The Grand Tour of the Écrins by Mountain Bike

Breakfast. Departure to climb into the Oisans mountains; some sections of tarmac, shared with cyclists sometimes coming from far away, are unavoidable. After approximately 700m of elevation gain, the route alternates between technical trails and sections of small roads.

What passionate cyclist hasn't heard of the famous climb to Alpe d'Huez! We'll start by tackling part of it before enjoying superb views along the balcony route connecting the villages overlooking the Infernet Gorge. The climb is long but manageable until the Col Saint-Georges, marking the beginning of the Emparis Plateau. What an atmosphere on this plateau with its lakes, dominated by the summit of La Meije at 3983m and the glacier of the same name! Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

Breakfast, then a long day of mountain biking with numerous technical sections, from La Grave to Villar d'Arène. The route exceptionally passes through the heart of the Écrins National Park on the Ardoisières trail, from the Arboretum bridge (La Grave) to the Ardoisières footbridge (Villar d'Arène). Climb the Col du Lautaret, then follow the Chemin du Roy, a Roman-era path overlooking the Serre-Chevalier valley. Descend to Le Monêtier-les-Bains for a well-deserved rest. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

Breakfast, then a climb to join the Chemin du Roy (King's Path). The view is magnificent from the start, an ideal spot to admire the hanging glaciers and the iconic peaks of the Écrins massif, before a beautiful descent to the Vauban citadel of Briançon. Between incomparable natural features and exceptional architecture, this stage will delight both nature and culture enthusiasts. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

Breakfast. A gentle start on very quiet tracks and roads with little traffic. Entering the Écrins region marks the beginning of a fun section. The volcanic route then makes you want to stay in one of these villages perched on the southern slopes overlooking Briançon and the Durance River. You can avoid a rather technical section by turning left at the hamlet of Les Bouchiers to reach Les Vigneaux (follow the GTE mountain bike markings). The route then passes through the Fournel valley, over the Col des Lauzes, and descends to Fressinière. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

Breakfast, then a climb to Serre Piarâtre, followed by a beautiful, technical descent. An easier alternative route starts at point 6 by turning left towards Les Seyes (GTE mountain bike trail markers). At La Casse, you can take the road to the left, passing through Champcella and continuing on to Gouas. The rest of the stage is fairly easy riding, allowing you to cover a lot of kilometers quickly. However, some sections of trail require skill and prevent monotony.

Gain altitude right from the first climb and discover beautiful views over the Durance Valley. After passing through the wild Couleau Valley, the route generally follows a balcony path all the way to Embrun, perched on its rocky outcrop above the lake and its swimming area. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

Breakfast. A quick change of scenery after the lake and its seaside atmosphere. Calm and serenity quickly return as you climb the slopes of Mont-Guillaume, famous for its chapel and annual pilgrimage. Réallon, with its typical village, high-altitude valley, and hamlets, welcomes you. The kilometers fly by on smooth tracks, except for the short crossing of the Devezet stream. After passing the Col de Moissière on the road, the descent via one of Ancelle's enduro trails provides a perfect ending to the stage. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

Breakfast, then departure. We alternate between wide paths and fun trails. Along the banks of the Drac River, we even cross some charming wooden footbridges before following a section of greenway to reach St-Bonnet and then St-Jacques-en-Valgaudemar. We pass through St-Firmin, the entrance to the Valgaudemar Valley, and then begin a scenic route overlooking Lake Sautet. Arrival in Corps. Dinner and overnight stay at your accommodation.

After breakfast, the scenery changes as we climb towards Notre-Dame de la Salette, first through forest and then across beautiful alpine pastures. A visit is highly recommended before continuing over several mountain passes and the long final descent. We arrive in the Valbonnais region. We ascend via rolling tracks and small roads to cross the Col d'Ornon. The descent is then varied, alternating between grassy paths, paved sections, and a final rolling stretch, leading easily into the heart of Bourg d'Oisans. An additional night in Bourg d'Oisans is possible.