Читать книгу The Grand Traverse of the Massif Central. by mountain bike, road bike or on foot онлайн

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In France the distinction between ‘walkers only’ footpaths, and bridleways for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, is less clear than it is in England and Wales. Many sections of the GR trails can be used by cyclists provided due consideration is given to other users. Trails for horse riders are waymarked with orange paint stripes, but these too often double up on GR trails. However, if a sign is encountered anywhere on the system prohibiting mountain bikes, then you must observe it.

The Route

The GTMC starts in the large industrial city of Clermont-Ferrand, but once it has bid farewell to this metropolis there are no more similarly large urban areas until the elegant city of Montpellier, near the end of the journey. Farms, hamlets, villages large and small, and moderately sized towns connect this rural trail across some of the most scenic areas of the Massif Central.

Typical village by the Tarn (Stage 10) (Alan Sides)

Perversely, for a trail that is to head south to the coast, the GTMC begins by travelling north, to visit the town of Volvic, famed for its natural spring water. The fascinating visitor centre here should not be missed, before you continue across the Monts Dôme, an incredible area dotted with many long-extinct volcanoes, the highest of which is the Puy de Dôme, at 1464m (4800ft).