Gravel Biking /Tour du Mont-Blanc

If you landed here, chances are high that you are already familiar with this kind of bike.

Gravel biking, even if it only got recently trendy, has a long history.

Long before pavement became the norm in the developped world, cyclist would ride with regular bikes, on whatever kind of road they would find. That was gravel riding before it even got a name.Nowadays, thanks to the work of all the manufacturers of bikes and groupsets, improved technological advancements make gravel biking more comfortable and efficient. 

With tough single ring drivetrains, the mechanic is more reliable, and the geometry of the bikes are making them much easier to handle on tricky terrain. Last but not least, the wider tires are contributing massively to the comfort on uneven terrain, and the hydraulic brakes makes riding much safer.

For this trip, we advise you to come with a gravel bike that is light, comfortable, and recently serviced, with these characteristics: 

• Single ring 36 or 38.
• 11-52 cassette 
• Hydraulic brakes 140/160mm
• Tubeless wheels with 40, 45 or even 47mm gravel specific tires.

If you have any question aboiut the gear, just get in touch!

Although will will stay and enjoy our food from hotels and mountains huts, the spirit of this trip is autonomy, as we believe in the joy of human powered adventures!

We will not have any support and gear vehicle (SAG)  to carry our gear, clothing etc.

Here are the reasons:

• smart packing: as light as possible, only take the necessary items! Check the packing list below
• carrying system: saddle, frame and handlebar bags (see photo). There is a wide choice of light and watertight bags. Backpack is possible, but it makes the riding less comfortable so it is not recommended.

A gravel bike is a fantastic tool for all kind of riding, and it's versatility makes it as good to ride on paved roads than on some hiking trails.

During this trip, we will be sometimes on asphalt roads. Not the big ones with heavy traffic obviously, but the smaller, almost secret ones where there are no to very few cars.

The proper gravel segments will be a mix of wide gravel roads and single tracks. The Tour du Mont-Blanc (TMB), is a popular hiking trail, and has been extremely maintained. Most of the time, the singletracks are clean and easy to ride.

Getting closer to the high cols, we will have to push or carry our bikes a few times. It will never be long and painful, just a necessary effort to reach more good cycling! This is one more reason to travel light.

The unique feature of this trip is a team of mountain and bike professionals.

Two guides will be with you which improves safety and fun by making things more fluent and easy.

Jérome is both a mountain leader and a professional bike instructor.He's also a former pro cyclist, with two passions: the mountains, and cycling. He's been both organising cycling camps and trips, and was the director of cycling teams on amateur elite national races. Since 2003 Jérome has lived in the Maurienne valley, where he discovered gravel and started to practice intensively, a great combo between the raw beauty of the Alps, and the pleasure of cycling.

Fred is an IFMGA mountain guide in love with cycling.

Day 0: Argentière (FR). Meeting at 3pm, gear&bike check, briefing.

Day 1: Argentière (FR) > La Fouly (CH). Col des Montets 1461m, Switzerland by a forrest trail, then Col de la Forclaz and the old road to La Fouly (1600m), genuine swiss village.

Day 2:  La Fouly  (CH) > La Gittaz (FR). Entering the alpine terrain via La Peule meadows and the Grand Col Ferret (2490m).Down to Courmayeur in Italy, and up again to the Col de La Seigne (2516m) on the french border. Down to Les Chapieux where we find some tarmac up to the famous Cormet de Roselend (1967m). Overnight at the Alpage de la Gittaz.

Day 3: La Gittaz (FR) > Argentière (FR). A long and fast ride down first, and then the Col du Joly (1989m) where we find a gravel road down to Les Contamines. The Col de Voza (1657) will be our last climb, but not the less steep one... A great day with the Mont-Blanc as a background!

More detailled infos on the route

Day 0:  Argentière. We meet at at 3pm, equipment and bike check, briefing.

Day 1: Argentière(FR) > Champex (CH).  On the Col des Montets (1461m), we enter Switzerland, then a forest road takes us to the foot of the Col de la Forclaz. Champex (1466m) is reached via the old road.

Day 2: Champex (CH) > Courmayeur (IT). The day begins with a descent to La Fouly (1600m), then La Peule and the Grand Col Ferret (2490m). The view of the glaciers is incredible, and it's against this backdrop that we descend to Courmayeur (IT).

Day 3: Courmayeur (IT) > La Gittaz (FR). Below the Italian side of Mont Blanc, we climb to the Col de la Seigne (2516m) and then descend into France to Les Chapieux where we join the road to Cormet de Roselend (1967m). Overnight at the Alpage de la Gittaz.

Day 4: La Gittaz (FR) > Argentière (FR). First a long descent, then the Col du Joly (1989m) where a gravel road takes us to Les Contamines. The Col de Voza (1657m) will be our last climb, but not the least steep... A fantastic day under the eye of Mont-Blanc!