[Closed] Mont Thabor

Bump, to see if I have more luck today.

We rode around Mt Thabor and south of Briancon a few years ago. There's good Pistes de VTT between the main GR5 col at Thabor (you can see the hut path from near the col) and Briancon, we rode from Forneaux over the col by the hut and descended towards Briancon.
Look up the Thabor hut and the Lac Rond on Google earth. Follow the path S from the col SW then SE as it descends - a cracking decent - then you'll see a y-junction and car park as the path turns to a road. On the left of that road on the E side of the valley is a piste VTT that descends the whole valley Etroite, it's a peach. From there ride you can ride up the road col D1T and look for another VTT track on the left after the col that takes you towards Plampinet / Vallee Claree, alongside the river once it hits the valley base.
There's loads there, that's just what we found by taking whatever looked good as we headed towards Briancon.
The Ecrins is out of bounds for bikes but if you were to stay with Alpsun http://www.alpsun.com/mtbbike_en.htm for a night or 3 you'd find some good riding. No lifts but a great area.

Also look up 'descente VTT Thabor' on you tube, there's a popular DH route off the top.

Thanks for the info, I'll translate that to the map shortly. Did you enjoy it, we love the Claree - so picturesque?

It was great, a good part of one of the best rides I've ever done. Trails themselves were good in the way many are but the area and the approach to riding and exploring was a great mix.

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That's the Thabor hut near lac Rond in the distance. I must've really enjoyed the trails after the col as I've not got any pics fronm then until we camped out by the river in the Claree valley that evening.

Evening,

I haven't cycled at Mont Thabor but I've climbed it as we holiday each summer at Aussois just up the valley. VTT is forbidden in most of the parc de Vanoise ( http://www.vanoise-parcnational.fr/), which is fine by me as all the hikers go there leaving us free to cycle in fabulous tranquility all around it! If you're XC minded there is the annual TransMarienne ( http://www.vanoise-parcnational.fr/), which can be done at several levels of competition; top ranks include world champions and it was impressive (and depressing) watching them sprint up an Alp this August. It's a stunning area of the Alps, I don't think you could go wrong really.

Gaidong