Grande traversée des Hautes-Alpes

Your itinerary6key stages,
from glaciers to lavender

The Grande Traversée des Hautes-Alpes by mountain bike is a thread stretching between the Écrins and Provence. A unique track, the kind that stays with you for a long time… and in your head. Single tracks, scalpel-sharp descents, moods that change with every pass. You ride above the ridgelines, breathe in the altitude, vibrate with the earth.

Day 1
La Grave → Le Monêtier-les-Bains

Welcome to the hard stuff. High altitude monotraces facing the Meije, technical passages, high mountain atmosphere. You put your wheels down where you usually look up. Dry, mineral lines. The intro is clear: here, you have to earn it.

L. Montico

Day 2
Le Monêtier-les-Bains → Embrun

Wide open spaces. From the Col du Lautaret to the Boscodon forest, via the Vallon du Rabioux, it’s all about rolling out, pushing and thrusting. Playful, racy territory, roots and panoramic views around every bend.

R. Fabregue

Day 3
Embrun → Savines → Chorges

Morning chill around the lake. Then it’s back to work. Balcony singles above Serre-Ponçonfloating in the warm air. Forest passages, playful switchbacks. You go down, you go up. You smile, you sweat. Good mountain biking, the real thing.

Mr Molle

Day 4
Chorges → Montgardin → La Bâtie-Neuve

Wild transition. Less traffic, more flow. The terrain alternates between open meadows and dense undergrowth. The scenery changes, the light softens. But beware: the climbs sting, the descents wake you up.

J. Novak

Day 5
La Bâtie-Neuve → Rabou → Veynes

The big chunk. Passage over the Col de la Gardette, then a plunge into the hanging forests of Rabou. It’s technical, demanding and playful. You pull curves just like at the bike park, except you’re alone, with the vultures as spectators.

Crespeau

Day 6
Veynes → Serres → Laragne

Last line. The scent of the south begins to waft. It smells of garrigue, warm dust. Dry, fast singles, an enduro atmosphere. Legs get hot, heart too. You finish rinsed and satisfied. A real crossing. A real adventure.