Mountain Biking in Serre Chevalier

Located in the Southern French Alps, Serre Chevalier’s bike park has the special honour of being “approved by Intense Cycles“. Being on the receiving end of a sponsorship deal from Intense is no bad thing. It’s enabled the resort to transform itself in the last couple of years and really make the most of superb gradient and sunny climate. A total of 9 downhill tracks make up 28 km of purpose built riding that is maintained daily throughout the summer season. The Serre Chevalier trail building team have a reputation for being passionate and dedicated to their craft, which means great riding for blow-ins like you and me. The resort has also worked hard at helping introduce the sport to new riders. Little wonder then that it’s South Crew Media‘s favourite place to ride in France.

The bike park has been extended recently with the addition of a big enduro specific area at Monêtier-Les-Bains. There’s also an MTB skills area, complete with wooden obstacles including seesaws and northshore features. Plus a new discovery area at the bottom of the Villeneuve (Casse du Boeuf) lift where beginner riders and kids can practice the skills they’ll need to ride the green La Soup’Line downhill trail.

Enduro Trails

I don’t think you would find a better enduro destination in the Alps to be honest…
Steve Mallett – Bike Alp

From the Bachas chairlift you can access the Monêtier-les-Bains Enduro area which has been fittingly rebranded MONET’ENDURO. With 3 new tracks, Endur’Hope, Intense and Tripe Chaude, there are now 5 Enduro-specific tracks in this area alone totaling 52 km and 5420 m of vertical drop.

Add to that the 19 km Enduro des Crêtes, the 18 km Balcons de Serre Chevalier and the epic Descent du Galibier and you have a solid 115 km of trails dedicated to Enduro riders.

Don’t miss the 17.7 km blue Descent du Galibier which descends 1100 m with only 200 m of climbing from the col du Galibier to Le Monêtier-les-Bains. Another classic, if a bit more pedaly is Intense’s signature enduro trail which offers up 1060 m of climbing and 1760 m of descending in a 24 km loop.

Enduro Uplifts

Enduro could well be the biggest draw to the area, with tonnes of big singletrack descents straight off the lifts and also from the big Cols around the valley – Col du Granon, Galibier, Izoard, all offer epic marked enduro tracks. You’ll find many companies (including the bike park itself) offering vehicle uplifts to these spots throughout the summer.

Downhill Trails

With a green, 4 blues, 3 reds and a black, there’s plenty of riding for all abilities.

The trails are split across 2 sectors of the Serre Chevalier valley. From La Salle-les-Alpes, the Casse du Bœuf chair takes you up to the lower part of Soup’Line, the blue Orée du Bois and the red Les Ecoutes.

These trails lead into the blue Mélèzine, the black Tabaz’Co and the red Traverse de Chêne. You can also access the cable car that brings you from Chantemerle to Serre Ratier.

From Chantemerle, the Ratier cable car followed by the Serre Chevalier cable car provide access to the upper part of Soup’Line, the blue Ricelle and the red Alpage trail.

Don’t miss the fast flowy Mélézine, which being a blue run is nice and wide with agreeable banked turns and smooth pumpy sections that rise and fall encouraging your wheels to leave the ground. Or the spicier Tabaz’co with its black grade jumps, drops and steep technical sections. 3 km of arm-pumping action. The red Les Ecoutes has been revamped and now features some nice big jumps and a beautiful step-up.

Cross-Country Trails

There are 9 XC mountain biking routes waymarked by the FFC and part of the huge Grand Briançonnais trail area. 112 km of trails lie in the Serre Chevalier valley, but trails stretch from here to Montgenevre making the total amount of riding available close to 600 km. In Serre Chevalier, there’s 9 trails including 3 greens, 3 blues and 3 reds. Don’t miss the red Le Chemin du Roy, which loops out for 30 km from Monêtier-les-Bains with 820 m of climbing. Or ease your way in with the blue La Haute Guisane which takes in a 12 km loop from Monêtier-les-Bains.