of the Tarentaise and the Maurienne, we make our way to the Southern Alps (Queyras) and our Italian neighbours...
A historic route and a stunning itinerary awaits us that constantly switches between the French-Italian border alonng the Ligurian border crest... until we plunge into the crystalline waters of the French Riviera!
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organization team is on day 1 at 1pm at Moutiers SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous nights accommodation for you in Moutiers.
Welcome to the gates of the Savoyard mountains! We quickly climb out of Moûtiers and head for the Belleville valley, a pretty valley that marks the entrance to the Vanoise National Park. The park is forbidden to mountain bikes, so we will "only" ride along it. But the atmosphere is already there!
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 30 km and 1500 m
The objective of the day is to link the Belleville valley to the Maurienne valley. We go up the valley of Encombres by a pretty track which takes altitude until we reach the pass of Perronnet, at 2370 m of altitude. The view of the Thabor massif in front of us, the Mont Blanc massif and the Beaufortain behind us is breathtaking. Superb! We then switch to the Maurienne side of the valley.
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 50 km and 1300 m
This day can be considered as a liaison day. We have to go up part of the Maurienne valley. Unfortunately, the bottom of the valley is not very suitable for MTBs, so we stay on the "Vanoise" side (right bank) along a route that mixes tracks and small roads. In the afternoon, we climb towards the resort of Valfréjus.
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 30 km and 1350 m
After breakfast, we set off to climb one of the many passes considered as the limit between the Northern Alps and the Southern Alps, like the Galibier pass, from which we are not very far. But for us, no cars, motorbikes or camping cars! The climb to the pass is on a smooth track that our E-MTBs will enjoy, then the descent is a little more technical than usual. The trail is narrow and playful, with a few short technical sections that can easily be passed on foot if necessary. At the top of the Vallée Etroite pass, the view is as always and rewards all the efforts made. The descent of the valley is a great moment of happiness, so much it is wild and aesthetic. A slight climb on the road to reach the Echelle pass, then we dive again, this time into the Clarée valley. We follow the valley on easy trails to Briançon, then climb back up to the Izoard pass.
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 55 km and 1500 m
Head for one of the mythical passes of the Alps: the Izoard! Using a clever itinerary mixing tarmac roads and tracks, we quickly gain altitude to find the mountain atmosphere that makes this crossing so charming. We reach the Izoard pass (2361 m) and descend its Queyrassin side. We gain some altitude and then reach Souliers, a small village very typical of the Hautes Alpes! We descend to Chateau Queyras and its fort, then we gain altitude again to put down our E-MTBs not far from Saint Véran, the highest commune in Europe, for a well-deserved night.
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 45 km and 1500 m
After getting on our E-MTBs, we visit the village of Saint Véran with its marked mountain identity. The old wooden houses seem to have always been there. The tangle of narrow streets gives this small village a very special character. We then set off to climb the Agnel pass, the border pass with Italy. With its 2744 m of altitude, it is the second highest road pass in France after the Iseran pass, and the second highest in Italy after the mythical Stelvio. Under the eye of the Pain de Sucre and the Mont Viso (3841 m), we reach the top of this monument! The lack of alternatives forces us to descend part of it on the road, but as soon as possible we take a small path to Pontechianale and then Casteldelfino, where we spend the night.
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 40 km and 1200 m
A beautiful day awaits us! But it will be quite long, we will have to leave quite early. We start by gaining altitude on a pleasant forest track, which exits into the alpine pasture at around 1800m. We reach our pass of the day at about 2300m. This is followed by a beautiful balcony trail (around 2200m) with a slightly downhill profile. Another great moment...even if it is a bit rocky in places, it is generally in good condition, which allows us to "look up" and take in the sights...Descent into the Val Maira (or Val Macra) where this beautiful day in the mountains ends.
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 55 km and 1500 m
The final stage of our E-MTB journey. It is always with great happiness and lightness that we approach the last day of such a journey. The satisfaction of having completed such beautiful stages is combined with the desire to enjoy them to the full. For the last time we gain altitude on the reliefs bordering the right bank of the Macra river. We climbed steadily on a good forest track to Colle del Gerbido and then descended for the last time before heading towards the first suburbs of Cuneo and finally reaching the town centre!
Distance and altitude gain: approx. 45 km and 1000 m
Itinerary end: Separation at the end of the tour is in Cuneo (Coni) in Italy. On request we can book the following nights accommodation for you in Cuneo.
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Average tour rating:
