In 2018, the Grande Traversée du Massif Central à VTT (or GTMC) was reborn, offering mountain bikers a route almost 1,400km in length!
When first created, back in 1995, the route began at Clermont-Ferrand (capital of the Auvergne Region), heading south to the Mediterranean and the port of Sète, 680km away. Now, the route has been extended, with the addition of the Grande Traversée du Morvan à VTT and sections following the Allier River.
At 1,400km, this is the longest mountain-biking route in France. It allows you to discover the tremendous, all-too-little-known landscapes of the Massif Central, France’s central-southern mountainous area.
A route for sharing!
This new route aims to be accessible to a wide cycling public and by no means exclusively for seasoned mountain bikers. Certain sections can be tackled easily by beginners or as a family. On our website, find suggestions for sections that match your level, as well as detailed descriptions of the many stages into which the whole route has been divided.
A mountain-biking route clearly signposted all the way along
Special signposting will soon guide mountain bikers along the entire route, which crosses five Regional Natural Parks, plus iconic areas such as the Morvan Lakes, the Allier Valley, the volcanoes of the Auvergne, the Cévennes Range and the Causses limestone plateaux.
The signposting will be exactly the same all the way along the route.
Note that you can download the route for free. Like that, with the relevant app, you can follow the route via your smartphone or a dedicated GPS device. In addition, two Topoguide publications cover the route and can also help you make the most of your mountain-biking adventure along the GTMC.
Tailoring your route
The brave might tackle the entire route in two to three weeks! However, it’s perfectly feasible simply to follow a stage for a day, or to take on sections of the route over a longer period. Several cycling links and alternative stages are also described and well signposted, helping mountain bikers join the main route from a useful variety of starting points, such as train stations. These additional stages can offer a good introduction to trying out the route or exploring an introductory stage.
A route conceived for electric-assisted mountain bikes too
Electric-assisted mountain biking is catching on, making very hilly areas such as these accessible to many more cyclists. So why not consider that option here? The GTMC is compatible with electric-assisted mountain biking. There are virtually no places where you need to carry your bike and few places where you have to push it. The route crosses many villages where you can recharge your battery; during a stop, be it for a night, a meal or a drink, just ask to use a suitable electricity point. That said, don’t forget to bring your charger with you!
