The P'tites Routes du Soleil® Gravel itinerary is now online!
A new way to cross the Pre-Alps by bike, between adventure and freedom.
It's an itinerary born of passion, patience... and two years of work. After extensive mapping studies, lengthy field scouting, close collaboration with territorial services and a crowdfunding campaign on Ulule, P'tites Routes du Soleil® Gravel is now online.
A wild and sporty diagonal
P'tites Routes du Soleil® Gravel links Thonon-les-Bains to Nice through the Pre-Alps mountains, over 845 km and 17,509 meters of positive vertical drop. A wild and sporty diagonal, combining 40% gravel trails and 60% small roads, designed for nature lovers and those curious about little-known Alpine territories.
A demanding itinerary, but accessible thanks to the VAE
Classified as "difficult", this route is aimed at experienced or well-equipped cyclists. But thanks to the electric-assist bicycle, the route becomes accessible to a wider public. You can share the adventure as a duo, with family or friends, even at different levels. And with charging stations identified at each stage, autonomy is not a hindrance.
Great landscapes, far from the crowds
Through Chablais, Monts de Genève, Avant-Pays Savoyard, Chartreuse, Vercors, Diois, Buëch, Monges, Préalpes de Digne, Verdon, Haut-Var, Haut-Pays Niçois, P'tites Routes du Soleil® Gravel follows quiet tracks and roads, towards wild landscapes, authentic villages, lost passes. Away from the main roads, on confidential trails, cyclists come across chamois, bell towers and high-altitude cafés, in a journey that is both physical and sensory.
A route designed from north to south, to be experienced in 10 to 15 days
Designed to be ridden in the direction Thonon → Nice, the route has been cut into 15 sections of 43 to 67 km, with an average daily ascent of 1167 m D+. Ideal: plan between 10 and 15 days, depending on your level of fitness and your desire for discovery. The itinerary can be ridden from spring to autumn, provided you check the weather conditions at altitude (some sections peak at over 1500 m).
A new way to experience cycling in the Alps
The Gravel is a state of mind as much as a type of bike. Part road, part mountain bike, it lets you explore wilder areas, take agricultural, forest or pastoral trails, and experience the mountains differently. Slower, more contemplative, the Gravel opens up new horizons for those who want to get off the beaten track.
A collective, evolving adventure
The route is alive, and its visitors can improve it. By sharing their feedback, they help refine the route, point out difficulties or suggest variants.
And many other paths to discover...
P'tites Routes du Soleil® Gravel is part of a network of exceptional itineraries available at www.routedesgrandesalpes.com, including:
- La Route des Grandes Alpes®, the legendary cycling itinerary of the French Alps.
- Les P'tites Routes du Soleil® (route), for a more rolling version on a classic or electric bike.
- La Route des Grandes Alpes Gravel®, for the more experienced, on even more challenging terrain.