# French Alps trip - Pictures from bivi-biking between Geneva and Nice.



## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

Inspired by a guidebook I've had for a few years and a post on another forum showing the trails on offer, plus a few chairlift trips to the Alps (fun but longed for more adventure) and last year's 3-day road-ride from Geneva to Nice, this year 3 of us booked a plane to Geneva and a return from Nice 13 days later. We had the GR5 (one of the French 'Grand Randonee' long-distance hikes) as a basic plan plus the Tour de Mont Blanc and a multitude of VTT (MTB) pistes to explore. 12 days of bikepacking with the high Alps to start and the rugged limestone hills of southern France to finish.. I had been buzzing with excitement about this trip since we booked the time off and it didn't dissapoint!

It was a tough route with long carries, a lot of pushing in the first 3 days and the altitude and loaded bikes plus very techy trails added up to some tired riders. We didn't eat enough as we went and by the end of the trip I felt a deep tiredness I've not known before - related to my 4, maybe 5kg weight loss I expect. As we tired, quirks of personality became more evident in both positive and negative ways but by the end of the ride any differences had been left behind and the fun stuff is all you remember. I'm still sleeping more than usual a week later and mentally, part of me is still in the mountains.

A loaded 29er on a 22-34T bottom gear still struggles on the steep trails and even the jeep tracks were 25% gradient too regularly. But when it was rideable (80% I'd say) it was amazing. Dirt roads, rocky slo-mo tech fests, ribbons of Alpine singletrack, rocky doubletrack, it was all part of a perfect mix of terrain. We went off-route, we changed our plans, we followed trails that looked better or more fun and all in all we felt like we'd really clicked with bikepacking after a few easier multi-day rides and weekend trips. It's about a loose plan and adventure, knowing wherever you find yourself in the evening there will be a spot to sleep. Some bivi sites were just open areas in the woods, some were 2000m+ altitude surrounded by peaks and rivers. 
Arriving at anticipated trail sections is an exciting time, all those months of looking at the pictures and then you're riding into them, feeling the flow of the trail you've eyed up for so long. But finding an absolute gem of a trail by following an inquisitive nature is even better .. some of the diversions we took led us astray from our intended route but replaced open, dirt-road or tarmac sections with sublime singletrack or VTT piste and rewarded us almost every time one of us skidded to a stop shouting 'cheeky!' (cheeky trails alert) - time for trail investigation..

The south coast was a 40 degree furnace when we arrived and the steak + frites and grand bieres were the most welcome reward I could have asked for. We'd been talking about food regularly for the last 4 days.. In a country famed for its cuisine, we'd eaten bivi-food of pasta, packet soup, bread, sugary waffles, sweets and French dried meat for too long! A swim, a much-needed wash under the beach showers, a few more beers and a sleep on the beach among the trappings of wealth of the Riviera ended one of the best times I've had.


































DSCN0009 by james-o, on Flickr

Bikes used were a bit of a mix. I have a steel Jones diamond + truss fork that I won't be seperated from for bikepacking, I love that bike! It has an Alpkit frame bag, Cleveland seat pack and home made bar-roll. Ricky used an Orange P7 steel 26" with a rack and an Alpkit bag plus a 29er front wheel and a rigid 'matcher' fork I had made for the purpose (short a-c, long rake). Andy used a Rohloff'd FS 26" with a tanglebag and other revelate kit. Tarps and bivi gear was a gamble but the weather held as we went south and our mountain-hut back-up plan wasn't needed.


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## D45yth (Jan 30, 2009)

Great stuff, very jealous. I should be doing something like that myself, even if it's just to get away from this rain in the UK!


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## yetiasx (Feb 6, 2006)

D45yth said:


> Great stuff, very jealous. I should be doing something like that myself, even if it's just to get away from this rain in the UK!


when we going then dan,i need a trip away.matt


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## cutthroat (Mar 2, 2004)

Beautiful shots. Thanks!


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## Outsider (Jan 1, 2007)

Excellent pictures and a very interesting trip.


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## LazyRider (May 10, 2012)

Great trip, great photo's and great writeup, thanks!


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## dirtmistress (Sep 2, 2005)

Jealous.


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## NOBBY605 (Apr 12, 2008)

simply awesome


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## LostBoyScout (Feb 7, 2008)

Inspiring trip!


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

Thanks for the comments.. always good to share the experience as I've spent many hours daydreaming after seeing great trip reports on here. Still want to ride in Oregon and Colorado.. maybe next time.


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## anthony.delorenzo (Aug 17, 2006)

Looks amazing, thanks for sharing!


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

More pics here if interested - Trans-Alp bikepacking trip Aug '12 - a set on Flickr


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## beagledadi (Jul 18, 2004)

Wow :thumbsup:

Matt


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## Wishful Tomcat (Mar 6, 2009)

Awesome pics and report - Thanks!


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## silasandeli (Nov 5, 2007)

*What guide book prompted this trip, I need it now!*

Love more info on your route.


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## james-o (Nov 8, 2010)

Hi silasandeli - I have the GR5 walker's guidebook published by Cicerone. It covers the route well but I'd recommend maps for taking diversions on better MTB trails and finding a way to the Mercantour crossing point (MTB is banned on most paths there). Basically, the GR5 is a great hiking route but not 100% legal or rideable so it's best to follow your own path in some areas. Also some road sections (the 2700m Col Bonnette for example, in the pictures above) helped to get us off the GR5 area and over toward the right part of the Mercantour park, to complete it in the time we had. If you need any more details just PM me and I'll send you a few possible routes and tips.


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

So jealous. I'll be going to Australia for a month next week with my girlfriend to visit the family...

... would much rather spend the time doing this instead. Also, could afford to lose the 4-5 kg...


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## 1 Speed (Jan 8, 2004)

Beautiful pics and since it's not so far, I might have to do that route sometime. 

I have to laugh when you say a Cleveland seat bag as my last name is Cleveland as well but I also build bags. Small world.


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