Sunday, June 19, 2005
The Manival Gorge from le Sappey-en-Chartreuse
The Gorges du Manival are a classic Mountain Bike (VTT) descent into the Gresivaudan valley. I had not been this way since 1991 so it was time for a return. I'd mentioned the route to one of the up and coming young Grenoble VTTists who whisted through his teeth and said "dur, dur les Gorges". In fact they are not quite as bad as all that but still deserve respect.
However I'm getting ahead of myself. I decided to profit from a father's day lunch at the Café des Alpes and got Gigi to put my trusty mountain bike on her roof-rack. That saved me the hot and long climb through la Tronche to le Sappey. Instead from le Sappey I took the road that leads to the Pre de l'Essart. This is the same track used by cross-country skiers during the winter months. At about 3km there is a fork in the road - it is possible to take the right fork which leads up to the Pas de la Branche, the gradient is okay but the track is very muddy for quite some time after rain. Chartreuse mud deserves respect, it is like glue and a devil to wash off. Instead continue up to a cross roads, take the left turn (there is a yellow arrow symbol on a post) as the right turn is too steep to cycle. After a few hundred meters you join a good track that leads from le Churut to the Col de l'Emeindras, turn right and continue up this road. The tracks are steep in places but can be cycled without any carrying.
At the col you have a view on the backside of Chamchaude - a classic ski touring destination, it must be the worlds most skied mountain without lifts. There is also a the ruins of a chalet - Emeindras de Dessus. In the autumn of '91 and old man explained that they'd built the chalet there because there had never been any avalanche in the area, sure enough the following winter the chalet was destroyed by a slide. I don't know if this is true but knowing the ways of avalanches it is quite possible.
From here turn right to continue following a well made track. It is possible to cross directly over the Col de l'Emeindras (1372 meters) and then follow a track on the other side to rejoin the GR9, but the track is very muddy and not worth the candle, either on foot or bike. Instead climb to the little farm of Emeindras de Dessus and keep going north east across the field to a gate and the start of the track that descends to the Col du Coq. The alternative is to climb to the top of the hill behind the farm to follow the GR9 walking trail to the Col de la Faita. The track rejoins the road just below the ex-ski station of the Col du Coq. Descend the road to the entrance of the hamlet of le Baure (hairpin left) and take the footpath to the Col du Baure, this is pretty much the only carrying of the day. You may also be able to descend to the Col du Baure directly from the Col du Coq but I've not attempted this - it would complete an nice off-road outing.
Now things get interesting, the descent into the Gorges du Manival is on a narrow singletrack with around 20 hairpin bends. The track is not steep but the hairpins are tight and the route is very exposed. Make a mistake and you slide a long way. This section should only be attempted on a good mountainbike. That said, it is a very pleasant run down to the bottom of the Gorges. There is a small hut but only a vandalized annex is open for public use. Here the track widens into a jeep trail. After some 2km follow a track to the left (signpost) the Fontaine Bonnet parking. Cross the road with a dog leg to the right to pick up a track that leads down to the Baraque du Clot du Bert.
Climbing: 885m
Descent: 1530m
Distance: 21km
Time: 2h30
However I'm getting ahead of myself. I decided to profit from a father's day lunch at the Café des Alpes and got Gigi to put my trusty mountain bike on her roof-rack. That saved me the hot and long climb through la Tronche to le Sappey. Instead from le Sappey I took the road that leads to the Pre de l'Essart. This is the same track used by cross-country skiers during the winter months. At about 3km there is a fork in the road - it is possible to take the right fork which leads up to the Pas de la Branche, the gradient is okay but the track is very muddy for quite some time after rain. Chartreuse mud deserves respect, it is like glue and a devil to wash off. Instead continue up to a cross roads, take the left turn (there is a yellow arrow symbol on a post) as the right turn is too steep to cycle. After a few hundred meters you join a good track that leads from le Churut to the Col de l'Emeindras, turn right and continue up this road. The tracks are steep in places but can be cycled without any carrying.
At the col you have a view on the backside of Chamchaude - a classic ski touring destination, it must be the worlds most skied mountain without lifts. There is also a the ruins of a chalet - Emeindras de Dessus. In the autumn of '91 and old man explained that they'd built the chalet there because there had never been any avalanche in the area, sure enough the following winter the chalet was destroyed by a slide. I don't know if this is true but knowing the ways of avalanches it is quite possible.
From here turn right to continue following a well made track. It is possible to cross directly over the Col de l'Emeindras (1372 meters) and then follow a track on the other side to rejoin the GR9, but the track is very muddy and not worth the candle, either on foot or bike. Instead climb to the little farm of Emeindras de Dessus and keep going north east across the field to a gate and the start of the track that descends to the Col du Coq. The alternative is to climb to the top of the hill behind the farm to follow the GR9 walking trail to the Col de la Faita. The track rejoins the road just below the ex-ski station of the Col du Coq. Descend the road to the entrance of the hamlet of le Baure (hairpin left) and take the footpath to the Col du Baure, this is pretty much the only carrying of the day. You may also be able to descend to the Col du Baure directly from the Col du Coq but I've not attempted this - it would complete an nice off-road outing.
Now things get interesting, the descent into the Gorges du Manival is on a narrow singletrack with around 20 hairpin bends. The track is not steep but the hairpins are tight and the route is very exposed. Make a mistake and you slide a long way. This section should only be attempted on a good mountainbike. That said, it is a very pleasant run down to the bottom of the Gorges. There is a small hut but only a vandalized annex is open for public use. Here the track widens into a jeep trail. After some 2km follow a track to the left (signpost) the Fontaine Bonnet parking. Cross the road with a dog leg to the right to pick up a track that leads down to the Baraque du Clot du Bert.
Climbing: 885m
Descent: 1530m
Distance: 21km
Time: 2h30
permalink posted by davidof : 6:00 pm
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