Cycling & mountain biking
From the 14 viewpoints of the Route des Crêtes to 650 km of waymarked mountain-biking trails, from the Col d’Allos — 2,250 m, a Tour de France climb where the Verdon rises — to easy gravel riding around Lake Sainte-Croix: the Verdon is one of the great cycling grounds of the South, on the road as much as on the trails.
Here, cycling comes in three different worlds. The road, with its Alpine passes and balcony roads above the canyon. Mountain biking, carried by a 650 km waymarked network and a bike park. And e-bikes, which put the big climbs within everyone’s reach. The connecting thread of the adventure: the Verdon rises at the foot of a Tour de France pass — riding it upstream means climbing a giant.
From the hairpins of the Route des Crêtes to the Col d’Allos at 2,250 m, the Verdon is an exceptional terrain for road cycling: balcony roads suspended above the canyon, Alpine passes that have written Tour de France history, climbs worthy of the greatest riders. This is where you can ride the river all the way up to its source.
The “Des sources aux Gorges du Verdon” VTT-FFC network lines up 51 waymarked routes and 650 km, from family-friendly tracks to technical single-track. Add to that the Bike Park du Val d’Allos, on the downhill side, and the TransVerdon — nearly 260 km of enduro running the length of the territory, north to south.
The e-bike flattens the climbs: you can ride up the Route des Crêtes without suffering. Around Lake Sainte-Croix — labelled Territoire Vélo — gravel and cycle touring open up around twenty routes between lavender fields and turquoise water, including the grand tour of the lake.
The Verdon offers some of the finest cycling roads in the South: balcony roads suspended above Europe’s largest canyon and high-altitude passes. The mountain passes are mainly open from June to October — plan your trip with Access & transport.
The queen loop, starting from La Palud: 14 viewpoints plunging over the canyon. Its upper section (the D23) is one-way only — an almost unique balcony road in the world. Some autumns, a “Route des Crêtes reserved for cyclists” day even closes it to cars.
The southern counterpart, on the Var side: the balcony road from Aiguines to the Pont de l’Artuby, overlooked by the Balcon de la Mescla, with the vertiginous suspension bridge 182 m below your wheels.
The giant: crossed more than thirty times by the Tour de France since 1911, it links the Verdon to the Ubaye valley. And the Verdon rises just nearby, on its slopes — riding the river all the way up means climbing a legendary pass.
Around Allos, the Col de Champs and the Col de la Cayolle extend the playground for climbers: altitude, silence and larch forests, far from the crowds in the gorges.
The “Des sources aux Gorges du Verdon” VTT-FFC network is one of the great mountain-biking areas of Provence: it runs from the Haut-Verdon, at the gates of the Mercantour, all the way to the Grand Canyon, with waymarked loops for every level and two welcome points in the Val d’Allos and at Colmars. Discover our 10 routes & loops to ride, from a 9 km family ride to the Tour du Verdon →
The FFC network breaks down into 7 green routes, 12 blue, 24 red and 8 black. From wide family-friendly tracks to demanding single-track, over 650 km, between the Haut-Verdon and the Grand Canyon.
The flagship touring route of the VTT-FFC network: around 260 km of enduro crossing the territory from north to south, from the Verdon’s springs to the gorges. The great mountain-bike raid of the massif.
In the north, the Val d’Allos resort opens up boardercross, North Shore and downhill trails served by the ski lifts — the gravity side of Verdon cycling.
No need to bring your own bike: rental operators cover the whole territory, and many offer the e-mountain bike, which changes everything on the climbs. Some also lead guided rides, on the road as well as on waymarked trails.
Professionals spread from the heart of the gorges to the Haut-Verdon and the lower gorges. We do not publish their contact details until they are verified one by one: book via their website or find them, as they are validated, in our directory of providers.
The Route des Crêtes rental shop: hybrid bikes and e-mountain bikes, children’s models, seats and trailers — starting from the finest balcony road over the canyon, from €30 for 3 hours.
Rental AND guided outings, based between the Point Sublime and La Palud: hybrid bikes and e-MTBs to ride as close as possible to the gorges, guided if you wish.
E-bikes at the foot of Moustiers, perfect for reaching the beaches of Lake Sainte-Croix and touring the plateau without effort.
A shop renting bikes and electric roadsters to explore hilltop villages, the lake shore and the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau.
Mountain bikes and e-MTBs on the lower-gorges side, with maps of the labelled VTT-FFC routes so you set off on the right waymarked itineraries.
The Haut-Verdon rental shop, at the foot of the passes and the Bike Park du Val d’Allos — for the mountains and downhill riding.
E-bikes on the shore of Lake Castillon, in the Haut-Verdon, between turquoise water and villages.
Bike and mountain-bike rental in Castellane, the eastern gateway to the gorges and crossroads of the Verdon’s main routes.
Downhill mountain biking (deval’bike) and all-terrain electric scooters, for a guided adrenaline downhill ride near Castellane.
The best season runs from spring to autumn; the shoulder season offers the finest light and less traffic, but the mountain passes only open in fine weather. Combine cycling with a swim at Lake Sainte-Croix, a stop in La Palud-sur-Verdon or Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, and plan your dates with When to visit.
Yes, in three ways. On the road, the Route des Crêtes (24 km, 14 viewpoints) and the Col d’Allos (2,250 m) offer an outstanding terrain for cycling. Off-road, the “Des sources aux Gorges du Verdon” VTT-FFC network offers 51 waymarked routes and 650 km, plus the Bike Park du Val d’Allos. And the e-bike makes the climbs accessible to everyone — ideal for discovering the gorges and Lake Sainte-Croix without being a seasoned athlete.
Rental operators cover the whole territory: in the heart of the gorges at La Palud-sur-Verdon and Rougon, on the lakes side at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, in the Haut-Verdon at Colmars-les-Alpes and Angles, and on the eastern/lower-gorges side at Castellane and Gréoux-les-Bains. Many offer e-mountain bikes (e-MTBs), which flatten the climbs. We do not publish their phone numbers until they are verified one by one: find them, as they are validated, in our directory of providers.
It’s a loop of about 24 km starting from La Palud-sur-Verdon, with real climbs and 14 successive viewpoints over the canyon. Its upper section is one-way only (the D23 road): check the direction of travel before setting off. It remains demanding on a classic bike, but becomes accessible to almost everyone on an e-mountain bike — the most relaxed way to enjoy it.
The most famous is the Col d’Allos (2,250 m), crossed more than thirty times by the Tour de France and linking the Verdon to the Ubaye valley; the Verdon rises just nearby. Close by, the Col de Champs and the Col de la Cayolle round out the climbers’ playground. These high-altitude passes are mainly open from June to October: check opening dates and the weather before heading up.
Yes. The VTT-FFC network includes easy green and blue routes, and the Lake Sainte-Croix area — labelled Territoire Vélo — offers cycle touring and gravel tracks on gentle roads, including the tour of the lake. The e-bike remains families’ best ally: it flattens the hills and puts the grand panoramas within everyone’s reach.