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Sisteron / Digne-les-Bains P'tites Routes du Soleil Gravel
66,91 Km
4 h 30 min
Very difficult
66,91 km cycling route from Sisteron to Digne-les-Bains
To link Sisteron to Digne-les-Bains, both major centers of accommodation and services for touring cyclists, we chose to go through the mountains rather than follow the banks of the Durance. It's a route that's more in keeping with the Gravel spirit, prettier too, and uses good rolling tracks to reach the Duyes valley and the Dignois region.
From Sisteron, the route reaches Entrepierres, along the Riou de Jabron. At Les Andrieux, it turns east to Saint-Geniez, located in the northern part of the Digne Pre-Alps and in the Haute-Provence geological nature reserve.
Then take the spectacular Route du Temps to Authon, nestled in a high-altitude valley in the heart of the Monges massif, equidistant between Lac de Serre-Ponçon and Digne-les-Bains. From Authon, take the road over the Col de Fontbelle (1304 m) and join the lovely forest tracks on the adret slope.
From Fontbelle, the trails are very rolling, with a succession of ascents and descents, including a few balcony sections, before descending more steeply towards the Duyes valley, for the most part on a small, traffic-free road. The landscape opens up in this perched valley. Shortly after Hautes-Duyes, past the friendly village of Thoard, the route continues uphill to a new pass. A small road and a track lead down to the Bléone valley. Be careful, it's a short, highly technical section over a good 50 m or so!
The junction with Digne-les-Bains, where you will follow and cross the Bléone, is via the cycle paths.
From Sisteron, the route reaches Entrepierres, along the Riou de Jabron. At Les Andrieux, it turns east to Saint-Geniez, located in the northern part of the Digne Pre-Alps and in the Haute-Provence geological nature reserve.
Then take the spectacular Route du Temps to Authon, nestled in a high-altitude valley in the heart of the Monges massif, equidistant between Lac de Serre-Ponçon and Digne-les-Bains. From Authon, take the road over the Col de Fontbelle (1304 m) and join the lovely forest tracks on the adret slope.
From Fontbelle, the trails are very rolling, with a succession of ascents and descents, including a few balcony sections, before descending more steeply towards the Duyes valley, for the most part on a small, traffic-free road. The landscape opens up in this perched valley. Shortly after Hautes-Duyes, past the friendly village of Thoard, the route continues uphill to a new pass. A small road and a track lead down to the Bléone valley. Be careful, it's a short, highly technical section over a good 50 m or so!
The junction with Digne-les-Bains, where you will follow and cross the Bléone, is via the cycle paths.
Elevation of the stage
1544 m 1639 m
1625 m / ↘ 1529 m
Don't miss
- Digne-les-Bains : capital of the Alpes de Haute-Provence department and spa town (respiratory ailments and rheumatism). At the heart of the UNESCO Geopark of Haute-Provence, on the "Refuges d'Art" trail dedicated to land art, home to Alexandra David Néel, Digne is surprising in more ways than one!
- Thoard : the main town in the Vallée des Duyes is a medieval village perched on its rocky outcrop and dominated by its 12th-century bell tower.
- UNESCO Geopark Haute Provence: born of a desire to protect and preserve the exceptional geological heritage of its territory, it has served as a model for the development of geoparks around the world.
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