The best walking, cycling and mountain biking trips in the Alps.
The kilometer 0 stele in front of the tourist office in Thonon-les-Bains and the Bellanda tower stele in Nice mark the start and finish of some of the most beautiful alpine itineraries.
The Grande Traversée des Alpes on foot, via the GR5
One of the most fabulous long-distance hiking trails in the world! 620 km of marked trails, from the verdant shores of Lake Geneva to the snow-capped peaks of the Grandes Alpes, from the alpine pastures of Savoy to the hilltop villages of the Alpes-Maritimes, from high-altitude deserts to the Mediterranean coast. Vanoise glaciers, Queyras, Mercantour National Park, it's the hike of a lifetime!
More info: www.grande-traversee-alpes.com
The Chemins du Soleil, by mountain bike or ATV
From the balconies of Lake Geneva, the landscapes follow on from one another and are never the same. The Chartreuse and Vercors massifs present a more rugged relief, covered in forests and cut by vertiginous gorges. On the Préalpes provençales side, vineyards, lavender, black earth, clues... balcony passages follow one another, and the trails become progressively more technical. And as if the north-south axis wasn't enough, there's also the "Valence - Gap - Sisteron" which crosses it. All in all, over 1400 km of mountain bike trails designed "by mountain bikers for mountain bikers"
.More info at www.outdooractive.com
Les P'tites Routes du Soleil
La grande traversée des Préalpes à vélo ou en VAE: just over 900 km, for more than 17,000 m of positive vertical drop, 25 significant passes, even if they don't exceed 1400 m. A major journey to be taken seriously, but one that can also be enjoyed as a leisurely stroll along the "chemins de traverse", discovering the region's heritage. From the green hills of the Albanais to the immense lakes of Savoie, from the wild expanses of the Vercors to the mineral relief of the Baronnies, from the lavender fields of Haute Provence to the perched villages of the Préalpes d'Azur, the cyclo-tourist itinerary of the "P'tites Routes du Soleil", far from the main roads, plunges you into the heart of protected territories conducive to escapism.
.More information at www.outdooractive.com
Grandes Alpes® Route
Most cyclists choose the north-south route. But the Route des Grandes Alpes® is just as interesting in the other direction. For example? Between Valloire (73) and Briançon (05), you have 1320 m of positive vertical drop; in the other direction 1120. Two different ways to climb the Lautaret and Galibier passes! From Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, or from the Mediterranean to Lake Geneva, Route des Grandes Alpes® is two totally different itineraries, but of equal interest.
.And let's not forget...
- ViaRhôna, linking Lake Geneva, the Camargue and the Mediterranean. 815 km of cycle routes.
- La Méditerranée à Vélo: 850 km along the Mediterranean, from the Spanish border to the Italian border.