The Trans Provence

The Trans Provence has earned a reputation for being one of the gruelling and exhilarating mountain biking routes in France.

If you decide to take on this route yourself you need to be prepared to navigate yourself a path, arrange accommodation and carry all your belongings...and take on this endurance bike ride to boot! There are also some options to have a fully guided and vehicle supported trip which takes away the pressure of planning and means you can concentrate on enjoying the riding, the scenery and the achievement! The Trans Provence organisers themselves offer the proper race route as a guided but non-competitive trip. Otherwise the route is not way-marked or sign posted in anyway so make sure you have some good maps handy to plan out your route and navigate your way through this fantastic area of France.

Starting in the beautiful town of Sisteron, situated on the banks of the River Durance, you can enjoy the history of the 'Gateway to Provence' before beginning the journey south to the coastal town of Menton. But get prepared for day two...more up than down, this will get the blood pumping and test out your lung power as you make your way up into the Haute Verdon. Making your way from there between the Rhone and Var basins you will traverse the southern part of the Mercantour National Park and eventually reach the Tinee valley at Saint Saveur. With two thirds of the route complete you can look forward to the last two days of riding in the Southern Maritime Alps and stretching those downhill muscles on the famous trails of Sospel before the final descent to the Mediterranean coastal town of Menton.

• Distance : 292km
• Time : 6 days
• Vertical Ascent : 8,355m
• Vertical Descent : 1,4731m