Grande Traversée du Massif Central: Volvic to Sete (2011)



GRANDE TRAVERSÉE DU MASSIF CENTRAL (GTMC)
AUGUST 2011









FOREWORD



The "Grande Traversée du Massif Central" (GTMC) is a mountain bike track which starts in Clermont-Ferrand (150 km West of Lyon) and crosses Massif Central and its volcanoes, Cevennes and its causses, Languedoc-Roussillon and its Mediterranean cultures to arrive in Montpellier. It offers a wide range of landscapes and climates while providing a physical challenge to MTBers.

After a few discussions with Mike we had decided to try to ride the GTMC again. We had done parts of it on two previous occasions with Jim, once in 2005 in the Cevennes part (causses, Mt Lozère, Mt Aigoual) and in 2008 when we rode the Clermont-Ferrand to Genolhac section. We did enjoy the area, it was close to Mike’s place, the food and lodgings were interesting and it was a challenge to complete the full circuit.

We retained the purpose of those trips (gastro-eno-culturo-physico-social adventures!) as well as the practical aspects: no camping, no speed competition, just out to enjoy a few days together while doing some exercise.


Participants:

- Mike, fit as always thanks to continuous mountain hiking, riding his full suspension bike. If he could not ride up a hill he walked it and never needed to stop for rest.
- Thom, Mike’s son, his bag seemed to have shrunk from last year, though he was carrying some of his father gear, and as fast as ever.
- Georg, very fit and always interested in tasting local foods.
- Lars, the latest addition to the team, definitely the strongest and able to ride any track.
- Jacques, the writer of those notes, who had planned the itinerary and as usual managed to loose the track quite a few times.



Note on distances and elevation gain:

The information (distance, elevation gain, etc.) shown on the maps was obtained by tracing our route on "openrunner" using IGN french maps, it was not possible to duplicate all the small detours that actually took place during the trip, the result being a minor difference in actual and measured distances.  On the other hand the data shown in bracket after headings immediately after the date is a reading from a bike computer using barometric pressure to calculate elevation.  Hence some differences.




Saturday August 20 around 18:00:

« - Hi Georg!
- How were the flight and the ride to Volvic?
- Hi! Good to see you Mike.
- Jacques how was the driving from Italy?
- It is hot to-day»

Words of greetings exchanged as Georg, Mike and I met at the Hotel du Commerce in Volvic (Place de l'Église, 63530 Volvic, tél. : 04.73.33.60.64). Mike and Georg had ridden their bikes from Clermont Ferrand to Volvic in the very hot afternoon, while I had driven from Umbria without too much traffic but with air conditioning full blast. We quickly decided to have a beer/lemonade while waiting for Thom and Lars driving from Denmark.
We started dinner and had hardly finished ordering that the Danish contingent arrived. Lars unloaded a twin sister to Thom’s bike, he had just bought it a few days before and was keen to « baptize » it on real mountain trails (Denmark highest spot is only a few hundred meters high!)






Sunday 21: Volvic to Orcival (47 km, D+ 1250 m)




Sunny morning and all of us eager to start after a solid breakfast that we shared with a team of 9 other bikers staying in the hotel and starting the GTMC. As we came out of the hotel we saw them loading a support van with their luggage, picnic and all other stuff that we would carry. Now that is what I call being organized and we all thought about how nice it would be to have a truck, may-be an idea for a future trip? (Lars and Thom were the smart ones they only had a tiny bag!).


Lesson one: carry only the strict essential



We thought we would be smart and take the asphalt road to avoid the steep uphill dirt track after Volvic; well the road was also quite uphill and in addition there was traffic!


Lesson two: check road profile



We cruised past various puys (old extinct volcanoes craters) but fortunately staying at their base on a nearly level track.
Through the puys


We had lunch in Laschamps and were introduced to truffade: a local dish made with potatoes, cheese and cured ham, not a light dish but we would burn all those calories. Temperature being around 37 °C. we were drinking water faster than the waiter could bring it to the table.


Lesson three: if riding in the midday sun carry extra water.



Mike fording la sioule before Orcival


We reached Orcival and settled down for the evening at the “gite du pont” (Le Bourg, Orcival, Tèl. :  04 73 65 94 05 ) but not before going for a beer. We had a quick mechanical session to fix gear changes and noisy gears, but I could not do anything to fix my front brakes, which were not working.


Lesson four: fancy disk brakes are great WHEN THEY WORK!




We took some time to visit the basilique d’Orcival a 12th century church built with andesite (a black volcanic stone) typical of churches of the region, and its crypt where are kept polychromatic wooden statues.
Basilica d'Orcival








Monday 22: Orcival to Besse (40 km, D+ 985)




Another hot day and everyone hopes that we shall be able to swim in one of the numerous lakes we are passing by. By taking a wrong turn we by-passed the lac de Servieres, but by missing another turn we did end-up at the lake!

 Lesson five: two wrong turns keep you on the right track


Unexpected lac de Servieres


Shouts of happiness and 80 % of the team went swimming; I did find the water cool while the “northerners” found it perfect!

As we were descending towards lac Chambon, Thom realized one of his clip-on shoes was not unclipping: he had lost a screw!

We decided to go to Murol to (not necessarily in order of importance!):
a) find a bike shop and,
b) meet Georg’s sister (Gudrun) and her family for lunch.

 It was a long 3 hour lunch but Gudrun’s husband found in his toolbox the right screw.


Lesson six: never miss a good lunch

Upon reaching Besse, the seniors prevailed and we decided to sleep there. With some difficulty we found accommodations at hotel de la Gazelle that even featured a swimming pool and a sauna (La Gazelle Hôtel,1 Chemin d'Olpilière - 63610 Besse et st Anastaise, Tél. : 04 73 79 50 26)
. The owner, a retired mechanic, found spare screws for Thom’s shoe, thus ensuring his peace of mind for the rest of the trip. Having seen so many heads of cattle along the track we decided we had to taste the final product presented on a plate and had ""viande de Salers" for dinner, it was quite tasty and tender.

Unprocessed meat course





Tuesday 23: Besse to Allanches (53 km, D+ 1100m)



Another beautiful warm day. In spite of attempts with proper tools I still could not repair my front brake.

Fixing brakes (or trying!)

We passed lac Pavin, lac de Montcineyre and Chaumiane where we had slept on a previous trip.
Lac Pavin

While asking if there was a boulangerie in Escouailloux a couple offered us bread, the wife had been a boulangère and knew how to choose bread, hers tasted delicious.


Lesson seven: bakers know how to choose good bread


We are entering Cezalier a region of open spaces, fewer forests and cattle farming.
Open spaces and sunny skies


Leaving la chaine des puys behind

Some of us had hoped to swim in the lakes around La Godivelle but they were water reserves and swimming was forbidden. The track after La Godivelle passes between two fences about 1 to 1,5 meters apart. On the left barbed wire, on the right electric fence, strong incentives to go straight! No one volunteered to check if there was current in the electric fence!


Lesson eight: barbed wire and electric fence make bikes go straight


After col de Chamaroux (elev. 1291 m) we were in the real (to me!) Cezalier: open sky, open space, cattle roaming free, great landscape! We enjoyed the ride through buron and Pradiers and decided to sleep in Allanches (Le Relais des Remparts, 5 Avenue René Rollier, 15160 Allanche, Tél : 04 71 20 98 00. 

While the team was resting I went to the local garage and decided it was time to do what everyone said never to do: open the hydraulic brake system. I did not have much to loose since it was not working anyway! With the help of the garagiste we tried to bleed the system, add car brake fluid, etc. nothing worked, the system was completely blocked and would require a bike shop specialized tools.

Lesson nine: one is more daring when one has nothing to loose




Wednesday 24: Allanches to Ruynes-en-Margeride, and viaduct de Garabit! (66 km, D+ 960m)



Fog this morning, the weather is changing and we can hope for a moderately warm day, hopefully without rain.  After Allanches the three fast riders got separated from the two slow ones; the main problem was that the slow ones had all the maps, which caused some difficulties to locate each other.


Lesson ten: when lost have fully charged cell phones


The sky had decided we and our bikes needed a wash, but it was still a gentle drizzle. We passed through Chalinargues and saw the horse-shoeing place where we had sheltered from the rain in 2008 (may be it always rains around Chalinargues?) and reached Neussargues where Georg got some picnic ingredients. It was nice to have Georg be the main picnic organizer, choosing ingredients with the help of Thom and Lars; all Mike and I had to do was sit for picnic and provide a knife!!! In fact they think that is the main reason we invited them to come along!

Typical picnic (thanks to Georg and Thom)

Again!


Lesson eleven: let the gourmets take care of picnics

During the steep climb after Neussargues Lars provided the entertainment (and the rest) by having a flat, thus replacing Thom who did not have a single puncture this year (a change from last year we kept reminding him!). By the time we reached the plateau there was no doubt we were in for serious rainfall. By sheer luck we found a milking station just as the storm started. It was funny to see the bikes and their owners properly parked in the cow spaces waiting for a clearing in the sky.



Waiting our turn to be milked?

While sheltering we saw two bikers riding the storm, they did not even heard our invitation to join us under the shed (we met them at the bike shop in St Flour, they were from Belgium and obviously used to rainy weather.)

Lesson twelve: animal shelters are quite adequate for humans


We stopped in St Flour in the bike shop which had been unable to repair Jim’s bike in 2008: same complete disorder on the workbench but this time the man did fix my brake system, there was something blocking the flow of fluid that he managed to remove using a piece of derailleur cable. Total cost of the intervention: a bargain 12 Euros.

Brake repairs in St Flour

Workbench needing some clean-up

He did say I should never have opened the system nor put DOT brake fluid in, (note: only use mineral liquid for shimano brakes, DOT fluid though is OK with arvid brakes). I am now enjoying downhill a bit more than before and feeling safe!

Our objective was to sleep in Ruynes-en-Margeride but no hotel, all chambres d’hôte full, gites full, nothing! No places in the camping either but they called some hotels out of the way and found rooms for us in Garabit, 12 km away, fortunately downhill (thanks for good brakes!). That was the worst we ever had to do in all our trips, 12 km extra to find accommodations, but that is part of the adventure!

Garabit viaduc by night

The team

Garabit is the site of a known railroad viaduct, illuminated at night and very touristy. The hotel (hotel Garabit, 15320 Garabit, Tel 04 7123 4275) was OK, if more formal than we were dressed for! Lars was glad to rest since he had been having a cold for the last two days and was definitely not very well.




Thursday 25: Garabit-Ruynes to Chanaleilles (53km, D+ 1080 m)



Rain again this morning, we are going to miss those 37°C days soon if it goes on for too long!

We took and easier road to go back to Ruynes where we got some medicines for Lars. While buying picnic ingredients Georg met a lady doing the same track as us by herself. Seeing the weather she decided to go back home while we opted to go directly to Paulhac without passing by Mont Mouchet (we did the same last time).
Stretch and rest

In fact after we were halfway to Paulhac the skies cleared and we could easily have gone up Mt Mouchet, instead we had a long leisurely and abundant lunch in Paulhac.

Revisit lesson 6!

One advantage of uphill trails where one pushes his bike is that it is easy to stop and pick blueberries. That we did plenty of! Thereafter a nice downhill to Chanaleilles where we had called in advance to reserve rooms (the misadventure of Ruynes was recent!) at Gite du café du Pont, Mme Nicole Richard, 43170, Chanaleilles, tel:04 7174 4163, nic.richard@wanadoo.fr.






We shared the gite with a family of 8 following St Jacques de Compostelle track with donkeys; their plan is to do a week every year and eventually to reach St Jacques de Compostelle, by the time they arrive they figure the youngest kid (aged 2,5 years) will be 18 or over.

While settling down in the gite we saw the lady met in Ruynes who was supposed to go back home pass by us on her way to le Sauvage, she had obviously changed her mind about giving up!



Friday 26: Chanaleilles to Le Giraldes (51km, D+ 1150 m approx. meter out of order!)




Immediately after Chanaleilles, the instructions as well as the trace on the guidebook are erroneous and it took us one hour to do what should have taken 20 minutes at most on the road!

We passed the farm-gite “le Sauvage” a big farmhouse and carried on in spite of the threatening rain. It became quickly evident we had missed an important turn and we ended up next to the “reserve des bisons”, there were two or three of those beasts just where we arrived, they took off right through trees and bushes like tanks; they are impressive beasts exuding strength, better stay on the outside of the park! Followed a session with GPS, altimeter, compass etc. to find our position. Only problem is we did not have a map for our location.

Here, There, Wherever!

We backtracked and finally after having lost two hours found the right turn.


Lesson thirteen: it is hard to know where you are without a map


We reached “la baraque des bouviers” under rain and notice the thermometer indicating 12°C., good excuse for hot coco and pancakes.
Georg after eating delicious crepes

Accurate thermometer


There were definite comments about finding a gite quickly and not try to go too far, since many of us were wet and cold (p.s.: overshoes are a great invention and kept my feet warm and dry). We reached le Giraldes and found a gite for all of us: M. Amarger, Le Giraldes, 48170 Arzenc de Randon, tel: 04 6647 9270, alexis.amarger@libertysurf.fr.  The lady we had met in Ruynes was there too having decided to stop after being been caught in a hailstorm.

A wet team happy to have found shelter

Gite in Giraldes (note fireplace size)


Very nice owners of the gite told us to put everything to dry by their huge fireplace (I estimated 4 m wide by 2,50 high and possibly 2 deep!). Dinner was homemade with food grown on the farm (see Georg and Thom’s blog for details on the meal), soup, salad, terrine de sanglier and so on, a treat.





Saturday 27: le Giraldes to Chalets du Mont Lozere ( 64km, D+ 1060m)




We invited the lady (Benedicte from Montpellier) to ride with us on this cold morning (8°C). Passed by lac de Charpal that was created in 1921, the plan to dump ammunitions left from World War I was abandoned and the lac is used as a drinking water reservoir, no swimming allowed. We stopped and “visited” the chateau fort du Tournel with its great defensive position over the road between Bagnols and le Bleymard.

Chateau de Tournel

A technical rocky single track brought us to Bagnols-les-bains for lunch.

Trail before Bagnols-les-bains

Gaining 500 m in altitude after the lunch in Bagnols helped digestion and kept us thirsty.

Revisit lesson three about midday sun (we never learn!)


The views opened up under blue skies and we rode on a level road until Chalets du Mont Lozère, below the sommet de Finiels.

Thom enjoying some white chocolate


Raspberries picking

We had to stop a few times to pick raspberries growing in abundance along the road. It was for most of us one of the most interesting and beautiful ride of the trip.

Before la croix de maitre Vidal
Heather in blooom

Near Mont Lozere

Hotel Montlo was certainly not as welcoming as last time we were there.




Sunday 28: Mont Lozère to Ste Enimie (78 km, D+ 1120m)



Due to professional and family obligations Thom and Lars left at 06:30 as the sun rose to catch a train back to their car.


Very early (and cold) departure for Thom and Lars

Lars and Thom on the way home

Mike was also going home but did keep us company as far as l’Hopital.
Just before we went our separate ways

Georg and I rode on this plateau and then descended around 600 meters towards Pont-de-Montvert on a small road with beautiful landscapes under sunny skies and warm conditions. The only problem was that we had to go back up 300 meters from river Tarn to col de Sapet. The track was then level along the mountain with views of Cocures and Redoues. A fast downhill brought us to Florac.


Lesson fourteen: what goes down must go up

After Florac we rode along the Tarn crossing Ispagnac and Castelbouc before arriving in Ste Enimie, our target for the night.
Towards Ispagnac

Castelbouc

Along the tarn (good swimming spot)

A cool swim in the Tarn refreshed us; too bad we had such a sweat carrying bikes over the last kilometer before Ste Enimie.  We stayed in hotel Bleu Nuit, route de Meyrueis, 48210 Ste Enimie, tel: 04 6648 5001, reser@bleunuit48.fr where we had stayed on a previous trip; hotel was adequate.




Monday 29: Ste Enimie to l’Esperou (59 km, D+ 1450m)



To day, Mt Aigoual! Let us hope the weather stays good.

After buying picnic ingredients, we visited the pharmacy to get some medicine for Georg’s knee, which started to hurt. Climbing to col de Coperlac (elev. 903m) on the asphalt road was not too difficult and traffic was light. At the top we were on causse Mejean and pedaled easily through Mas St Chely, Mas de Val, Bufre and Nivoliers where we missed a turn and ended up by the reserve of Przewalski horses, they are the descendants of the horses painted on the Lascaux grotto. The plan is to breed those horses and reintroduce them in Mongolia.

 We enjoyed the ride on the causse, passed col de Perjuret and abandoned the GTMC to take the asphalt road to Mt Aigoual (elev. 1565m). It was a monotonous ride but the view from Aigoual was worth all the effort. We think we even saw the sea!

Causse landscape

Happy riders up Mt Aigoual (note sunny weather!)


Our original plan was to sleep in Camprieu but decided to leave the GTMC and take it easy for a day. We went to l’Esperou where we found a chambre d’hôte with excellent home grown and prepared food. (Check Georg’s blog for more details on the meal!).

Lesson fifteen: asphalt roads are easier than dirt tracks




Tuesday 30: l’Esperou to la Vacquerie (73 km, D+ 1150m)



A stunning ride on route D329 from col de la Lusette to Mandagout and le Vigan. Very steep (15%) downhill road with views over the mountains and again we thought we saw the sea, which was quite possible.

The road on the causse to Cirque de Navacelles was hot with an interesting site: a cromlech just next to the road. Our plan to sleep near the cascade (where Georg had a swim) at the bottom of Cirque de Navacelles fell in the water (sic) when we learned that the hotel there did not feed its guests.

Cirque de Navacelles (view from the North)

Georg riding towards cirque de Navacelles

Cirque de Navacelles (view from the South)


We spent the night in the Gite de Pouss’ Combe in la Vacquerie (Fontany Rachel, 34520 La Vacquerie,
Tél: 04 6744 6899  or 06 2223 9799) . Over the phone the owner told us the gite was open and to make ourselves home since she was not there. We did and had dinner at the nearby restaurant.

Lesson sixteen: the fewer you are the more distance you ride




Wednesday 31: la Vacquerie to Montpellier (72 km, D+ 950, D-1600)



Knees are feeling much better and we decided to follow again the GTMC from Col du Vent to Montpellier. As we were leaving the money in our “room” the husband came in and suggested we go and pay directly to his wife in town: in this region honesty is a reality!

Georg's only acceptable drink

Hard track where we had to push the bike uphill to St Baudille and a very pleasant ride until St-Jean-de-Fos. We spent a relax evening in Montpellier, getting information about trains to Clermont-Ferrand for me and to Toulouse for Georg.

Some hotels accept bikes!




Thursday September 1: Montpellier to Sete (55km, D+100m)



Our last day with an easy program mostly flat and between land and sea along the Rhone canal. Montpellier is well organized for cyclists and we followed bike paths along the river Le Lez to the junction with the levy that we were to follow until Sete.

The signs at the entrance to the bike path on the levy are somewhat confusing: one says forbidden to cyclists and the other one shows it is reserved to pedestrians and…. cyclists!
Confused?

Nobody paid any attention to signs anyway (we are in the south!) and we followed the levy until Ile Maguelone among pink flamingoes.
Pink flamingos in the wild

The church on the island was originally built in the 11th century and restored in the mid 1800’s. Too bad the access was open only for the little tourist train. The island will also stay famous for us as it is where I had a flat (we only had two flats among all of us during the entire trip!).

A trip without flat tires is not a real trip

The levy being blocked by construction works after the island we were guided through the salt marshes by a nice couple of cyclists.


Lesson seventeen: flat tires always happen on the very last day of a trip


Being right along the sea we dipped our front wheels in the Mediterranean Sea to celebrate the completion of our trip.
Thalassa, Thalassa

Better adapted to land use though

We reached Sete through uninteresting roads and celebrated with a lunch at “la péniche” a fish restaurant on a barge boat that had been recommended by two road cyclists from Luxembourg we had met before la Vacquerie (they were going to Spain and averaging 300 kms a day!).


I caught the train to Nimes and then took the “Cevennol” a single-track train to Clermont-Ferrand. The track goes along the Allier river among empty areas. The line celebrated its 100 anniversary this year; it is the slowest in Europe (maximum speed 40 km/h) and it is applying for “world heritage” status.


P.S.: During the trip Mike noticed a crack on the support of the rear wheel on his carbon frame bike. While cleaning my bike at home I realized that the frame was cracked over nearly 75% of the circumference of the seat post tube at its base. Fortunately both bikes lasted until the end of the trip. Rough on bikes this GTMC!



Final words

A good trip, which felt harder than last time we did part of it (may be being three years older makes every hill steeper!) and with good weather without major mechanical problems or injuries. Good harmony in the team, the only regret is that Thom and Lars who came from so far could not enjoy the end of it.

LESSON EIGHTEEN: REMEMBER LESSONS FROM PREVIOUS TRIPS!

4 comments:

  1. Hi Jacques

    I am planning to ride the Grande Traversee du Massif Central (VTT route 143) next year.

    Would it be possible for you to email me your gps route?

    Many thanks
    Regards
    Rob Carter
    robert.carter@millgatewinchester.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  2. rob:
    sorry for so late an answer. i don't check my blog very often.

    for what it is worth here is a site which gives you gps traces of various circuits in france.
    http://www.tracegps.com/fr/reccircuit.htm
    you click on the region you are interested and various circuits appear.

    for italy, where i live yo can check this site:
    http://itinerari.mtb-forum.it/

    hope that helps
    jacques (jaclah@gmail.com)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow that's a wonderfull blog having all details & helpful. Homepass House Plans Luxembourg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. glad it is of some use.

      enjoy the trip

      jacques

      Delete