I’m heading over to France for two weeks in early September, but a knackered knee means that I can only ride more ‘undulating’ xc-type terrain, so the steep mountains of the alps are out.

I’ve been having a look ar some of the ffc / vtt sites, but it’s difficult to get an idea of the terrain – so has anyone got any suggestions / insider knowledge of good areas for rolling hillsides with smooth(ish!) singletrack? Was wondering if there was anything suitable in the Brittany / Massif Central / Limousin areas?

Another option would be more mountainous areas with lifts – but there would need to be open in early September (most I’ve found seem to close on the 31st August)

Any help much appraciated 🙂

I’ve heard there stuff around Brittany and Normandy which is flowing woodsy stuff, can’t remember anymore details than that.

BTW, did you decide on visiting the south, south west for riding next week?

Hi Sharki – not sure about next week – I got overcome with enthusiasm last tuesday (the sun was out!) and headed out for a long ride over the Carneddi mountains – I’ve been hobbling around ever since so no riding for a while (it was worth it though – absolutely fab ride – if you’re ever in Snowdonia let me know cos it much better than the FC trails if you like wilderness, views, wild ponies and deserted tracks across mountains)

I do really want to head down to the Q’s though – and have booked a week off at the start of August to head south, so maybe catch up with you then?

Yeah resting sounds a better plan, wish i could rest more when injured, last time i tore my knee ligs was last August B’hol on the first of 3 days riding in the peaks..so put gears on the bike and battled on, major thigh pump down Jacobs ladder was mildly humorous..lol

I’ve only ridden in Snowdonia once and that was up a trail called Llanberis and down Rangers path.

Was looking over the map the other day when a friend was doing the wales C2C..
So much wild riding to do…but will need to go back to using gears i think…

I might be around for the very begining of August, but may need to be in Scotland at some stage too, certainly around the 14th.

I did some riding in Limousin and really liked it. Also gorge du tarn which was a bit more Gnarly but didn’t scare me – and I’m easily scared

IIRC the town we were based at was St mathieu (du lac??)

camped at a campsite just outside the town – there was a noticeboard in the town with the routes on it. Alledgedly good riding around Cusac ( again IIRC) but we didn’t try it Click pic for more

Morvan

http://www.morvan.com/information/bicycles/bicyclette.htm

http://www.26×2.fr/

We stayed near Montbard in Burgundy – fantastic area – and drove across to Morvan for the biking – there is enough classic XC there to keep you entertained for a long time

Well it would help if you had an idea of where you’ll go…

You can go to the alps without going DH or having massive gradient.

Yah I am off soon to my pad in Limousin about 10 miles from St Mathieu

There is alot of easy riding in the area with alot of waymarked trails but I have not realy had time to explore ( fuggin diy but I will get 2 hrs a day riding this time)

TJ I will have a look at Cussac and the Gorge du tarne ta for that

Give Stratobiker a shout from this forum he lives over there

cheers all – some good suggestions there to follow up – I’ve also had a look at the Alsace region http://www.tourisme-alsace.com/en/cyclotourisme-et-vtt-en/ if anyone has been there?

Juan – I know I seem a bit vague – probably becuase at the moment I am – I’ll driving across (so either from calais area or Caen) heading in the direction of the mountains to meet up with a friend who lives over there. I had though of heading for Chamonix as the lifts there are still open in the first week of september. My knee injury means that I’m now looking for places en route that have good biking in more undulating terrain – but searching in google for ‘the best spots in france for riding with a slightly knackered knee’ isn’t that useful so I thought I’d ask the oracle that is STW 🙂

if your going through caen, stop off at domfront and ride the vtt trails in that area, or if calais charleville-mezieres is at the bottom off a 85k long valley, with a flat ravel along the side of the river from there going to givet on the belgium border , i have a bad back for 4 months and have to be carefull so i picked this location and got back from a week in givet last night, the valley has 20 graded trails leading off the ravel along its route, and just over the border in belgium around doitche is a ravel going to dinant this had 15 trails going around farms and country lanes leading of it all was excellent for someone in the amount of pain i am in as some days i could ride on the flat along the river on a great tarmaced path and some days ride some of the lower graded off road trails, in the last 4 months i have done 200 miles with my back but last week road 8 days in a row and did 241 miles and eat a lot of cake!!

we rode a few of the GRs in the Jura region a few years ago, they were mostly pretty gentle and the scenery is pretty nice. fairly quiet area as well (very few English).

I second the jura/voges area (plus lots of wineyards).

I don’t know what troubles you with your knee, but even in the rocky/steep south alps, you can make some nice and long ride with a little gradient.

There is plenty of place to stop from north to south specially if you want to do casual riding (XC IS riding around a muddy field)

Hope it helps

Sue,

I live in Basel, very close to the Vosges. I know the area well and can give you a fair bit of route advice…. There’s great singletrack, i.e. interesting riding, but it’s gentle compared to the alps. Also it’s pretty cheap for accommodation and food. Let me know by email if you want more info… sapaudia AT gmail DOT com

Ash

Hi Sue,
I’m in the Haute Vienne department of the Limousin.
There’s some fabulous riding here ranging from easy rolling to ball breaking hard. Give me a shout if you need some pointers here…

Click pic for more of our area…

Though, if you have a ‘knackered knee’, why not bring a road bike and ride on the virtually traffic free roads here. I can even find a bunch of blokes to go riding with!!!!

SB

Though, if you have a ‘knackered knee’, why not bring a road bike and ride on the virtually traffic free roads here. I can even find a bunch of blokes to go riding with!!!!

BURN THE WHITCH!!!!!!!!!

BTW how was the fiesta yesterday.

juan,
ha ha, very funny. 🙂

The fiesta was superb, though I was a little to tired to enjoy it.
I did a VTT Rando in the morning – they’re not supposed to be a race, but they always seem to turn into one – and I was a little tired.

SB

Mince was good despite the rain and the british old girls telling me to stop kissing the girl 😉

You can go to the alps without going DH

do you get the chairlift back down?