Lanarce / Montselgues
After enjoying a fine climb via wide tracks up to the deserted plateau of Cham Longe, this GTA VTT stage takes you to the Mediterranean/Atlantic watershed at the Col du Bez pass. Heading down into the Borne Valley, you ride along a track that then climbs considerably before descending again to Loubaresse. From here, you cross a plateau offering magnificent views of the Cévennes. Passing close to the mass of granite boulders nicknamed Gargantua’s Balls, the trail reaches Montselgues, its peat bogs enabling special flora to grow amidst the heathland where Scotch heather and broom thrive.
La Grande Traversée de l'Ardèche by MTB from Lanarce to Montselgues
Route signposted "Grande Traversée de l'Ardèche VTT"
Reaching the Col de la Chavade pass, take care crossing the main N102 road. At the outset, you start with a gentle climb, then join a path that becomes steep and rocky. After a short respite at Bel Air, the next slope looks extremely daunting; although demanding, if you pace yourself, you can negotiate it without too many difficulties, reaching the Col du Pendu pass. From there, follow the road for 400m, without gathering speed, to then turn right onto a well-hidden track heading down for the Col du Bez. From the hamlet of Les Chambons, the trail climbs, first gradually, then markedly, leaving the Borne Canyon to the right. After 8km of climbing, with the odd flat stretch, you reach the summit of this stage, at 1,410m in altitude. Next, plunge down to Loubaresse. From there, after a succession of climbs and descents, the mountain-biking route proves steep and testing before you reach Montselgues.
Gradients and elevation
Don’t miss
- Lanarce: Musée de l'Auberge de Peyrebeille, a notorious place nicknamed the Auberge Rouge in the 19th century
- Borne: Gloria Friedmann’s Lighthouse (part of the art trail, Le Partage des Eaux)
- Loubaresse: the Massif du Tanargue mountain range
- Montselgues: a UNESCO geosite – the granite boulders nicknamed Gargantua’s Balls; La Tourbière des Narcettes (a peat bog designated an Espace Naturel Sensible, or sensitive natural area)
