Mountain biking trails

If you want to go mountain biking in a stunning mountain environment, with an exceptional view of alpine glaciers and La Meije, you should come to La Grave. There is a great choice of routes, day tours, half-day tours or multi-day tours. You can ride downhill from the Galibier Mountain Pass, cross the scenic Emparis Plateau passing its famous lakes, pedal along the Romanche River, explore the hamlets of Villar d’Arène on a mountain bike or do a freeride descent at the La Grave lift.

The south facing side of the valley, between the Emparis Plateau and the Lautaret Mountain Pass, offers natural trails in the alpine pasturelands that will please all mountain and enduro enthusiasts. Or you can bike on easier dirt roads through sunny summer villages. Everywhere the backdrop is spectacular. You'll enjoy the view of the legendary summit of La Meije and, all around her, other majestic peaks and glaciers in the Ecrins Massif. The marathon route Grand Raid de la Meije follows the itinerary of the unforgettable mountain bike race Ultra Raid de la Meije over wild mountain passes and high ridges.

The routes:

• Au fil de la Romanche : family friendly, blue, 10 km, + 186 m
• Hameaux de Villar d’Arène : blue, 11,3 km, + 295 m
• Vallon de la Buffe : blue, 14,4 km, + 433 m
• L’Aiguillon : red, 16,6 km, + 702 m
• Galibier – Villar d’Arène : red, 15,2 km, + 285 m, - 1150 m
• Enduro de La Grave : red, 6,8 km, + 300 m, - 700 m
• Grand Tour du Canton : black, 30,5 km, + 1119 m
• Tour du plateau d’Emparis : black, 27,3 km, + 1056 m
• Grand Raid de la Meije : black, 58 km, + 2702 m

Maps and GPX tracks

At the La Grave lift, just as with skiing in winter, the adjustments made for mountain biking are at a bare minimum and therefore the runs are both technically difficult and physically demanding. Here, there are no bike park runs, only mountain trails on varied terrain. It might be hard to keep the rhythm at the rocky start-off but the forest is fast and flowing. The longest route, the King Stone Road, starts by the glacier and its 1800 m of vertical have it all: mineral landscapes, snow early in the season, very technical passages up high and a smoother ride down low. Five other bike routes start from the mid-station at 2400 m, between the moraines at the foot of La Meije and the larch forest, all converging on the bridge over the Romanche River at 1450 m. All these mountain bike trails have been shaped by local riders.

• Technical & physical level: Black
• The Téléphériques des Glaciers de la Meije in La Grave is open from mid-june to mid-september. When it opens to mountain bikers depends on how much snow there is.