Augustus RACE 1150K - MTB or Gravel ++: The adventure race
Majestic this typical course MTB or gravel ++ classified in category UNPAVED which means to pedal at 80% on the tracks in kind and 20% on secondary roads. A 1150K loop through landscapes of an exceptional variety, of course predominantly mountain, whether small, medium or high. This is the beauty of what we offer at La Baroudeuse; to see beautiful things, don't you have to gain height?
Augustus is the Alpes Maritimes, the Var, the Vaucluse, the Alpes de Haute Provence, the Hautes Alpes.
DEPARTURE BETWEEN SEA AND MOUNTAINS
La French Riviera, you know it hectic, where we party, where there are stars and people, where the frenzy may prevent you from coming to discover this region. The Baroudeuse allows you to discover the Alpes Maritimes and its surrounding departments as many know how to love it: NATURE & DISCOVERY. The bling bling, we leave it to others, it is an attraction for us. What we are looking for above all is communion with nature and the elements.
You will leave from the village of La turbie at an altitude of 500m for a loop of several days of cycling through mountains and crossing fantastic rivers. You will start with the hinterland Monaco and Nice. The superficial vision that you can have of the Côte d'Azur will already seem far away from your first turns of the cranks. You will pass through the medieval village of Shovel (which is the start & finish village of La Baroudeuse ROAD RACE). Enjoy these views between sea and mountains of a beauty recognized in the world.
THE VERDON & ITS THROATS
Le Yes will be mainly represented by Gorges du Verdon and wild nature. This river separates the pre-Alps of Castellane and the pre-Alps of Digne, it takes its source near the Col d'Allos to flow 175K further into the lake of Sainte Croix. Azure blue, this artificial lake where the old village of Salles sur Verdon was covered will allow you to savor this first part of the adventure, surely the most technical of the course. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie will serve as your host village after already… K and… d +.
LAVENDER FIELDS AT MONT VENTOUX
The tracks were rocky, sandy, they will give way to the pebbles of the Mediterranean under your wheels. Indeed you can imagine that in some places what is now a dry and arid land was under water. The rollers will slip out under your wheels in some places.
A white mountain will stand in your way, a bald and lunar Mount which dominates the Provence and will become a belvedere of Hautes Alpes. You will not go quite to its summit in order to favor the nature side. Surrounded by lavender fields, vines, and palpable fauna, it is a recognized reserve area Biosphere by Unesco. Strict rules will have to be observed in this sector. (We will talk about this at the briefing)
A BIG GOOD TO LES ECRINS & LAC DE SERRE PONCON
At the gates of Ecrins National Park, Embrun that you will dominate is nicknamed the "Nice of the Alps" because of the quality of the climate and its sunshine. You will cross its Lake which will be filled with fantastic turquoise water. It will then be time to gain height to connect the Mercantour National Park by the Tunnel du parpaillon.
CLEAN YOUR GLASSES - BEWARE OF RETINS
Indeed after a superb ascent on a majestic track, it is the highest pass in Europe, the Peak of the Bonette who will be waiting for you. What can we say about its rather lunar landscape because we are used to seeing it like this, even if the 2018 edition gave us a glimpse of a Bonette so green thanks to the amount of snow it had fallen all winter. Mother Nature will leave you with a magnificent spectacle, be sure!
You will then go into the Mercantour Park to gently slide towards theItaly : the Piedmont and Ligurie.
THE MOUNTAINS WILL COME AND THEY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME
On your way and all along the Augustus, you will be able to notice the remains of Strong Military which are still present and will be long after our death. Remains from the two world wars, the buildings are impressive. In the mountains, the Forts are like Icebergs, you have the visible part and what is not represents 90% of the building. Imagine “Gravel” galleries under the mountainous rocks…
At the gates of Vallée known as Merveilles and you will understand why it bears this name, this highly regulated nature reserve will be the gateway to 100K at an altitude of over 2000m without crossing a shop. Open your eyes, be attentive, the wolves roam, the ibex and their militia the marmots dominate the heights of the place.
La Baroudeuse Augustus, you have to do it to believe it, to believe that you are already capable of doing it, and that in France on a studied bicycle route, the landscapes are so majestic.
A FINISH IN THE HEART OF THE VINEYARDS BETWEEN SEA AND MOUNTAINS
After this penultimate part ofadventure, the return to civilization will do you good and even if it is done by a village, you will feel this feeling of arriving straight from the lungs of the Earths. We will let you approach the seaside as you left it several days before, that is to say by tracks and secondary roads, here through vineyards, mountains and sea.
La Turbie is reaching out to you, the circle will soon be complete, you will no longer see the bike as before, you will no longer see yourself as before, you will be free to brandish your Rudius and express your freedom and courage for crossing that finish line.