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MTB and Cycling in Oisans |
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MTB Trails
in Oisans :
- » Cross country
- » Freeride
- » DownHill
- » Raid
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Season's events
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MTB and Cycling in Oisans |
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Season's events
Freeride
Park at the Meije cable car station. The first cable car leaves at 8am.
For more information, call 04 76 79 90 05.
Huge glaciers perched above your head, sharp peaks rising into the sky, and the light – the magical light on the sparkling ice that illuminates this awe-inspiring scenery! This route features some fine, highly technical, successive sections, followed by some superb straight rides to La Grave. Classic MTB moments!
Get out of the cable car at the middle station and go down the iron staircase. Head off down the path that runs in line with the cable car. Follow signs for Chancel – Cote Fine on the track that goes off to the left. 500m after a technical section facing the vertiginous Romanche valley, you need to push for a slightly less than a kilometre to the lake at Puy Vachier. You will be able to see the Evariste Chancel hut above you on a rocky outcrop. The more courageous will go up to chat to the warden, but if not, you can turn right towards the yellow and black marker post. Descend (at last!) along the left-hand bank of the mountain stream that flows out of the lake. The path is fairly technical up to the wood. Take care as there are two airy sections, before it becomes easier to pick up speed. Go past the rock known as the ‘Pierre Farabo’ and carry on along the mountainside to the Puy-Vachier chalet, from where you follow bends down through the pastures. Follow the path to a slate quarry (an area of black shale). Descend the technical switchbacks on this terrain which is slippery, but without danger. Go up 50m and follow the path to La Grave that takes you to the road. Leave the sign for the Ecrins National Park to your right and cross the bridge over the Romanche River. The path climbs up towards some steps which, after a two-minute carry, will take you back to the car park for the cable car.
There is an alternative route – at the Chancel signpost, turn right in line with the cable car. Cross under it next to a pylon and enter the forest on a fast, but quite technical path which brings you out at the Puy-Vachier chalet. Return to La Grave as described above.
Although MTB pioneers have long been exploring these slopes carved out by glaciers and avalanches, mountain-biking still isn’t a mainstream sport in La Grave. However, under the incredulous gaze of mountaineers, more and more bikers are piling into the cable cars. It’s not a question of flirting with the void or risking life and limb on each bend – we are not stunt riders – but of having have some fun on very steep slopes (too steep for some people) without putting your life on the line. Solid MTB experience is a must for these routes.
Be careful! La Grave is a popular destination for both hikers and mountaineers. Respect their tranquillity by not hurtling round corners like a bunch of savages. If you brake just a little and give a cheery wave, everyone will continue to get along just fine!
