Gravel : Le pays isolé
Sport, Cycling sports, Mountain biking itinerary, Gravel bike route, Electric mountain bike route
in Guillestre
22.2
km
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From Guillestre, you can cross the Guil gorges to reach the Queyras region. A road overlooks them, offering breathtaking panoramic views.
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From Guillestre, I join the D902, the road that leads into the Queyras. But it's not the only one. Up ahead, a road flies up and over the Gorges du Guil: vertigo-sensitive souls, please refrain! Cycling it is an adventure in itself...
1 - Guillestre
Shortly after the center of Guillestre, I join the D902. It rises to the top of the Guillestre plateau, heralding a vertiginous journey.
2 - Route de la Viste
Shortly before an old footbridge, I turn right onto a small asphalt road....From Guillestre, I join the D902, the road that leads into the Queyras. But it's not the only one. Up ahead, a road flies up and over the Gorges du Guil: vertigo-sensitive souls, please refrain! Cycling it is an adventure in itself...
1 - Guillestre
Shortly after the center of Guillestre, I join the D902. It rises to the top of the Guillestre plateau, heralding a vertiginous journey.
2 - Route de la Viste
Shortly before an old footbridge, I turn right onto a small asphalt road. I'll reach an elevated terrace where the void on the left is impressive. At the Terrasses viewpoint, the descent begins. On this descent, the famous "Tourniquets (114 m)" bends frightened many a traveller. For my part, I'm careful on this crazy descent.
3 - La Maison du Roy
At the foot of the gorge, I arrive at the "Maison du Roy (1070m)", once an inn where guests could comfort themselves before continuing their journey to the gorges. In the winter of the 1920s, the gorges were still crossed by horse-drawn sleigh... Just before the dam-bridge, I turn right onto the winding asphalt road (D 60) that climbs towards Ceillac. The road is difficult, subject to the vagaries of the weather. Landslides and mudslides mean it has to be constantly repaired. On this particular day, I'm slaloming between pebbles. The switchbacks are tight and steep: I'm on a formidable climb.
4 - The Bois Clair forest trail
As the Cristillan rumbles along, shortly after passing through a crevice, I leave the Ceillac road and turn right onto a carriage road shortly after crossing a "bridge (1360 m)" over the river. I ride in total isolation. The steep slope is home to a number of torrents.
5 - The descent to Guillestre
I pass several small ravines before finally tipping over to the other side of the mountain, following a path to the right. The atmosphere is completely different, less austere. The landscape opens up: fruit trees and the scents of the Midi take me back to Guillestre.
Avoid this route in hot weather or when there's a risk of thunderstorms. The isolated forest track could prove dangerous in heavy rain.
Autumn is a good time to take this route.
- Departure
- Guillestre
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Difference in height
- 1124.33 m
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Opposite the tourist office.
Guillestre is on the D902.
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Plain text period
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From 01/06 to 31/10/2025.
Subject to favorable snow and weather conditions.
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Environment
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Spoken languages
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Documentation
- GPX / KML files allow you to export the trail of your hike to your GPS (or other navigation tool)
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- 1124 meters of difference in height
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- Maximum altitude : 1687 m
- Minimum altitude : 1018 m
- Total positive elevation : 1124 m
- Total negative elevation : -1119 m
- Max positive elevation : 526 m
- Min positive elevation : -196 m
