From Gap to St Bonnet en Champsaur – 40.6 km | 1215 m + | 900 m –

Manu, your guide, will come and meet you in the morning ready to bike with your day pack. He will take you to the park to check everyone’s bikes and give any hired bikes to people hiring before setting off.

Once all the technical stuff is to everyone’s satisfaction, your adventure begins!

The first day is a beautiful climb through fields and forests into the Champsaur valley, the gateway to the Ecrins National Park and the start of the big Alpine summits. The Champsaur is also famous for its ‘bocage’ (Manu will explain this en route!) and authentic Alpine farming culture. After a lovely gentle descent you will ride alongside the Drac river with a possibility of stopping off at the swimming lake for a dip! After that, there is one more spectacular climb up through the mountains before another fun downhill to your accommodation.

#les balcons du gapençais, Gap Bayard, base de loisir de Saint Bonnet

From Saint Bonnet en Champsaur to Saint Etienne en Devoluy – 35.7 km | 1350 m + | 1120 m –

This is an exceptional day taking you over the famous mountain pass of the Col du Noyer into the limestone massif of the Dévoluy.

There is a short road section to get over the mountain pass, but this is a Tour de France col so it is worth it and on your electric bike you will be able to go the same speed as the pros! The roads are quiet and not much used, so even though you may spend more of today on tarmac than any other day, you won’t be too much disturbed by traffic and there is a reason to be there!

As you leave the Champsaur valley behind you, the landscape changes to dramatic limestone cliffs with multicoloured Alpine pastures teeming with butterflies.
There are two main uphill sections today, split up by a beautiful descent and downwards traverse around the bowl of the Dévoluy mountains at the end of your day.

#Falaises Calcaires, Dévoluy

From Saint Etienne en Devoluy to Aspremont – 57.1 km | 1280 m + | 1761 m –

Today is a really wild experience, completely off the beaten track in wolf country with Alpine forests, the famous limestone cliffs and grandiose pastures. Today is a day to spot wildlife as you ride through their rugged mountain territory!

The start of your ride contours around the imposing Pic de Bure. The table top plateau of this majestic mountain is home to one of three international space observatory sites (the two others being in Sierra Nevada in Spain and in Chlile). The site was chosen thanks to the pure, unpolluted air in this part of the Alps.

Nearly all your route is on paths and tracks with a main ascent and gradual undulating ascents and descents taking you through the beautiful mountains..

#Pic de Bure, col du Festre, plateau des Eygaux, aérodrome du Chevalet , Digue du Buech

From Aspremont to Laragne – 42.4 km | 870 m + | 971 m –

The high mountain ambiance is now behind you as you enter into the Haute-Provence!

On today’s ride, you will follow the Buëch river taking in the surrounding hills and valleys as you go. With vineyards, lavender fields and fruit orchards growing apples, pears, apricots and peaches lining these fertile lands, the change of scenery is quite remarkable!

You will also discover the beautiful medieval village of Serres and have the possibility of a quick dip or even a proper swim and sunbathe at the swimming lake en route.

#Le Buëch, Village médiéval de Serre, Base de Loisir de la Germanette, Lac du Riouvieux villages abandonnés

From Laragne to Eourres- 51.2 km | 1520 m + | 1170 m –

A gentle start to today as you make your way over to the Gorges de la Méouge, a ‘Natura 2000’ biological reserve with magnificent clear blue waters cascading through the rocks creating an array of beaches, waterfalls and rapids.

After exploring the gorges, we head up into the mountains on a reasonably steep and excellent fun to ride on an e-bike path to a mountain col with magnificent views and finish with a lovely descent into the hamlet of Les Damias.

Les Damias is a unique gem of a hamlet situated at the end of the valley and completely brought back to life by a Franco-American and now run as a small, almost self-sufficient, community. The hamlet has a story to tell and we’ll let you discover this for yourselves in person!

#Gorges de la Méouge, Pic Saint Cyr, hameau des Damias

From Eourres to Sisteron – 26.1 km | 670 m + | 1160 m –

Today is your last biking day and starts with a relatively short climb before a beautiful long undulating ride with mainly descent to the town of Sisteron. Today is a shorter ride than most of the other days to give you time to visit the town of Sisteron in the afternoon but it is possible to extend the ride if you wish!

Sisteron is known as the gateway to Provence thanks to its proximity to Provence and its situation: wedged in a narrow gap between two mountain ridges. As a pre-Roman town with 4000 years of recorded history and an impressive citadel built into the rock, Sisteron is an intriguing place to spend a bit of time. We highly recommend visiting the citadel whilst you are here. You can read more about Sisteron on our blog.

Manu will be leaving you at the end of today so a goodbye drink is generally on the cards before his lift arrives to take him and any rental bikes back to Gap. You can then spend the evening exploring Sisteron!

Today you will make your way back home. There is a train station in Sisteron and we can help you plan your train routes back to any of the main TGV train stations or airports.

We hope you have had an amazing holiday, met some great people and will be going home with lots of wonderful memories!