Looking like we'll be holidaying in Sauve this year, on the edge of the Cevennes national park. I reckon I can get a couple of days pass to get out on the bike so have been looking at the riding in the area. Ideally, due to lack of time and ease I'd want to ride waymarked trails. The nearest ones are at the Salagou centre.
Has anyone ridden here? There are colour coded trails but I can't find any information about what the trails are like. Wondering how technical the trails are. Do the grading systems compare to the UK, or are they based purely on distance and amount of climbing?
Any other suggestions for riding in the area?
Holidayed n the region on a couple of occasions, nearer Ales first time and then closer to Millau. The geography is really impressive. The Causses are great limestone plateaus separated by gorges and tarns. They are situated to the north and west. You are in the southern end which is more conventional mountains. Randonneering trails criss-cross the whole areas. The long distance/ major routes have low numbers, while the local spin offs have higher values. Most of the trails were fairly manicured, even high up and easy to navigate, although a did have a Satmap. Big days out in high temperatures covering several valleys and a few miles was the norm for me. Did not find that much single track type riding (esp from Ales), which is not to say that it does not exist. Often very steep and covered in bush apart from the designated routes. Really nice place though. Did not get to any of the VTT centres but sure there will be videos online and probably a bit more tech.
Thanks for the info. Hoping for a bit more tech, but not found any videos as yet.
Look on Strava too, helped me find good trails last year in the Pyrenees
I wrote this the time before last that we went out (rode them all again last summer too)
Looks like it's just the kind of info you're after...
ask away in here if you want any more info.
Some great trails around Florac & Bedoues, St Enimie, Lozere & Pont Du Montvert and Genholac
Some I have mapped on Strava when I lived there, others I have as highlighted lines on IGN maps.
Hard hard work in the summer with the heat though, but a swim in the Tarn come the end made up for it.
Great report Stoner, thanks for the link. Any chance either of you have any gpx files or links that you could point me to on Strava? (email in profile)
If you only had one or two days for riding, which rides/areas would you do?
Is it worth taking the full sus (Orange 5), or would it be wasted there?
no gpx/strava from me im afraid. Si might have some by the look of it. Im strictly old skool hence the gridrefs and map No.s in my thread.
I've only ridden around Florac in the heart of the cevennes/Tarn so I wouldnt know other areas. That's where we stayed. So cant comment on other parts of the national park.
There's more than enough fun to be had on an HT, especially if you might also need to pootle to the shops etc. There are some bigger gnarlier routes towards millau I gather, but that's a long way from Suave.
I am from Millau, some great riding there.
Salagou is ok. Go round the lake.
Lots of riding from Mont Aigoual, there is an hotel restaurant in l Esperou where they rent bikes and the owner is a vtt rider.
When I lived in Millau, my grandad drove us to Mont aigoual and it was an afternoon of downhills back to Millau with a swim in the Dourbie.
Thanks, I'll have to check out Milau - don't mind driving a couple of hours to get to the trails.
@cchris2lou - do you know what the black trails north of the lake at Salagou are like
([url= http://vttyon.free.fr/salagou/carte_VTT ]these ones[/url]).
And Google Salamandre Fat bikes, the guy is called Yann, he is located somewhere in the Ardeche and he knows the local trails very well.
If you go to Millau,you need to do the descente ravin de saint veran( on Strava) .locals will know it as descente du moulin.
Sorry haven't ridden there in 15 years. The area is very rocky.
Rocky is good 🙂
The nearest waymarked trails to Sauve would be Uzès or Sommieres.
[url= http://uzesveloclub.fr/traces-des-12-parcours-balises/les-12-parcours-balises-duzes-et-de-luzege-signaliser-par-uzesveloclub-homologues-ffc/ ]http://uzesveloclub.fr/traces-des-12-parcours-balises/les-12-parcours-balises-duzes-et-de-luzege-signaliser-par-uzesveloclub-homologues-ffc/[/url]
[url= http://www.ot-sommieres.fr/download.php?lng=fr ]http://www.ot-sommieres.fr/download.php?lng=fr[/url]
Salagou is fun enough alright,as it has its own very particular geology.
Right then <rolls up sleeves>
Sauve is actually really nicely placed for lots of good riding. Clockwise from the north :
The Cevennes - miles and miles of steep-sided valleys, forgotton trails and steep cols. Nothing marked up, but following a GPS trace would be a fabulous day out. Great place for road riding if you're into that, from Sauve you can easily do some of the southern cols in a 2hr ride (Col du Lac, Col de l'Asclier, etc).
Sommieres/Vaunage - the hills just north of Calvisson and Caveirac, east of Nimes. At the risk of repeating myself : http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-ridden-near-sommieres-southern-france
North of Montpellier - The wooded hills just north of Clapiers have a good selection of singletrack, fireroads and Strava segments (like this one https://www.strava.com/segments/1600339 )
Pic St Loup - The big mountain between Montpellier and Sauve. If you only have the chance to do one ride in the area (and it's not too hot) then the tour of the Pic is great. An example route is here : http://www.utagawavtt.com/randonnee-vtt-gps.php?topo=7531 (But be a bit careful following GPS tracks from "Randos" as they are from organised events that sometimes cross private land that was open for the event only)
The Gardiole - hills north of Frontignan. Lots of trails and Strava segments (like this one https://www.strava.com/segments/5932296 ) Bigger version of the Bois de Clapiers, near the sea.
Pézénas/Salagou - You already found one of the maps for this area, there's another for the trails further south on this page : http://www.vtt-salagou.com/decouvrir/circuits-et-plans/ Around Salagou is very popular, and around the lake itself there's some unique red earth terrain. The basic tour of the lake is OK (not at all technical apart from some fun swoopy trails on the north side), but can be spiced up a lot by doing loops into the hills. There's a big organised event that does this - you can add or drop loops as you go along. There are GPS files available on their page here http://www.salagoumania.fr/modules/Circuits_2014/content.php?topic=static&id=26&page=circuit-ultra-2014
I haven't actually ridden the black loops near Lodeve, sorry.
St Guilhem and Mt St Baudille - St Guilhem is worth a touristy visit anyway, but there are some good rides around the back of the big cirque behind the village. There are a handful of marked routes : http://www.saintguilhem-valleeherault.fr/_objets/medias/autres/affiche-topo-vtt-espace-vallee-de-l-herault-69.pdf but some of the best riding goes up the back of the cirque. Next valley over has Mont St Baudille with some very spicy descents. Things like this or this:
http://www.utagawavtt.com/randonnee-vtt-gps.php?topo=4693
http://www.utagawavtt.com/randonnee-vtt-gps.php?topo=2300
Mt Aigoual - The weather station/museum on the top is good, and there's some good long forest loops around L'Esperou. A really good option if it's seriously hot nearer the coast. Good road bike climbs up to the top.
So, I'd say that the FFC sites are OK (but not the best trails), Utagawavtt will give you a good idea of where to do longer rides (but watch out for private land) and Strava can show you the best little sections of trail.
That should get you going. Just don't ask about the rock climbing or I'll be here all day!
I'm down near Montpellier, and may be able to meet up if I'm around (but I'm very XC, so you'd have to wait for me after the descents). OCrider on here is down near the Gardiole and knows that whole side better than me, (although I haven't seen him online for a while).
Edit: ooo he's up there ^^^^
Just bookmarking, as my parents live on the edge of the Cevennes
Yep, what he said ^^^
Waymarked trails are all good and well to get your bearings, but aren't going to show you the best stuff on offer.
Currently I'm lurking 10 minutes drive from the south side of Salagou, but I still haven't done the black loops up north either.
Fantastic information, cheers all. Looks like I'm going to have to venture away from waymarked stuff to find what I'm after.
What degree of gnar are you looking for ?
timb34 - you, sir, are a legend!
Those routes on utagawavtt.com near Mont St. Baudille look perfect. Many thanks.
@ocrider - moderate gnar desired! I'll be on my own so nothing too ridiculous. I guess something equivalent in technicality to UK trail centre red/black routes.
St Baudille and St Guilhem:
(Although they've cut out the climbing!)
🙂 love it.
I don't know if riding down the fenestrettes (2min30 ish) is the done thing during the tourist season due to the amount of walkers heading up it from St Guilhem, but it's a fantastic view from the top. There are no points to fill bottles around there, so bring as much liquid as you can carry.
Qtip, you'll enjoy that stuff and if you have a look song the Internet a bit more, you should find similar trails above Anduze, Alès and everywhere in between.