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Welcome to the Diois and its maze of singletrack nestled between the Drôme Provençale to the south and the Vercors to the north, in the foothills of the Southern Alps! Sunflower and lavender fields, pine forests, vineyards, crystal clear rivers, and beautiful old villages let us know we're not far from Provence, while the mighty cliffs of the Vercors remind us that we're already in the Alps… A quiet, unspoilt area literally teaming with superb mountain bike trails. It's no coincidence that the founder of France Bike Trips chose the area as his home some 15 years ago. Discover the Diois and let him take you on a tour of the area’s best singletrack!
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is fixed on day 1 at 10am at Die SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous night's accommodation for you in Die.
We welcome you at the train station in Die and head straight off on the bikes. The stage is set for our arrival, with the massive cliffs of the Vercors and Glandasse overlooking the valley of Die. We take the time to visit Die and its charming narrow streets, before heading into the foothills of the Vercors towards Châtillon-en-Diois. The distinct smell of the local pine forests reminds us we're in the south, while the vineyards evoke the local sparkling Clairette de Die... We get our first taste of the playful singletrack trails that the region is famous for. Our route takes us past the impressive 12th century Abbaye de Valcroissant, as well as several traditional stone villages before arriving in Chatillon-en-Diois, a medieval village nestled at the foot of the Vercors cliffs. The village is full of superb stone houses, narrow alleys and beautiful gardens that make for a pleasant evening stroll on arrival.
Distance covered: approx. 26 km / Altitude gain: approx. 850 m
Optional loop: approx. 4 km / Altitude gain: approx. 200 m
Today's route begins with a climb to the foot of the Glandasse Cliffs that overlook Chatillon, before a long singletrack descent winds its way back down to the river. We follow the river upstream before tackling the second climb of the day, which leads us to the abandoned villages of La Serre and L’Eglise, ideal spots for a picnic with great views of the surrounding mountains. The ruins testify to the scale of village life here, despite being so remote (bread oven, well, fountain…). Another superb descent takes us to the village of Menée, before the last climb of the day on a mix of wide tracks and singletrack to the villages of Les Nonnières and Benevise, where the architecture is a reminder that the high Alps are close by. A great final descent takes us to the magnificent Cirque d'Archiane. Our overnight stop is in the village of the same name, surrounded by high cliffs that are home to chamois, ibex and nesting vultures.
Distance covered: approx. 35 km / Altitude gain: approx. 1550 m
Optional loop: approx. 6 km / Altitude gain: approx. 300 m
We begin the day with a climb to the foot of the Archiane cliffs, before a fun traverse through the woods, and a great switchback filled descent to the village of Menée. We make our way to Chatillon on a mix of quiet roads and forest tracks through pine forests, vineyards, walnut plantations, pastures and lavender fields before a fun singletrack trail along the river’s edge. We cross the Bez River, then the Drôme River, before a final climb to the Petit Justin, where we’re rewarded with 360° panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. A long singletrack rollercoaster traverse leads us to the Croix de Justin, offering a bird’s eye view of Die, with the beautiful Vercors as a backdrop. An unforgettable final descent plunges us down to Die and some well-deserved refreshment at one of the many café terraces.
Distance covered: approx. 46 km / Altitude gain: approx. 1250 m
Itinerary end: The trip ends in Die at around 4pm. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in Die.
Distance and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is fixed on day 1 at 10am at Die SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous night's accommodation for you in Die.
We welcome you at the train station in Die and head straight off on the bikes. The stage is set for our arrival, with the massive cliffs of the Vercors and Glandasse overlooking the valley of Die. We take the time to visit Die and its charming narrow streets, before heading into the foothills of the Vercors towards Châtillon-en-Diois. The distinct smell of the local pine forests reminds us we're in the south, while the vineyards evoke the local sparkling Clairette de Die... We get our first taste of the playful singletrack trails that the region is famous for. Our route takes us past the impressive 12th century Abbaye de Valcroissant, as well as several traditional stone villages before arriving in Chatillon-en-Diois, a medieval village nestled at the foot of the Vercors cliffs. The village is full of superb stone houses, narrow alleys and beautiful gardens that make for a pleasant evening stroll on arrival.
Distance covered: approx. 26 km / Altitude gain: approx. 850 m
Optional loop: approx. 4 km / Altitude gain: approx. 200 m
Today's route begins with a climb to the foot of the Glandasse Cliffs that overlook Chatillon, before a long singletrack descent winds its way back down to the river. We follow the river upstream before tackling the second climb of the day, which leads us to the abandoned villages of La Serre and L’Eglise, ideal spots for a picnic with great views of the surrounding mountains. The ruins testify to the scale of village life here, despite being so remote (bread oven, well, fountain…). Another superb descent takes us to the village of Menée, before the last climb of the day on a mix of wide tracks and singletrack to the villages of Les Nonnières and Benevise, where the architecture is a reminder that the high Alps are close by. A great final descent takes us to the magnificent Cirque d'Archiane. Our overnight stop is in the village of the same name, surrounded by high cliffs that are home to chamois, ibex and nesting vultures.
Distance covered: approx. 35 km / Altitude gain: approx. 1550 m
Optional loop: approx. 6 km / Altitude gain: approx. 300 m
We begin the day with a climb to the foot of the Archiane cliffs, before a fun traverse through the woods, and a great switchback filled descent to the village of Menée. We make our way to Chatillon on a mix of quiet roads and forest tracks through pine forests, vineyards, walnut plantations, pastures and lavender fields before a fun singletrack trail along the river’s edge. We cross the Bez River, then the Drôme River, before a final climb to the Petit Justin, where we’re rewarded with 360° panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. A long singletrack rollercoaster traverse leads us to the Croix de Justin, offering a bird’s eye view of Die, with the beautiful Vercors as a backdrop. An unforgettable final descent plunges us down to Die and some well-deserved refreshment at one of the many café terraces.
Distance covered: approx. 46 km / Altitude gain: approx. 1250 m
For our last day we take the time to explore the great network of trails around Die. We begin by following the river to the village of Sainte Croix, gateway to the pretty Vallée de Quint. A climb leads us to the top of the Pierre Plate descent, one of the best the Diois has to offer. From here we make our way towards Chamaloc, climbing on a mix of wide tracks and singletrack, before a rollercoaster descent leads us all the way in to the centre of Die and the end of our tour.
Distance covered: approx. 36 km / Altitude gain: approx. 1100 m
Itinerary end: The trip ends in Die at around 4pm. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in Die.
Distance and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Average tour rating:
Thank you for your feedback. As specified on our website, the undertaking of a self-guided tour requires good map reading skills and GPS use. The major advantage of GPS is that it does not require a telephone signal in order to work. It does however require that maps be loaded onto the unit or telephone prior to undertaking the route. The paper maps provided are highlighted 1:25000 IGN maps offering a very high level of detail. In light of the difficulties you encountered we would strongly suggest undertaking guided tours in the future. We do hope you enjoyed your tour despite the difficulties encountered.
