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Welcome to the Diois and its maze of singletrack nestled between the Drôme Provençale to the south and the Vercors to the north, in the foothills of the Southern Alps! Sunflower and lavender fields, pine forests, vineyards, crystal clear rivers, and beautiful old villages let us know we're not far from Provence, while the mighty cliffs of the Vercors remind us that we're already in the Alps… A quiet, unspoilt area literally teaming with superb mountain bike trails. It's no coincidence that the founder of France Bike Trips chose the area as his home some 15 years ago. Discover the Diois and let him take you on a tour of the area’s best singletrack!
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is fixed on day 1 at 10am at Die SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous night's accommodation for you in Die.
We welcome you at the train station in Die and head straight off on the bikes. The stage is set for our tour, with the massive cliffs of the Vercors and Glandasse overlooking the valley of Die. We take the time to visit Die and its charming narrow streets, before heading into the foothills of the Vercors towards Châtillon-en-Diois. The distinct smell of the local pine forests reminds us we're in the south, while the vineyards evoke the local sparkling Clairette de Die... We get our first taste of the playful singletrack trails the region is famous for. Our route takes us past the impressive 12th century Abbaye de Valcroissant, as well as several traditional stone villages before arriving in Chatillon-en-Diois, a medieval village nestled at the foot of the Vercors cliffs. The village is full of superb stone houses, narrow alleys and beautiful gardens that make for a pleasant evening stroll on arrival.
Distance covered: approx. 22 km / Altitude gain: approx. 550 m
To begin today’s route we follow the River Bez upstream to the beginning of the Gorges des Gats, before tackling the first climb of the day, which leads us to the abandoned village of L’Eglise: the ruins testify to the scale of village life here, despite being so remote (bread oven, well, fountain…). A superb descent takes us back down to the valley, before a mix of backroads, wide tracks and singletrack lead us to Menée and on to the village of Les Nonnières and Benevise where the architecture is a reminder that the high Alps are close by. A great final descent takes us to the magnificent Cirque d'Archiane. Our overnight stop is in the village of the same name, surrounded by high cliffs that are home to chamois, ibex and nesting vultures.
Distance covered: approx. 28 km / Altitude gain: approx. 950 m
We leave the cliffs of Archiane behind us and descend to the village of Menée, before making our way to Chatillon on a mix of quiet roads and forest tracks. From the medieval village of Chatillon we take a fun singletrack trail along the Bez River, tributary of the Drôme. We join the Drôme River on a route through pine forests, vineyards, walnut plantations, pastures and lavender fields, before following a quiet backroad to Die that overlooks the river and offers superb views of the Glandasse. We then make our way through the small streets and lanes of Die, endpoint of our tour.
Distance covered: approx. 30 km / Altitude gain: approx. 200 m
Itinerary end: The trip ends in Die at around 4pm. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in Die.
Distance and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is fixed on day 1 at 10am at Die SNCF railway station. On request we can book the previous night's accommodation for you in Die.
We welcome you at the train station in Die and head straight off on the bikes. The stage is set for our tour, with the massive cliffs of the Vercors and Glandasse overlooking the valley of Die. We take the time to visit Die and its charming narrow streets, before heading into the foothills of the Vercors towards Châtillon-en-Diois. The distinct smell of the local pine forests reminds us we're in the south, while the vineyards evoke the local sparkling Clairette de Die... We get our first taste of the playful singletrack trails the region is famous for. Our route takes us past the impressive 12th century Abbaye de Valcroissant, as well as several traditional stone villages before arriving in Chatillon-en-Diois, a medieval village nestled at the foot of the Vercors cliffs. The village is full of superb stone houses, narrow alleys and beautiful gardens that make for a pleasant evening stroll on arrival.
Distance covered: approx. 22 km / Altitude gain: approx. 550 m
To begin today’s route we follow the River Bez upstream to the beginning of the Gorges des Gats, before tackling the first climb of the day, which leads us to the abandoned village of L’Eglise: the ruins testify to the scale of village life here, despite being so remote (bread oven, well, fountain…). A superb descent takes us back down to the valley, before a mix of backroads, wide tracks and singletrack lead us to Menée and on to the village of Les Nonnières and Benevise where the architecture is a reminder that the high Alps are close by. A great final descent takes us to the magnificent Cirque d'Archiane. Our overnight stop is in the village of the same name, surrounded by high cliffs that are home to chamois, ibex and nesting vultures.
Distance covered: approx. 28 km / Altitude gain: approx. 950 m
We leave the cliffs of Archiane behind us and descend to the village of Menée, before making our way to Chatillon on a mix of quiet roads and forest tracks. From the medieval village of Chatillon we take a fun singletrack trail along the Bez River, tributary of the Drôme. We join the Drôme River on a route through pine forests, vineyards, walnut plantations, pastures and lavender fields, before following a quiet backroad to Die that overlooks the river and offers superb views of the Glandasse. We then make our way through the small streets and lanes of Die, before joining our accommodation.
Distance covered: approx. 30 km / Altitude gain: approx. 200 m
For this 4th and final day we make the most of the network of tracks and quiet backroads that surround the town of Die. Our route takes us to the pretty valley of Romeyer, before climbing to the Col de Romeyer, under the watchful eye of the imposing Glandasse Cliffs. We descend to the village of Chamaloc, before attacking another climb to join the pretty stone village of Marignac. From here we make our way back to Die, where several café terraces offer the opportunity for some well-earned refreshment.
Distance covered: approx. 25 km / Altitude gain: approx. 450 m
Itinerary end: The trip ends in Die at around 4pm. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in Die.
Distance and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
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