Mountain biking to the La Grave cable car

A renowned freeride area in winter, no less so in summer! Come and ride on technical and physical trails, and discover mountain biking from the La Grave cable car.

Thrill-seekers, you won't be disappointed!

descent wild

At the La Grave-La Meije cable car, as with winter skiing, mountain biking facilities are minimal, and the descents are both technical and physically demanding.

The area, accessible by cable car, is ideal for enduro/freeride mountain biking over 1800 m of vertical drop.

In short, summer and winter alike, La Grave is freeride!

©T. Blais

MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS DEMANDS

These aren't bike park trails but mountain trails—real, varied off-road routes that are a bit rough at the start over the rocks, then smooth and fast through the forest.

The longest, the King Stone Road, starts right next to the glacier and its 1,800 m vertical drop offers literally everything: mineral, snow at the beginning of the season, highly technical sections at the top and more rolling sections towards the bottom.

Five other mountain bike trails at the La Grave cable car start from the mid-station at 2,400 m, winding through the moraines at the foot of La Meije and the larch forest, before finishing at the Romanche Bridge at 1,450 m. All of these mountain bike trails were designed by local riders.

Technical & physical level: black
The Glaciers de la Meije cable cars are open from mid-June to mid-September. Access for mountain bikers depends on snow conditions, and the trails starting at an altitude of 3,200 meters generally open in late July.

STAY FOCUSED

There are no safe mountain bike trails here, or any notion of level (green, blue...), and everything is relatively technical and physical. It's best to have some mountain-biking experience and be in good shape on the day. There's no respite from the start to the finish, so you need to concentrate on your riding.
In terms of equipment, opt for a sturdy enduro mountain bike or a DH.

These trails, carved by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, alternate between technical singles, carved "à la sauvage", and playful sections with banked turns and jumps.

To warm up, prefer the more Bike Park-style routes: Avag One, Desoutter or Cote Fine.
The other itineraries are more single-type: Chavala, Vallons and the famous King Stone Road start from the Ruillans train station (3200 m) for 1800 m of hard descent!

Map of mountain bike routes to the La Grave cable car