Loosely following the « Grand Traverse of the Massif Central », an iconic route crossing the central area of France, come and discover the regional parks of Les Grands Causses and L’Aubrac. Exploring here with us will be a challenge physically that will enable you to discover another world and pace of life.
Join a group of 10 people to live a unique experience. Bring your bike or rent ours (extra charge).
Don't have a gravel bike yet or don't want to travel with one? You can rent one directly from us for 420 euros (extra charge).
Possibility to privatise the group from 8 people - contact us for more information.
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By booking with us, you also do good for our planet!
We propose you to cross Aubrac, Grands Causses and Cévennes to reach the Salagou lake. A revised version of the southern part of the Grande Traversée du Massif Central (GTMC) with a Gravel Up twist. We have worked hard with the different Regional Natural Parks involved to offer you a unique experience.
So are you ready to take up the challenge?
Let's meet on Monday near St Flour, at the gates of Aubrac, to start our journey towards the south. We will ride through this region of extreme cultural, culinary and bio-diversity wealth.
Arrival in the Grands Causses by the Causse Méjean, probably the most beautiful of all the causses say the locals. We will continue by the black Causse before skirting the superb valley of Durbie.
Then we head east to join the Cevennes and climb the mythical Mont Aigoual to get some height before joining the Salagou lake by the Causse du Larzac and its great American-style expanses!
We will finish on the banks of the Salagou lake, not far from Montpellier with a last evening of celebration and satisfaction of a job well done!
Moments of well-being are also on the program - yoga, meditation, relaxation - to allow you to disconnect, to better reconnect and get the most out of this unique trip.
The beauty of the landscape and the fresh waterfalls will make the physical challenge of this expedition almost easy for the experienced bikepacker.
Our support vehicle will never be far away to assist you in case of technical or physical problems.
An exceptional trip to share with friends and adventure bike enthusiasts.
View on the Causse du Larzac from the Causse Noir.
We select for you local guides, passionate about their territory.
Bike mechanic, bike shop manager and even eco-guard on the Larzac plateau, our guide is the best person to help you discover Grands Causses. Anecdotes, encounters and sharing of experiences, he/she will make sure that you have an unforgettable stay and above all that you soak up as much as possible of this fabulous territory.
Spoken languages: French, English
He or she will make sure you are safe and will share with you various tips and tricks on how to ride on the trails.
In this destination, you will be able to ride the SUB Gravel from our partner brand Wish One.
The Wish One SUB is the brands first Sport Utility Bicycle. That’s a gravel bike to you and me. But it’s a moniker that we think covers the gravel bike genre better than ‘Gravel Bike’. No matter where you ride, perfect asphalted roads, smooth or dirty roads, gravel sections… the Wish One SUB is developed for ultimate performance.
Handmade in France by Cyfac International using lightweight Columbus HSS Spirit tubing, the Race Type Geometry of the SUB claims to deliver quick and direct handling. It is no relaxed and slack angled gravel cruiser, the SUB is a scalpel sharp race machine designed for dropping lap times and opponents.
You are about to experience a Pathfinder expedition. This is our black trail and the regions we will cross offer an environment that can sometimes be demanding depending on the weather conditions. We are in a mountainous landscapes where the cumulative elevation gain will be very significant.
For this expedition, you need to have a strong technical/cycling background and be used to riding several days in a row.
To take full advantage of this expedition, we recommend that you practice an endurance sport such as jogging, swimming or cycling on a regular basis.
Having already completed several days of cycling trips will allow you to feel more comfortable and to better enjoy the breathtaking landscapes you will cross.
The complete list will be sent to you a few weeks before your expedition. You will find here the few essential items that you may not have at home:
Cycling shorts with chamois to be more comfortable
Bike gloves to avoid blisters
Cycling shoes
By car : Meet us directly at our starting point in St Flour
By train : Clermont Ferrand or St Flour train station
As soon as you arrive, our teams will take care of you and drive you directly to our base camp where the beyond biking experience takes its full meaning. The disconnection can begin, do not worry about anything, we take care of everything!
On your first day, we will meet you at 3pm.
For the last day, plan a departure on Sunday at the end of the morning, the time to enjoy a well deserved rest.
Our Pathfinder expedition will end in the Salagou lake area, different options for your way back:
Our team drives you back to our starting point in St Flour for you to grab your car back
Book a plane or a train from Montpellier
Equipment
Yes, our expeditions will go on paths and small roads where neither road bikes nor mountain bikes will be suitable.
You can bring your own gravel bike or hire one from ours. Our well specced bikes with tubeless tires means a much lower risk of punctures and mechanical problems during your trip.
Practicalities
For Adventurer trips your luggage will remain at the base camp, where you will sleep each evening.
For Explorer or Pathfinder trips your luggage will be transported by us between your accommodation each day. You won't have access to it during the daytime but it will be waiting for you at the end of each days ride.
Practicalities
Recharging your batteries is essential after a day on the bike. Post ride you can relax at our base camps or partner hotels and guest houses. We have chosen them carefully for their comfort, tranquility, location and the quality of their food.
Logistic
You can cancel at any time before the start of the trip subject to payment of a cancellation fee. If the cancellation occurs:
More than 90 days prior to Departure => Receive a Refund of 75% of all payments already made (including deposits) OR a Trip Credit of 100%
Between 61 and 90 days prior to Departure => Receive a Refund of 50% of all payments already made (including deposits) OR a Trip Credit of 75%
Between 31 and 60 days prior to Departure => Receive a Refund of 25% of all payments already made (including deposits) OR a Trip Credit of 75%
30 days or less prior to Departure => No Refund OR Trip Credit of 50%
Please note that a Trip Credit cannot be converted to a refund at a later date.
To protect yourself against last minute cancellation, we advise you to subscribe to our cancellation insurance through our partner Chapka insurance, with a guarantee which also covers you in case of contracting the Covid-19. Please note that such insurance can only be subscribed within 48 hours following the order of your trip. Subscription link available here.
Important: the realisation of the trip is conditional on the registration of a minimum number of participants to guarantee the departure. We commit ourselves to confirm a trip at the latest 30 days before the departure date. In the event that the trip cannot take place because the minimum number of participants is not reached, you will be reimbursed for any sums paid but will not be entitled to any compensation. You will be informed by email whether or not a trip is confirmed.
Discover the gravel riding heaven that it is Les Grands Causses regional park with us, all from our Base Camp in Millau. Perfect for seeing for yourself what gravel riding is all about (its not just gravel tracks !) and explore this beautiful area of France.
Discover the gravel riding heaven that it is Les Grands Causses regional park with us, all from our Base Camp in Millau. Perfect for seeing for yourself what gravel riding is all about (its not just gravel tracks !) and explore this beautiful area of France.
The « Causses » are limestone plateaus, and theres 7 of them in total to discover on this 5 day loop from our Base Camp in Millau. You’ll find the area of Aveyron is rich and diverse in geography and culture, and provides a great test of your gravel bike skills to top it all off.
Our team have come up with four expeditions to keep everybody happy, from regular social cyclists to bikepacking fanatics.
Between 2 and 7 days riding crisscrossing the natural park of Les Grands Causses in Aveyron on a gravel bike with a group of like minded riders will allow you find landscapes and views that will take your breath away. GravelUp takes care of everything during the trip, from carefully chosen accommodation to local meals and snacks ideal for a days riding.
It’s not just this care that makes our expeditions unique, its the local knowledge of our guides and the chance to visit local people and places that make for genuine and beautiful picnic spots and overnight stays. All that’s left for you to do is choose which of our trips to start with and get your gravel bike ready for an unforgettable adventure.
Download our catalogue HERE to see all our offers
