Briancon MTB trail recommendations

With Les Arcs being logistically difficult whilst the funi is out of action we’ve decided to go to try Briancon area this year. I’ve been there loads boating in a past life but I’ve not biked around there.

There are the bike park options around but there look to be a load of potentially good (accessible) off piste options within the park area. Whilst I don’t mind hunting and occasionally coming up blank I’d rather improve the potential to find good trails. There look to be options to the South off the top of the lift out of Briancon itself, a route from Montgenevre back to Briancon and a ridgeline from Vars/Risoul back to Guillestre.

Has anyone ridden around there that has any suggestions of routes to hunt out?

I spent a week based the other side of the Eddie Izouard in Arvieux, and there’s some excellent riding on the doorstep there.

We did some runs around Briancon and Montgenevre, but also quite a bit heading further south, and an ace descent heading north off the Col d’Agnel (I think)

I spent 6 winters working in serre chevalier so know the valley very well for offposte touring. Always thought there would be loads of great riding to be had heading over into the parc d’ecrins and towards montgenvre. I’m sure there was a pinkbike article in the last 6 months talking about how good some parts of the area are heading south past vars
There is a company called cowshed chalets that guide in the area. Nice bloke so he might be worth a message
Always wanted to go back in summer to ride but not managed it yet!

I’ve ridden with Greg in the past, really good guide.
Greg Mtb Guide on Facebook

Steve with bike-alp.com may be able to help. We’ve stayed there twice for a week each time and the trails are amazing.

Serve Chevallier has a train network as does Montgeneve. Its all on the same lift pass too as is Les Deux Alpes up the road

Thanks all, I’ve dropped Greg a message.

We’ll be riding the bike parks as it’s the best option with the kids, the linked resort pass was part of the draw. We tend to split days so the mums and dads get out for something a bit more challenging. If we’re doing that I like to try and do a few runs in the park then find something a bit quieter on more natural trails heading out of the park. We might only get a day in the 2 weeks for a big day out I’m so trying to make sure we get good trails if we can on that day.

We’ve stayed in Vallouise for the last five years, which is just round the corner, and underneath Puy St Vincent bike park, which is relatively small, but underrated IMO, and has some excellent natural trails around it. We did a day trip to Montgenevre last year, and were a bit underwhelmed. I tried to follow one of the routes back to Briancon, but the signs and information on where the “Enduro” routes from Montgenevre actually go to/from is hopeless. Les Deux Alpes is a much better bet for a day trip.

If you want a big day out, you can start from Briancon, head up the Claree valley, then up the gravel road at the back of Granon and up to the two perched forts up at 2400m, over to the top of Granon pass, then down to Serre Chevalier, use the lifts to get up the far side, follow the red XC route to Col de Cucumelle, drop down into Vallouise, round to Les Vigneaux then off road most of the way back to Briancon.

The climb up the back of Granon is utterly brutal – over 1000m of unbroken up – but worth it for the views from the fort at the top.

Let me know if you want a GPX.

heading over into the parc d’ecrins

The above route skirts the side of the parc down into Vallouise, but you’re not allowed to ride in the park and they seem quite serious about it.

We camp near Guillestre for 3 weeks every year. The ridge from Pierre de la Homme down to the hot springs at Plan Phazy is excellent. There is great riding up in the Furfande and around the Col de Mousierre and the Bois Durat.

I have ridden off the back (north) of Granon. It is pretty remote and I didn’t see anyone all day. Also from the top of Granon, SW to the top of the Croix de Toulouse above Briancon. Usually I get the Mrs to drop me off, then I rendevous with them at the swimming pool in Briancon.

There are loads of options from PSV back into the valley too. Via Novo is one of my favourites. The trail that runs south towards Argentiere, just east of Les Tetes is pretty intense. A very different biome due to the Southerly aspect.

Last year – remember the heat – I rode up to the Refuge de Pinfol and followed the trail North to Ponteil. I was on an ebike, but the heat nearly ended me. The plummet from Ponteil to St Crepin was excellent and put me in the mood for Switchbacks at Bubion.

From the top of the Gondran at Montgenevere, there must be loads of combinations to reach Briancon. Some will be boring. some will be unridable. I’d love to have the time to explore there.

It sounds like the Col du Granon is worth trying to get up to. I’m guessing there isn’t anyone that might run bike shuttles in the area (a bit like Cool Bus in BsM)?

I think there are bike equipped buses up to Montgenevre. I don’t know about Granon. There are buses up to Lauteret too I think.

Away from the lifts, ebike is king…

The trail that runs south towards Argentiere, just east of Les Tetes is pretty intense

I’ll have to look into that one. I’ve done the one off the gravel road a bit further east, which is good, but you lose a load of height on the gravel road first.

One of my favourite routes is from the top of the PSV lift to Col de la Pousterle, down to Le Fournel, up to Col des Lauzes and then down via Fressiniere to meet the family at the lake at La Roche de Rame.

I will just add, that ALL THE BEST RIDING is in Morzine. Everyone know that.

The trail that runs south towards Argentiere, just east of Les Tetes is pretty intense

I’d seen that, it’s good to know it goes, it looked like it should but it’d be miserable to be committed to losing that much height with no easy return if it didn’t.

One of my favourite routes is from the top of the PSV lift to Col de la Pousterle, down to Le Fournel,

I’d been looking at the trail from Col de Pre Rouge into the Fournel Valley.

I haven’t ridden that trail. I have ridden past the snowmaking reservoir at the top on my way over to Pousterle, but not tried the trail down.

There are some pretty fantastic trails in the Claree Valley. Loved the path down the valley beside the river.

There is an enduro trail down from Montgenevre down to the forts in briancon called inferno* or something – it’s excellent.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/573340#interval?interval=202031&interval_type=week&chart_type=miles&year_offset=2

In the strava file above there is also one to the east of Montgenvre – this was billed as the ‘best singletrack in the world’ in my french alps mtb guide. It’s not and I wouldn’t bother. The one to the north of Montgenvre was pretty good – steep IIRC. The one down to the forts was the stand out though. I think I added it to trailforks thinking about it.

Also a couple of trails worth doing here – I think some of these were bike parks (the ones back down to the ski lift) but the long one was quite a nice back country effort.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3854268077

*infernet

Nothing to add regarding routes etc, but was anyone else disappointed this wasn’t about a convention for people called Brian…….

I don’t think doing this route would be on my list if I was heading to the Queyras this summer. Well, maybe on foot.

Err. No. I have ridden from Col de Agnel north to Abries. Incredible trails and scenery. I had my first unanticipated meeting with a Pyrenean Mountain Dog (actually 2) on that trail. I didn’t even see the sheep until the last second. They were all hiding from the heat in the woods. I was very taken aback and foolishly decided to try to outrun them. I was highly motivated, and amazingly, did. My heartrate remained elevated for a while though.

I’d been looking at the trail from Col de Pre Rouge into the Fournel Valley.

Looks worth exploring, particularly now that the 2nd PSV lift gets you to the top of it easily. Strava heatmap is only lukewarm on it, though.

Hi, anyone have the gpx to this trail from Granon? Thanks 🙂

I think it’s this one: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/col-du-granon/videos/

well they seem to be riding over a crest in the last part of the video and the Granon trail at TF basically traverses a big crest on the right side from the top…so you would get no views…but maybe it is this one…but I would say it might be this – https://www.trailforks.com/trails/entre-verdarel-et-saintbernard/

I think you’re right. It starts on the col du Granon traverse then cuts back on itself and drops through the woods down to Chantmerle.

When I first started watching the video I thought it would be this one, but they turn off fairly early and there is some techy looking descents that you don’t find on this trail.

The second link perhaps looks more accurate as mrhoppy says

must be definitely the second one 🙂 https://www.strava.com/segments/22086251 now I just need to find some time to get there 😀

Been watching this with interest. Had numerous excellent paddling skiing and climbing holidays in the area but never done any biking there.

Wondering whether there are any campsites from which you can access the mtb chairlifts.

FYI the funicular at Les Arcs is back up and running this summer.

@mrhoppy when are you there?
Well be in camping 2 glaciers from 30 july to 6 august, then Vallouise till 11 august if we can find somewhere to stay. Planning to try to do a day or two with greg and also other stuff

You about then?

<p style=”text-align: left;”>@thegeneralist that’s the same 2 weeks as us. There’s a couple of other families down week one and then 2 of us stopping for rhw 2nd week. We’re stopping in camping iscle des prelles just south of Briancon for the 2 weeks.</p>
I’ve been scoping routes away from the parks but using the lifts. Certainly be up for a bit of riding although I’ve got to manage family riding and letting the wives ride too.  I’ll ping you a pm.

I’ve been scoping routes away from the parks but using the lifts.

Mmmm yes. That’s what I’m keenest to do though i found it a nightmare in Verbier last year.

What age/ aptitude are the kids?
Ours are 15/17 and reasonable. Missus is better than she thinks she is but a bit nervous.

Sounds like you’d only be interested in a guided day sans kids, is that right?

Currently stuck in traffic on the M6 🙁

There is an enduro trail down from Montgenevre down to the forts in briancon called inferno* or something – it’s excellent

@Ewan would you be able to accept my stalking request on Strava so i can see/ search for the Montgen to Briancon route… 🙂

The link just takes me to your athlete page, which i can’t get past.

but the long one was quite a nice back country effort.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3854268077

Oooh. Can you give me any more info on this? Just tracing it on the IGN map and it looks mega.
Is it very hard, or would very competent intermediates like it?

FFS…!

We’ve stayed in Vallouise for the last five years, which is just round the corner, and underneath Puy St Vincent bike park, which is relatively small, but underrated IMO, and has some excellent natural trails around it

You’ve now given away my “best kept secret” &, if I was to win lottery, likely retirement destination…😂

I absolutely love Vallouise; I haven’t been for a few years but it’s just a lovely quiet alpine village, with a few good restaurants & bars, all surrounded by some seriously dramatic landscape. Within the French press, Puy St Vincent has also been voted top French ski resort for young families umpteen times.

@mrhoppy ….
My phone died !
We did col de granon…. Amazing. The naughty bit down the cliff in front of the fort right at the end is just ridiculous. Switchback tastic.

Thinking of going back up Granon on Friday but heading left.

Looking at montgenevre and l’ infernet for Thursday if I can make the busses work.

Right, biddov additional info.

The Col de Granon to Briancon route is brilliant. 
https://strava.app.link/Xq786U9YpCb
Really good.  Not very tricky, but with a few risky bits.  We did a shuttle with https://www.taxicimes.fr but TBH they were a bit shit.  Turned up with a really shit brand new road bike rack, which I had to fit and fiddle to try to get it working.  It rotated on the towball on the first junction and I spent the whole journey terrified the bikes were gone.  (It was also way too narrow and the wheels weren’t really on the slots) 50 Euros

We later did the same shuttle but with the guy from Sportrent in Chantmerle https://goo.gl/maps/2AnVb6ozK1VFHbUD7  in his pickup.  Just as stressful as he forced his way up the hill (causing at least one collision) but at least our bikes weren’t going to fall off! (64 Euros this time, but worth the extra)

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When you do the fire road uphill near the end, make sure you go all the way to the building and don’t drop down the signposted path to the right. Though it is brilliant, it’s wrong and you’ll need to retrace.

The next bit is amazing. Bit rockier and more hairpins.

You get spat out at a fort above the Briancon road. Turn right and go down the fire road. We went left and searched out an insanely steep path directly below the fort. Although it is one of the best bits of trail in the world, it is directly above the road and any dislodged stuff will be going through people’s windscreens. Shame though.

Serre Che bike park…

It’s ok but not amazing.  In the end I think I only actually rode there one day.  Although there are lifts and trails at Monetier, what they keep schtumm about is the fact that the lifts only run 5 times a day.  Big dissapointment.  We did the marked trails at Chantmerle which were great fun but not too extensive.  Would have like to try some off piste but didn’t get time.

Next day me and the boys went to 2 Alpes.  Took us bloody ages to get sorted, like 11am start, but still managed 7,000m of descent.  Great day.  Eldest son scared us shitless by randomly deciding to run one of the jumps on the black.  It was utterly terrifying to watch as he bottomed out the suspension on his 115mm Giant XC bike, lost his waterbottle, but somehow managed to hold it together through the landing.

Great run down to Venosc, superb.  I wanted to do the black enduro but didn’t as we would have been seriously late back to Briancon.  (\we were anyway)

Next day was rest day, so me and the kids kayaked the Upper Guisanne.  Brilliant fun.  Loads of carnage and laughs.

Then Balcon de Serre Chevalier (from Col de Granon summit again).  Alas we followed the incorrect map on this site https://www.stylealtitude.com/mtb-vtt-cycling-briancon-serre-chevalier.html , instead of the markers on the trail and ended up missing out big chunks.  Still good though, especially the last bit to Monetier.

https://strava.app.link/yuwF5Qe1pCb

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Next day the missus took Son1 on some dodgy Via Ferrata at Serre Che and me and the wean headed up to Montgenevre with the dude from SportRent.  Think it was 40 Euros.  There is also a bus, but we couldn’t be arsed with the stress.

https://strava.app.link/AOanOmy1pCb

TBH Montgenevre is (as Mr Hoppy did point out to me) a bit shit.  It really was a ghost town and the bike park was woeful.  There were about 6 or 7 nice jumps scattered about and a few nice sections but the whole package was really lacking.  Much of the green and blue routes were just pegs marked in the meadows to delineate artificial curves.  There was a swathe of flattened grass zigzagging down the hill.  No berms or trail or anything, so easier just to straightline down the middle.

We ended up pushing back up the few good bits repeatedly rather than doing the dross and using the lifts.  Anyway, the wean tried to teach me to jump, which passed the day nicely… and somehow we racked up another 4000m vertical before the main course…

..we did the Infernet down to Briancon, which was immense.  The kid had been ambivalent about it beforehand but totally got in the zope and just went for it.  Will try to get the Go_Pro footage edited at some point.

Infernet – utterly brilliant.

Beers and food in Briance before catching the 551 Navette back to Monetier with the bikes.  Big kudos to the lovely woman in Monetier touristinfo who booked that for us.

Only one crap photo

then shifted to Ailefroide, which is still one of my favourite places on earth.  Utterly beautiful, though insanely busy these days.

Did some lovely slab climbing, and some bouldering,

and the two Klettersteig at the Gorges de Ailefroide.   The first one was mellow and mobbed.  the second one not so much…

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fabulous.

Then PSV bike park.

Really good after the dross at Montgenevre.  Did the ‘Enduro’ descent from the top lift down to Argentier La Besse.  Very nice.

https://strava.app.link/tWNYyIS2pCb

…we did a second day at PSV, but it involved too many crashes and helicopters to be particularly noteworthy.  Luckily it was some random my son hitched up with in the helicopter rather than us.

Soon after lunch I had one of those trains of thought…

I’m tired.

We’ve done something utterly hectic every day for the last 2 weeks (apart from travel days)

We’ve averaged 5,000m per day on our skilift days

I’m 51

I’m tired

Then about a second later I had that horrible flying, thinking, worrying, landing, crunching, assessing, as I hit the deck, chinguard, shoulder, elbow, arse etc

I was fine apart from some big scratches and grazes, but totally gubbed.  So we packed up and went home, via bleau..

TLDR; Briancon and area is amazeballs.  Not so great for bike park, but some brilliant natural trails and the best bouldering, klettersteig and whitewater around

go there