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MTB and Cycling in Oisans |
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Discover all the events for the 2008 season!
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MTB and Cycling in Oisans |
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Discover all the events for the 2008 season!
Freeride trail
Leave one car in Bourg-d’Oisans and drive up to Alpe-d’Huez in another... or else cycle up there! The 21 switchbacks (14.45 km, with a height gain of 1 121 m), made famous by the Tour de France, are waiting for you. The record to beat is that set by Pantani in 1997: 37 min 35 sec with a 23.08 km/h average... “bon courage” with the crampons! In the high season, you also have the option of cycling to Allemont, where you can catch a shuttle bus back up to Alpe-d’Huez.
This great downhill route is for semi-experienced cyclists looking to perfect their technique. The first part, the ‘Combe du Bras’, is excellent terrain for learning to position the wheels. The steepness of the trail means that you never go too fast, so falling off would not be a major disaster. You will learn to tackle the tree section at the end of the route, together with two technical bends that finish with a nice ride. The ‘Forêt de l’Ours’ part , is fast and fun, with a series of sliding bends. Beware of leaves of the ground that may be covering roots or branches.
For your picnic, stop off at the cheese dairy in Villard-Reculas to buy some little fresh goats cheeses!
Take the ‘Chemin panoramique’ that leads off from the car park belonging to the apartment block ‘Le Saint-Laurent’ above the post office in Alpe-d’Huez. Follow this path to the edge of the forest of the ‘Combe du Bras’ - a gnarled tree trunk hangs over the trail (mind your head) - and carry on down the ridge towards the village of Huez. The upper part of the ‘Combe du Bras’ is on rather slippery earth switchbacks. Watch out for roots on the straight sections. Lower down, the terrain becomes stony and technical - a number of steps make this spectacular route even more exciting. The entire Romanche valley, in all its glory, unfolds before your wheels.
You come out onto the Huez - Villard-Reculas tarmac road. Turn right and cycle the 3 km to Villard-Reculas. The road daringly overhangs the entire Bourg-d’Oisans plain and has wonderful view points. Once in Villard-Reculas, turn left 100 m after the ‘Mairie’ (town hall), following signs to the ‘Forêt de l’Ours’. Take care not to frighten the cows!
The ‘Forêt de l’Ours’ is a lovely, really fast 4 km woodland descent. Sometimes straightforward and sometimes a teaser, this route (one of the finest downhills in the area) is really fun! The trail comes out onto a track: turn left to cycle the short distance along the dike to Bourg-d’Oisans. If going to Allemont, turn right and cycle along the flat road for 7 km.
The panoramic views over the Taillefer, Belledonne and Écrins mountains.
Like so many other Oisans villages, Villard-Reculas suffered from a rural exodus and virtually disappeared in the 1970s. It was then that local representatives and inhabitants turned to tourism but, going against the popular trend for large complexes, they laid down strict rules governing architecture and town planning. Today, Villard is back on its feet and is one of the prettiest villages in Oisans. On the road between Huez and Villard-Reculas, fixed to a rock face, a strange sign marks the ‘Pas de la Confession’, for it used to be considered better to have a clear conscience before tackling this terrible passage!
