The Grand Traverse of the Massif Central. Alan Castle
is recommended, as is autumn (September/October), when the golden-brown tints of turning leaves can be particularly beautiful – chestnuts are everywhere on the ground, mushrooms of every size and hue abound in the forests, and the hedgerows are ripe with abundant fruits. The temperature can be quite low both early and late in the year, however, and weather conditions can change dramatically. Much of the trail lies at or above the 1000m (3278ft) contour, so temperatures can also drop rapidly. Late-lying snow on the high sections of the route in early May, and early falling snow in late October, are real possibilities.
Violent thunderstorms, often with little warning of their approach, are not uncommon at any time of year, particularly after the heat of a summer's afternoon, and are a particular hazard to be taken seriously (if such storms become frequent during hot afternoons, then start and finish the day early, to reduce the risk of being caught out in one).
Supported or Unsupported
The majority of mountain bikers who tackle the GTMC do so without any support, carrying their equipment and finding their accommodation each day. The other way to ride the trail is to have a support vehicle and driver as back-up, and if someone will do this for you, there are distinct advantages.
The main advantage is that only a small amount of gear – food, drink, spare clothing, camera – need be carried, and this can be accommodated in a small backpack, so removing at a stroke the problem of carrying all the necessary equipment for the whole holiday on a bike that will be subjected to considerable jolting over the rough trail (see Equipment). Also, the support person can find accommodation for each night while the mountain biker enjoys the riding, without having to think about finding somewhere to eat and rest for the night. The support person could spend the day sightseeing and meeting up with the rider from time to time. However, despite all the advantages of having support, the satisfaction and freedom of riding the GTMC unsupported is without parallel.
Typical Cévenol chestnut tree (Stage 10)
Road cyclists (who have smooth-surface riding) and walkers would have less advantage from a support team, unless camping, as the relatively small amount of gear necessary can easily be carried in either cycle panniers or a rucksack.
Travelling To and From the Region
The easiest, quickest – and perhaps cheapest – way of travelling to the region is by aeroplane. Travelling to the Massif Central from the UK couldn't be easier these days, with several budget airlines offering inexpensive flights to Nîmes, Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand, from Luton, Stansted and Heathrow in the southeast, from East Midlands, or from Liverpool and Prestwick, amongst others, in the north. There is usually an additional charge for transporting bicycles on budget airlines (and on some other carriers): the pedals must be taken off, handlebars straightened and secured, and the bike packed in a bike box or bag for the journey. (When booking your first night's accommodation, it is a good idea to ask whether the proprietor will take care of the bike box or bag until your return for the flight home). For advice on transporting your bike on a plane, contact the CTC (see Appendix F, Useful Contacts).
The obvious airports are Clermont-Ferrand for the outward journey and Nîmes for the return. However, budget flights to Clermont-Ferrand from the UK are only from the London area, and do not operate every day. A good alternative is to fly both to and from Nîmes. At the time of writing, Ryanair is operating a daily return service to Nîmes from Luton, three times a week from East Midlands, and four times a week from Liverpool. The centre of Nîmes and its railway station is only 14km from the airport, an easy cycle ride of less than an hour (walkers can take the inexpensive airport bus that connects with all flights).
There are two or three non-TGV train services each day from Nîmes to Clermont-Ferrand, journey time approximately five hours. When purchasing your train ticket, do not forget to request a bicycle ticket (free of charge). There is usually little problem in transporting your bike, without dismantling it in any way, on normal express (non-TGV) and local trains in France, unless the train is very full, in which case you might be asked to take a later one. On finishing the GTMC, take a train from Sète via Montpellier to Nîmes (frequent services, total journey time about 50 minutes).
Sète railway station (Stage 17)
If you don't want to fly, there are three other travel options: train from the UK to France, long-distance coach and private transport.
Eurostar services from London operate frequent daily trains to Paris, from where fast TGV and other trains leave for Clermont-Ferrand (but note that it will be necessary to change railway stations in Paris in order to continue on your journey). In general, you can only carry a bicycle at no extra charge on Eurostar if it is carried in a bike bag no larger than 120cm by 90cm, so the bike must be disassembled. However, there are two Eurostar services which do allow bikes to be transported without dismantling, but for both these options you need a seat reservation first.
For the first option, you telephone the Eurostar Baggage Line on 0870 5850850 to book a bicycle reservation on your train (£20 per bike per journey in 2009). There are limited spaces for bicycles on each train, so it is advisable to make an early reservation. With this option you are assured that your bike will be travelling on the same train as you.
Alternatively, check in your bike at the Eurostar Baggage Office at the railway station up to one hour before your train departure. This service also costs £20, but there is no guarantee that you and your cycle will travel on the same train. In this case, your bike will usually arrive a few hours after you, but Eurostar only guarantees that it will arrive within 24 hours after check-in, so at worst you could have to wait up to a day to retrieve your bicycle.
On most TGV services you will have to transport your bicycle in a bike bag no larger than 120 × 90cm, although a few TGV services now have a luggage van in which bikes can be transported without dismantling, for example on the Paris to Marseilles route. This service cost €10 per bike per journey in 2008. It may be that in the future this facility will be extended to other TGV routes – check the current situation and regulations on www.velo.sncf.com.
The Express Bike Bus is a company offering coach transport from England with bicycles towed in custom-built trailers. There are various pick-up points in England, including Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Dover. Their ‘Mediterranean Route’ service includes a drop-off near Montpellier. Services operate from early May to late September, with varying weekly/fortnightly departures and returns (see Appendix F, Useful Contacts).
There are several advantages of using a private vehicle to transport your bike to the Massif Central. Firstly, the bike does not need to be dismantled in any way, packed in a bike bag or box, nor re-assembled at journey's end, and you have total control at all stages, remaining with your bicycle for the duration of the journey. You alone are responsible for securing your bike onto your vehicle, so that there are no concerns over possible damage by airport or train staff during handling, and no additional bike transport costs to pay. In addition, the use of private transport allows total flexibility over journey dates and timings.
Sign for a typical gîte
The disadvantage, unless you have a vehicle back-up person or team, is that somewhere must be found for the safe storage of your car while on the GTMC. It is best to book a hotel or similar accommodation in advance for the first night, asking for your vehicle to be left in the establishment's car park for the duration of your holiday. (It is only reasonable, if the hotel grants this, to pay a reasonable daily parking fee, and to offer to stay a second night at the end of your trip before leaving for home.) The obvious place to drive to is Clermont-Ferrand. Leave your