Lac de Serre-Ponçon 4-day Electric Mountain Bike Tour
Baratier

Lac de Serre-Ponçon 4-day Electric Mountain Bike Tour

History and architecture
Lake and glacier
Panorama
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150 kilometres and never far from the lake: the opportunity to enjoy the stunning landscapes, to dip your toes in the water, but also to make the most of electrical assistance to tackle the numerous fun trails offered by this itinerary in the southern Alps.
With panoramic views worthy of a Riviera resort, Lac de Serre Ponçon is a small inland sea amidst the mountains. This inland sea also happens to be one of the biggest reservoirs in France. Although created artificially by its dam, this makes the mountains surrounding Lac de Serre Ponçon no less wild and they offer amazing views and memorable descents.

6 points of interest

  • Water

    Addos mountain stream

    The Addos mountain stream (torrent in French) is 4 kilometres long. A mountain stream is a natural water course located in the mountains. The flow regime is characterised by a steep gradient, with a very fast and therefore turbulent water flow producing significant erosion. It is also defined by a significant variation in flow rate depending on precipitation levels. In this mountain stream, as in many others, numerous small sills (small dams) have been created to slow down the water flow and limit the impact of floods.
  • Fauna

    Common magpie

    This bird can be identified by its black and white plumage with blue-green tints on the wings and tail. Its tail is remarkably long. It can be found all year round in varied open environments. Its omnivorous diet consists of invertebrates, seeds and berries, small rodents, eggs and nestlings and even human rubbish. Except during the nesting period when it is solitary, the magpie is gregarious species which gathers into rather raucous groups in the winter.
  • Flora

    Common juniper

    This bush is a resinous evergreen conifer. It is characterised by its greenish to blue (glaucous) needles with a white line on their upper side, and fruits resembling blue-black berries. It usually tends to grow in warm environments receiving plenty of sunlight. It grows in grassy or scrub covered areas up to 2,000 metres above sea level.
  • Fauna

    The field cricket

    Just 18 to 26 mm long, this little insect has a black head which looks a little like a helmet. The female can be told apart from the male by the presence of a third long appendage at the rear of the body. The cricket’s song is heard from April onwards. The male sings his chirping song from the entrance to his burrow. The fertile females lay their eggs in the ground, which remain there for two weeks before the larvae emerge.
  • Flora

    Messicole plants

    A feature of messicole plants is that they live among crops, even though not sown there deliberately. They are biologically adapted to open areas, and in particular areas that are regularly worked, such as fields. In fact, they use various strategies such as adapting their life cycle and producing large amounts of seeds in order to make up for the disturbance that occurs in their germination area. Many of them are common, such as the poppy, the cornflower and the corn buttercup...
  • Panorama

    Panorama of the Baie Saint-Michel

    This area, which has been provided with picnic amenities, offers the most picturesque panorama over the Lac de Serre-Ponçon. In fact, the lake is 2 kilometres wide at this point, and in front of you are the Chapelle Saint Michel and the Pic Morgon, an iconic view of the lake. On your left, to the east, you can see Savines-le-Lac and its bridge. On the right, you can see the secret île de la Tortue.

Description

Day 1: After a short warm-up along the Durance, the ascent begins. Difficult in parts, the trail can be avoided by riding stretches of road. The north-facing slope offers dense forest cover. Make the most of the coolness here! The belvedere of La Cagnolle is an invitation for a panoramic break, followed by a heritage discovery at the Abbey of Boscodon. A pretty descent takes you to Savines-le-Lac and the chance to recharge your batteries before climbing again to the belvedere of Pierre-Arnoux.  The route alternates between tracks, trails, a few steep sections and a beautiful descent down to Pontis, which marks the end of the first day.
Day 2: The route follows ridable ascents on tracks and fabulous wooded descents, all off the beaten track. You then return to the lake shore, with the possibility of bathing at the Ubaye cemetery.  The route then runs along an old railway line. The day's final section runs through terrain where the landscape opens out onto hills dotted with welcoming hamlets and villages.
Day 3: The explanation for the existence of the lake: the dam. After passing the belvedere of L'Escoubaye and riding down a fabulous trail, at a junction with the road you can head for the dam belvedere.   The route rounds the peak of La Viste and on to the Colombis mountain. The "Ruban" is a must-ride mountain biking trail in this sector. A ridge trail offers a stunning panoramic view over the lake and a winding descent down to the Col Lesbraut. From the col, the route becomes more technical until you reach the lake shore: some steep slopes before heading directly downhill on a Provençal trail and coming to Chorges along fast tracks.
Day 4: From Chorges, you return to the lake shore. The tone is set! Uphill and downhill, you pass from bays to inlets along a succession of ridable paths and bracing trails, sometimes facing the lake, sometime Mont Guillaume. The second part of the day takes you to the belvedere of Le Pibou.  From this viewing point, you can see your route over the last three days. The Descente du Tourniquet will be your finale! This is a classic in the Embrunais, a trail running down to the lake shore in a succession of bends. Crossing the dam takes you back to welcome tranquillity to round this day off.
  • Towns crossed : Baratier, Crots, Savines-le-Lac, Pontis, Le Lauzet-Ubaye, Rousset, Espinasses, Chorges, Prunières, Saint-Apollinaire, Puy-Sanières, and Embrun

Altimetric profile


Recommandations

Technical in parts, you need the basics of riding in order to overcome a few difficulties. If you are in any doubt, take the "escape routes" offered. Mastering walk mode will help on certain stretches.
Book your accommodation. A trip organiser and mountain bike instructor will simplify your organisation and make your trip so much more enjoyable, as well as saving you time.

Information desks

Maison du Parc de l'Embrunais

Place de l’Église, 05380 Châteauroux-les-Alpes

http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/embrunais@ecrins-parcnational.fr04 92 43 23 31

Information, documentation, exhibition, screenings, products and books of the Park. Accessible to people with reduced mobility. Free admission. All animations of the Park are free unless otherwise stated.

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Tourist office Chorges

Grand rue, 05230 Chorges

https://www.serreponcon.comchorges@serreponcon-tourisme.com0492506425

October to may : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 13.30 - 17.00.
April, may, june & september : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 14.30 - 18.00
July and August : Monday to Saturday, 9:00 – 12.30 & 14.30 – 19.00 Sunday 9.30 – 12.30

Closed on Thursdays outside French holidays’ periods
Closed on French national holidays, except 14th of July and 15th of August

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Tourist office Embrun

Place Général Dosse - BP 49, 05202 Embrun

https://www.serreponcon-tourisme.com/embrun@serreponcon-tourisme.com0492437272

October to march : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 13.30 - 17.00. 
April, may, june & september : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 14.30 - 18.00
July and August : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 19.00. Sundays, 10.00 - 12.30 & 16.00 - 19.00


On French national holidays (except 14th of July and 15th of August) : 9am to 1pm. Closed on the 1st of January, 1st of May, 25th December and 11th November
Closed on Thursdays outside French holidays’ periods

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Tourist office Savines-le-Lac

9 Avenue de la Combe d'Or, 05160 Savines-le-Lac

https://www.serreponcon-tourisme.com/savineslelac@serreponcon-tourisme.com0492443100

October to march : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 13.30 - 17.00. 
April, may, june & september : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 12.30 & 14.30 - 18.00
July and August : Monday to Saturday, 9.00 - 13.00 & 15.00 - 19.00. Sundays, 10.00 - 13.00 & 15.00 - 18.00

Closed on French national holidays, except 14th of July, and 15th of August
Closed on Thursdays outside French holidays’ periods

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Transport

Direct train lines: Paris/Briançon or Marseille/Briançon
TGV to Grenoble, Valence, Aix en Provence.
Booking information and ticketing: https://www.oui.sncf/

TER PACA (Provence Alpes-Côte-d'Azur) regional rail routes – Chorges railway station or Embrun railway station www.ter.sncf.com/paca

Access and parking

From Gap or Briançon, via the N94.

Source

Parc national des Ecrinshttps://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr

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