Hérault, in Epic terrain

Heading west, we leave Marseille very early for a big day of riding in Hérault. The advantage of the morning is that traffic is fluid around major cities. Thus we cross Montpellier without incident, a good thing done. The road continues without incident until the famous Mons gas station, along the D908. It has become the benchmark for all riders. This is where we have an appointment with Luc, Théo Galy's father. This massive bearded man is remarkably kind. It is he who will take us to the top of the Caroux massif. He is used to doing rotations, he does several during the day. HAS As the Epic, the toughest enduro race in France, approaches, but also the round of the Enduro World Series (EWS), the excitement in the sector is reaching its peak. Riders flock from all walks of life. Everyone wants to come and explore the rocky trails of Caroux. We are getting ready, the wind is blowing and it is rather cool. We load our bikes onto the imposing trailer. Luc hitches up and starts his old 4x4, very practical with its 10 seats! During the climb, we discuss the area, the races, the atmosphere and the reception of mountain bikers on the trails. Here the acceptance of cycling seems good, however we find ourselves in a sensitive area. Arriving at the summit of Espinousse, it is terribly cold. The wind is blowing hard, I get out of the vehicle to take some images of the snow-covered Pyrenees in the background. I come back completely cold. Luc reassures us by telling us that once on the trail the wind should be less strong. Finally the track is blocked. A loader is filling a semi-trailer with huge logs. We will finish by bike, it will warm us up. We cycle on the slopes until we reach the chapel of Saint-Martin-du-Froid. It has never lived up to its name so well! From there, at an altitude of more than 1000 m, the view is fantastic. It's a 180-degree panorama, the white Pyrenees on the right, the sharp cliffs of the Heric gorges on the left and in the distance the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean! We take some pictures but it's really cold. Despite the wind, I take out my drone. I know that we are at the limit of the flight zone of my aircraft but I give it a try anyway. I have quite a few hours of piloting, more than 40 hours spent in the air. Despite my experience and even if I fly low to catch as little wind as possible, the drone is difficult to control to take beautiful images. I barely overtook Nico and Narbaix before I had trouble getting him back. The drone is standing still, or even moving backwards slightly. I switch to sport mode, that's how I can bring it back without any problem. We are frozen with cold, we pack up and begin the descent. As Luc had said, the wind weakened after the first few hundred meters on the trail. The temperature is immediately more pleasant. And then the rocks that dotted the path warm us up very quickly. We have a very big thought for those who will make the Epic in a while... It will take a lot of energy and courage. Because not only is the ordeal interminable, but the descents will not be easy! We continue the trail which makes the magnificent bend in the mountain. We have a perfect view of this snake which travels like this until above Bardou. The path we take is truly ancient, its stonework attests to its use for centuries no doubt. Because the chapel of Saint-Martin du Froid, from where we left, served as a shelter for pilgrims on the way to Saint-Jacques de Compostela. For now we finish with this first part. We arrive at the Bardou pass. From there, you must cross and follow the black FFC markings. The route taken is part of a marked loop. Because we are here in the heart of the Caroux VTT-FFC area in Haut Languedoc which contains 16 routes. From the start of this second part, we feel that the path has recently been cleaned. It is much cleaner than what we were able to ride a few years ago. And my little finger tells me (even if no information was given to us, it's top secret!) that this trail will undoubtedly be used for the EWS! Given how clean it is, this would allow the top driver to perform well. This section in the woods is really beautiful, we have also included it in the new edition of the VTOPO Hérault, it is route 54! The descent continues, there are many trajectories to discover. Narbaix gives us some tips, it's always interesting to compare our visions. When you fly visually, you have to know how to make the right decision. Of course we can save time (useful for a race but not when walking), but above all we can avoid a dangerous trajectory for the driver or the equipment. Because here, given all the protruding rocks, you have to always think about your rear derailleur. We quickly exploded it on a stone! Back to square one, here we are at the gas station. We have a nice lunch in the sun. After the cold this morning, it's a treat to relax on the terrace! In the afternoon, we planned a short tour in the Orb gorges, around the magnificent village of Vieussan. Because here the trails are numerous and it is possible to combine pretty and varied loops. And then, it’s very appreciable to see that a region is investing so much in mountain biking. The markup is really good, the loops coherent and thought out in the right direction. After another 2 hours on the bike, we packed up and returned to Marseille. We have a big thought for the participants of the two races who will come to compete here, especially those of the Epic. Because it’s a crazy race where you push your personal limits. If we can give them one piece of advice: have fun, it’s the basis of our sport. GO The Caroux spot is accessible by the D908. The meeting point is at the only gas station in Mons. RIDE THERE Find our CAROUX AND ROQUANDOUIRE Itinerary thanks to VTOPO Premium and in the VTOPO VTT HERAULT - 3RD EDITION . SLEEP We are far from big cities, we recommend that you stay with locals (bed and breakfast, stopover gîte). You can find hotels in the town very close to Lamalou-les-Bains (thermal spa) TO HAVE Hérault is a very rich department. It all depends on how long you stay and if you want to move around a little: heritage, culture, relaxation, sport... In short, everything is possible! © Cédric Tassan

Hérault, in Epic terrain

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