Mountain Bike Trails in Provence — 14 of Our Favourites

Beginning at the source of the Verdon river the initial sections of the route are probably some of the most demanding and technical, although not entirely aimed at expert riders, this is not a route to take on as beginner to mountain biking. You need to be comfortable with long ascents as well as steep, rocky and technical descents. At 260km this is an endurance route so a certain level of fitness and training is required. The route is way marked and has been graded by the F.F.C. (Federaton Francaise de Cyclisme), detailed guides and maps, plus suggested itineraries are available.

Significant parts of the route are at high altitude, which give the rider a chance to experience the beautiful lakes that are situated at over 2,400m. This altitude does also mean that the route is impassable during the winter, with snow often above 1,000m, and it is not advisable to take on the route during the summer months with temperatures reaching over 25 degrees Celsius. Spring and Autumn are the best times to ride and enjoy the Trans Verdon, but it is always advisable to check with local tourist offices regarding the snow cover in early Spring.

In contrast to the technical and high altitude start of the route in the Alps of the Haute Provence region, the latter sections from Sainte-Croix to the spa town of Greoux-les-Bains are easier and filled with gentle rolling paths, lake sides paths, forest tracks and lots of beautiful villages for those much needed ice cream and coffee stops!

• Distance : 260km
• Time : 6 days
• Vertical Ascent : 8,380m
• Vertical Descent : 1,0455m

The French Cycling Federation have waymarked the trails here and they are graded for bikers from very easy, to easy, difficult and very difficult, depending one the terrain, the length and technical aspects of the circuits. They are all available to look at online or on the maps provided at the bike park.

From blue runs all the way through to double black trails for the experienced riders, this park is for people of all levels of riding. Conditions in this part of France allow the centre to be open almost all year round, with no closure during the normal 'low seasons'.

An uplift service is available via vehicles with trailers to transport you to the top of the trails. The trails have been compared to those of Whistler and the Coast gravity Park, with good flow, great shape and prefect berms.

All this just a two hour drive from the biggest city in Southern France, Nice.

Ending in the large walled town Manosque in the heart of the Haute Provence region after six days of fantastic riding and amazing scenery this is an endurance ride that any mountain biking enthusiast should not miss. After crossing Alpine meadows at over 2,000m in altitude, the route follows the Ubaye river, coming close to the famous Serre-Poncon lake, before a climb up to Col Bas at 2,113m. With the high altitude lakes around the Seyne area the scenery does not disappoint as it leads through Europe's largest geological reserve and on to the dark landscapes of the Terres Noires. Moving on to the spa town of Digne-les-Bains and the Durance rivers the natural Provence singletrack that makes this area such a favourite with mountain bikers, continues into the Lure mountains and Forcalquier and the Luberon.

Fully checked and way marked this 'grande traverse' really has it all - challenging but fun paths, mountains, cols, lakes, rivers, rural villages and unspoilt valleys, fields of lavender and a great climate to boot.

• Distance : 300km
• Time : 6 days
• Vertical Ascent : 9,250m
• Vertical Descent : 1,0820m

With 550km of marked trails this area around Chateau-Arnoux boasts some of the most beautiful biking spots on the South of France. Circuits varying in difficulty between 400m and 1400m, above sea level so offering plenty of opportunity for good long climbs as well as fun and fast descents.

These have been graded and way-marked by the F.F.C. (Federation Francaise de Cyclisme) - more information and GPS data can be found on their website.

Due to the mild climate this area is open and accessible all year round making it the perfect destination for those out of season breaks.

The Montclar Bike Park has chairlift access throughout the summer that gives you not only some great mountain biking trails but also a fantastic 360 degree view over the Serre-Poncon lake and the Ecrins mountain range.

The six seater chairlift takes you to a height of 1,950m and offers 600m of descent on a variety of DH trails - graded from green, blue and red to several sections of black.

Open from the end of May, the chairlift runs daily from June until September 10:00 to 17:00.

Map of DH trails and enduro circuits.

The area may not be huge and has a vertical descent of only 300m but the trails are well made and fun to ride. With gondola access up to 2,000m to the start of the DH trails, plus all the unmarked and natural tracks that make up the fantastic freeride area this small resort has a lot to offer.

The black DH trails are intense, quick, demanding and require good technical skill, but there are also less demanding red and blue runs which are great introduction to downhill riding. The green trail is a wide, playful track that offers a chance for the family to explore the terrain together. With the addition of the bike park, pump track and junior pump track and many workshops available this is a good destination for the more adventurous families.

Throughout July and August, the gondola is open daily from 09:15 - 17:00. Trail map available here.

If you decide to take on this route yourself you need to be prepared to navigate yourself a path, arrange accommodation and carry all your belongings...and take on this endurance bike ride to boot! There are also some options to have a fully guided and vehicle supported trip which takes away the pressure of planning and means you can concentrate on enjoying the riding, the scenery and the achievement! The Trans Provence organisers themselves offer the proper race route as a guided but non-competitive trip. Otherwise the route is not way-marked or sign posted in anyway so make sure you have some good maps handy to plan out your route and navigate your way through this fantastic area of France.

Starting in the beautiful town of Sisteron, situated on the banks of the River Durance, you can enjoy the history of the 'Gateway to Provence' before beginning the journey south to the coastal town of Menton. But get prepared for day two...more up than down, this will get the blood pumping and test out your lung power as you make your way up into the Haute Verdon. Making your way from there between the Rhone and Var basins you will traverse the southern part of the Mercantour National Park and eventually reach the Tinee valley at Saint Saveur. With two thirds of the route complete you can look forward to the last two days of riding in the Southern Maritime Alps and stretching those downhill muscles on the famous trails of Sospel before the final descent to the Mediterranean coastal town of Menton.

• Distance : 292km
• Time : 6 days
• Vertical Ascent : 8,355m
• Vertical Descent : 1,4731m

• Total distance 31 km
• Ascent 800 m
• Descent 800 m
• Max Altitude 518 m
• Average duration 3 hours

With itineraries to suit all abilities there is no better way to see this region and the landscape than on a bike. Varying routes means that there is a trail to suit everyone. These have been graded and way-marked by the F.F.C. (Federation Francaise de Cyclisme) - more information and GPS data can be found on their website.

Access to the trails is via a drag lift, so you have to be confident to stand on your pedals on the way up.

There are three downhill tracks, a pumptrack area and a skills centre or practise area.

The downhill trails have some north shore sections, berms and table tops. There is a green graded trail, a blue and a red for the more advanced riders, so the bike park is accessible to beginners as well as those with more experience.

The minimum age limit is 10 years old, and full face helmets and gloves must be worn.

Great resort for technical single track or to put in some winter downhill training. There’s a bike-park, a year round downhill trail and some graded XC trails making up a total of 150km of riding.

The year-round mild climate and low rainfall make great conditions for mountain biking. With loads more quality riding in the vicinity, not to mention across the border in Italy, this is a must-do trip when the weather is miserable back home.

Due to the geology and natural terrain of the area you will find that it is a mix of nice easy climbs on forest tracks and technical rocky singletrack descents. But not suitable for beginners. The network of 150km waymarked trails from green to black has been created by the FFC.

Due to the mild climate the area is open all year round for mountain biking, with many of the trails originating in the ancient Roman town of Greoux les Bains. The thermal baths and hot springs are just one more reason to base you biking holiday in this area!

Trail maps (like this) are available from the local tourist office, giving details of the green, blue, red and black trails. These have been graded and way-marked by the F.F.C. (Federation Francaise de Cyclisme) - more information and GPS data can be found on their website.

Situated in the Alpes de Haute Provence, between Digne-les-Bains and the Lac de Serre-Ponçon, Seyne is classified as "Station Verte de Vacances et Villages de Neige" and has been called "a little piece of Switzerland lost in the sun of Provence."

With the help of slopestyle, freeride and DH pro rider, Robin Chauvin, the trails at Le Grand Puy have been developed with sheer enjoyment in mind. Good for all levels of mountain biker, the varied runs give a good introduction to DH trails, as well as keeping the experts happy on the black run named 'The Committed', where they say "at the first corner you'll understand".

In addition to the downhill trails there is a pump track of banked turns, bumps and small jumps, aimed at helping improve technique and skill.

Open from the end of May, the chairlift runs each weekend from June until September 10:00 to 17:00, with additional opening on Thursday and Fridays in high season, July and August.