Mountain biking in Vallouise - a gentle approach to Les Ecrins
© Pierre Masclaux
Trails designed for leisure mountain biking in the Alps will soon be completed.
VTT are the initials of "Vallouise Tout Terrain", a proactive biking club in the Ecrins. Local bike trails are built and signposted by club members. The trails wind along the Vallouise valley, and already cover 210 km of byways, half way up the mountain slopes which border the valley. They are along former mule tracks and occasionally even ancient Roman roads.
It will soon be possible to cycle around the Ecrins range without climbing the passes. No more huge effort followed by perilous descents, an exercise only really suitable for the experts.
This "transterritorial network", as defined by Joël Engilberge, VTT's chairman, will provide tree shaded routes from one valley to the next, from Vallouise to Fournel, from Fournel to Freysinnières, along the line where the cultivated mountain terraces end. "It is a fact that a mountainous region like ours appears to be more suitable for highly proficient all terrain bikers", admits Joël Engilberge. "If it weren't for these routes, you would need to be a top level cyclist to overcome the obstacles."
Extreme cycling fans needn't feel frustrated though. Every year at the close of spring, during the appropriately named Vallouise Tourisk ("Allrisk") Trophy, they have the opportunity to express their mastery on the most demanding routes. The meet usually comes to a convivial end around the barbecue.
Contact us
Office de tourisme du Pays des Ecrins
23, avenue de la République
05120 Argentière-la-Bessée
(0033) (0)8 10 00 11 12
Website
See the access map
Topic : Landscapes and nature
Published on : 2008/12/23
Tags : vallouise terrain atb trails ecrins
