(E)-Bike trip: bikepacking is a state of mind
Mountain bikes have evolved tremendously since the 90’s. They are more reliable, more forgiving and more confortable. No other man-made invention gives you such freedom making it ideal for traveling.
Riding a bicycle is up to five times more efficient than walking. Most of the components can be fixed far from home and you can carry it over unexpected obstacles. After years of practice in various places, the idea of riding your mountain bike over multiple days is tickling you. Perhaps it is time to live your first (E)-mountain bike tour!
Travel differently
Traveling by bike: an active way to live your holidays
We know it since the 70’s, climate change forces us to consume tourism and traveling with another approach. Converting your own power into movement will give you a lot of satisfaction if you give yourself the opportunity to try.
I’m not blaming people willing to take an airplane once every 2 – 3 years to discover a culture and its country thousands of kilometers away. Our “modern” way of life takes time from us. From 22 to 25 it helped me to study new languages, to live in and to learn from other communities and to appreciate the beauty of our planet. Nevertheless I did my best to visit most places using public transportations on land such as bus shuttles and trains, ride sharing and hitch Hiking or sailing boat.
One day of November 2013 I challenge myself to visit an entire country on a mountain bike, so did I two months later.
“It is not the destination where you end up
but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.”
Penelope Riley
My first bikepacking trip
My first mountain bike trip
I discovered mountain biking in 2001 during middle school. I was fascinated by people of my age climbing wooden pallets or jumping on their rear wheel. It has soon became a part of me I can’t get rid of.
In 2014 I realised one of my life’s biggest dream: visiting a country on a bicycle. I travelled on a mountain bike the South island of New Zealand during two months. I knocked on people’s door night after night, shared my adventures and trips to my hosts trading my stories to know where to go the following day. This 2100km bikepacking loop was an emotional roller coaster but the memories I made are still burning in my guts. I lived this experience again in Tasmania one month later.
Select your next mountain (E)-bike route now!
I’ll be there to guide you through this epic journey to reduce your fears / stress that might overwhelm you otherwise. In the following tabs, you will find some of the finest (E)-bike tours worth living at least once in a lifetime.
GTMC route
Grande Traversée du Massif Central: a 1400km mountain bike trip
The GTMC is the longuest moutain (E)-bike route in France. The first track goes back to 1995 between Clermont-Ferrand and Sète. SInce 2018, there is not less than five regional natural parcs and famous sites linked by this 1400km (E)-MTB itinerary from Morvan to the Mediterranean sea. I still have a lot to explore though, hopefully with you.
My first experience of the Grande Traversée du Massif Central goes back to March 26th, 2021. With a friend we travelled from Charroux (near Vichy) to Montpellier. During this 13 days electric mountain biking trip, France went into a third lockdown making if trickier to find electricity and hosts during our 900 km e-MTB tour. Nevertheless, we managed to find electric sockets and made it to the Mediterranean Sea riding between 50 to 90km per day!
What I liked the most about this multi-day adventure: I felt really remote and barely crossed any other humans!
Best time of the year to do the GTMC on a mountain bike: between June to October.
Instead of doing this MTB trip in one go (sitting too many days on the saddle is always painful) , I suggest you to do it 3 to 4 days at the time. Using connection with the train stations. Here is an insight:
Day one – 70 km: Clermont-Ferrand to Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise
- Driving to Clermont-Ferrand near the train station.
- Riding our (E)-Bikes across Clermont-Ferrand and Chamalières to reach the GTMC itinerary.
- Following the route to Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise.
Day two – 80 km: Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise to Murat
- Following the GTMC new and old itineraries from Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise to Murat. Depending weather conditions, possibility to reach Super-Besse first.
- Cleaning our e-bikes
- Spending the evening in Murat
Day three – Train transfert: Murat to Clermont-Ferrand
- Exploring Murat in the morning after breakfast
- Taking the train (TER) back to Clermont-Ferrand
- Driving /connecting back home
TMB route
Tour du Mont Blanc: An incredible (E)-MTB tour sometimes too famous
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a famous route across France, Switzerland and Italy. The UTMB (Ultra Trail of Mont Blanc) participated a lot to its international popularity. Between mid June to mid September around 32000 hikers do it.
For this reason, you cannot conceive doing the Tour du Mont Blanc just a month before, but one or two years in advance to book your accommodation! If you are a small group (4 people max), consider planning your mountain bike trip at least 9 months before it. Also, don’t book this mountain bike tour during the UTMB week.
The best time for mountain bikers to loop the “Tour du Mont Blanc” remains September. It’s also the best moment to appreciate autumn with its particular light and colours.
Now you are aware of these difficulties, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a great (E)-MTB trip. It is 200km long for a total elevation gain of 10.000m. This (E)-mountain bike tour is possible in 3 to 4 days depending your skills and the level of difficulty you are looking for.
Day 1 – 58 km: Chamonix to Lac de Roselend
Day 2 – 60 km: Lac de Roselend to Arnouva (french-italian border)
Day 3 – 43 km: Arnouva to Champex (italian-swiss border)
Day 4 – 58 km: Champex to Chamonix (swiss-french border)
GTJ route
The Grande Traversée du Jura takes place in North – Northeast of Geneva lake, Western Europe’s largest lake. Jura mountain range is famous for its cross country ski tracks, its highest peak seating at 1720m (Crêt des Neiges). It’s the coolest place in France/Switzerland for two reasons: its smooth relief within the range traps the cold during clear nights and Geneva lake absorbs heat. A freezing -41,8°C was recorded in Switzerland at La Brévine on January 12th 1987!
The GTJ is 420km long. Don’t expect a lot of technicality along it however because it’s mostly made of limestone, there are some steep climbs/downs for several hundred meters and it’s slippery when wet. With an average of 70 km per day this route can be achieved in seven days (incl. one day devoted to transport). I haven’t done it yet but here is how I want to organise it in one week (depending on B&B availabilities, the itinerary might change):
Day 1: Chamonix to Montbéliard
- Driving from Chamonix to Ambérieu-en-Bugey (2h)
- Taking the train (TER) to Montbéliard (4h)
- Spending the night in Montbéliard
Day 2 – 76 km: Montbéliard to Goumois
Day 3 – 81 km: Goumois to Pontarlier
Day 4 – 70 km: Pontarlier to Bellefontaine
Day 5 – 78 km: Bellefontaine to Saint-Gemain-de-Joux
Day 6 – 75 km: Saint-Germain to Hauteville
Day 7: Hauteville to Ambérieu
- 40 km from Hauteville to Culoz
- Taking the train from Culoz to Ambérieu (1h)
- Driving back from Ambérieu to Chamonix (2h)
Chamonix-Annecy route
Chamonix-Annecy: Escaping the crowd between these two towns
Here is a route that promises wonderment: from the highest western Europe peaks overhanging Chamonix to the “Venise of the Alps” Annecy. Although exceptionals, these two towns are really crowded during holiday periods making them oppressive. Through this journey we will go across 4 different mountain ranges: Mont Blanc, Beaufortain, Aravis and Bornes. I don’t think we will see many people around: GREAT! This rollercoaster of singletracks will take us to the remote village of La Giettaz where we gonna stay overnight. The next day will be really remote with some challenges along the way before ending our trip downhill towards Annecy and its pristine lake.
Day one – 60 km: Saint-Gervais-les-Bains to La Giettaz
Day two – 60 km: La Giettaz to Annecy – Taking the train back to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Philosophy
My (E)-bikepacking philosophy
I don’t want to use assistance or transfert during my mountain (E)-bike tours for the ten following reasons:
- It is more ecological and responsible not using any making our carbon footprint smaller
- My company is called Ambition Outdoor, so our adventure has to be a little engaged
- It is cheating if we don’t carry our equipment ourselves (we can find food along the way)
- If it’s too easy/accessible, the satisfaction won’t be as strong as it should be
- We don’t ride bikes the same way between a day trip on known trails and a bikepacking trip on unknown trails
- If the surrounding trails are worth it, we can spend one more day and leave our equipment at the lodge
- Bikes are super reliable as long as they are neatly serviced
- It adds some challenge to our trip: we must be careful and take good care of our equipment
- I’m a bike mechanic and I can solve most problem with cable ties and tape!
- Less logistic, more flexibility and a cheaper cost at the end