Archives des bikepacking - Destinations Gravel

The Old Ghost Road: Everything You Need To Know

Kim Gintrand — Thu, 08 May 2025 11:49:17 +0000

🗺️ A Must-Do Legendary Trail

Located in the remote northwest of New Zealand’s South Island, The Old Ghost Road is one of the country’s most iconic backcountry trails. Stretching 85 kilometers through dense rainforest, alpine ridgelines, swing bridges and historic gold-mining routes, it’s known as New Zealand’s longest continuous singletrack — and a bucket-list ride for mountain bikers and hikers.

🚵🏻‍♀️ My Experience: Riding It in 2 Days on a Gravel Bike

In March, I set out to ride the trail with my gravel bike, a slightly unconventional choice compared to the typical mountain bike. Before committing, I asked around — and the feedback was mixed. Some said it was impossible, others claimed I’d love it. So I decided to see for myself.

We completed the route over two days, spending the night at Ghost Lake Hut, the trail’s highest point at around 1,280 meters elevation. Though challenging in parts, the ride was absolutely doable with the right gear and experience — and one of the most rewarding gravel adventures I’ve ever done.

🏕️ Huts Along the Trail

The Old Ghost Road features a series of well-maintained backcountry huts, managed by the trail trust. Some must be booked online in advanced. They’re equipped with mattresses, compost toilets, water tanks, gas stoves:

Lyell Saddle Hut (17 km)
Ghost Lake Hut (35 km) – ⚠️ highest point with epic views
Stern Valley Hut
Goat Creek Hut
Specimen Point Hut

📝 Book here oldghostroad.org.nz

⚠️ Difficulty and Terrain

While sections are flowy and rideable, the trail includes:

Steep climbs and long descents
Rocky and rooty technical sections
Narrow ridgelines with exposure
Occasional hike-a-bike segments
Riders need to be fit, self-sufficient, and confident on technical terrain.

🌀 Weather: Check Before You Go

Weather can shift dramatically, especially on alpine sections. Always check forecasts before heading out:

MetVUW : www.metvuw.com
New Zealand Metservice’s : mountains forecast and rural forecast
Trail status : the old ghost road official website

You must check the official website prior to hit the trail: https://oldghostroad.org.nz/.

🧳 Recommended Gear

Gravel bike or MTB with minimum 40 mm tires — for more comfort, go with 45–50 mm
Headlamp + power bank
Repair kit: tubeless plugs, inner tubes, multi-tool, pump, etc.
Sunscreen
First aid kit
Bikepacking bags
- I used a 3L frame bag and a 11L saddle bag. I also had a 15L hydration bag, but I’d rather recommend a handlebar bag
Warm and waterproof clothing — the weather changes quickly
Food for the entire route + extra
- We brought freeze-dried meals along with bars, cookies, and other snacks.
GPS with GPX track to download — even though the trail is well marked

📸 Why Ride the Old Ghost Road?

This trail offers everything:

Wild nature and solitude
True backcountry immersion
World-class hut system
Physical challenge and reward

🔗 Useful Resources

🎥 COMING SOON MAY 16TH, 6:00PM ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

🎬 Check out how our 2-day gravel ride on the Old Ghost Road went

🗺️ The Map

If you have some questions about our experience on the trail, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments 🙂

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Angers to Le Mont-Saint-Michel : 200KM +1300m

Kim Gintrand — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:03:49 +0000

Start/Finish

Angers / Le Mont Saint Michel

Distance

200km

Elevation gain

+1300m

Duration

9h30

Best seasons

spring/summer

Difficulty

4/5*

Physique & technique

Starting from Angers, embark on a gravel adventure towards Mont Saint-Michel. A 200 km ride with 1,300 meters of elevation gain awaits you. The route, though occasionally monotonous, will take you through country roads, peaceful shared path, and shaded forest paths.

This day was a small challenge for me. I decided, at the last minute, to create and embark on this route. I covered the first 170 km solo, opting for a relatively smooth ride given the substantial distance! Despite a headwind throughout the journey, I took my time but still managed to reach my goal 🙂

It’s an excellent training ride if you’re preparing for an ultra or if you want to challenge yourself with your first 200 km. Plus, the option to return by train makes the logistics much easier!

The majority of this ride takes place on country roads and shared paths, with very little traffic and few major roads. The forest paths can get quite muddy after rain, but they can be bypassed by road if necessary.

The end of the route is incredible: you finally catch sight of Mont Saint-Michel, and it stays in view for several kilometers. The arrival is so beautiful and magical—I highly recommend visiting this place. It’s an unforgettable experience that makes every pedal stroke worth it!

Notes/Practical Addresses :

Km 78 – Cossé-le-Vivien – Bakery

Km 140 – Fougères – Bakery / Restaurants / Supermarkets..

Km 183 – Pontorson – Bakery / Restaurants / Supermarkets…

Map & GPX

testé

Download Gravel GPX

My Equipments

For this itinerary

Bike

COMMENCAL - 365 RACE FROZEN BROWN

Wheels

CORIMA - ESSENTIA 40

Saddle

FIZIK - VENTO ARGO R3 adaptative

Tires

HUTCHINSON - TOUAREG 700x45 - Tubeless ready - Hardskin

Shoes

FIZIK - VENTO PROXY - Coral / Purple

Clothes

ASSOS

Sunglasses

OAKLEY - Sutro Lite Sweep

Pedals

LOOK - X-TRACK POWER DUAL

L’article Angers to Le Mont-Saint-Michel : 200KM +1300m est apparu en premier sur Destinations Gravel.

Ardèche Gravel

Kim Gintrand — Tue, 14 May 2024 09:56:22 +0000

Photo credit : @lestudiocoton

Embark on a 2-day bikepacking adventure during the Ardèche Gravel event! Discover the multiple possibilities available for exploring the Ardèche trails. With seven different routes ranging from 50 km to 194 km, there’s something for every skill level and preference! Among the most unusual options, two will surprise you: the first starts with boarding a boat, while the second begins with a train journey! I personally chose the latter option, and I highly recommend boarding the Mastrou, one of the iconic steam trains from the Saint-Jean-de-Muzols station. Speaking of which, you can board this train, which includes a bike wagon, for a direct journey to Lamastre. There’s one trip per day departing from Saint-Jean-de-Muzols at 10:15 am and returning from Lamastre at 3:15 pm. The Mastrou operates from early April to mid-November! Find more information here. There’s also another train, the Train des Gorges, which travels from Saint-Jean to Colombier le Vieux with two departures per day, one at 10 am and another at 3 pm. This service operates from early April to late October.

Photo credit : @lestudiocoton

The 145 km “by train” formula that I had the opportunity to experience unfolded in two stages: the first began with a journey aboard the Mastrou from the Saint-Jean-de-Muzols station around 6 p.m. on Friday. Upon arrival in Lamastre, we had covered approximately 50 km with over 1200 meters of positive elevation gain to reach our bivouac spot for the night. We took some country roads and trails departing from Lamastre before joining the Dolce Via. The weather was a bit unpredictable; as soon as night fell, the cold set in and a light rain accompanied me for the rest of the ride. I arrived a bit chilled after 3 hours of riding at the evening campsite! 🥶

The next morning, departure was scheduled for around 7:45 a.m. to cover 88 km with over 1400 meters of positive elevation gain. Breakfast was at kilometer 15 in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, at the Boulangerie la Chanterelle. We had the opportunity to enjoy delicious brioches before tackling the most demanding part of the day! This route was a mix of single tracks, country roads, and wide dirt tracks. We also crossed fields and woodlands several times. A very varied ride in terms of terrain! It took me about 5 hours on the bike.

Photo credit : @lestudiocoton

If you’re looking for an event at the end of April, I highly recommend the Ardèche Gravel! After the event, don’t hesitate to extend your stay in the department to explore other routes in Ardèche. Here’s a selection of those I had the opportunity to test: itinéraires gravel en Ardèche.

Maps

L’article Ardèche Gravel est apparu en premier sur Destinations Gravel.

Day 3 : Fréjus – Nice 88km +670m

Kim Gintrand — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 15:49:16 +0000

Toulon – Nice bikepacking on our gravel bikes! A first trip among friends serving as a ‘crash-test’ to understand our needs, the useful things to bring, how to manage our days, … and many other things.
Day 1 : Toulon – Le Lavandou
Day 2 : Le Lavandou – Fréjus
Day 3 : Fréjus – Nice

Start/Finish

Fréjus / Nice

Distance

88km

Elevation gain

+670m

Time

5h00

Best seasons

all year

Difficulty

2/5*

Physique & technique

Starting from Fréjus, you will need to get out of the city by taking road sections with some traffic. This part is not long before entering the beautiful Estérel Massif. Known for its rocks and red ground, you will ride approximately 22 km through the massif before reaching Mandelieu-la-Napoule.

For the last part of this route, we decided to prioritize cycling paths as much as possible, as we needed to reach the train station before the last train of the day to return to Toulon. If you wish, you can explore the map to find paths that will allow you to stay away from the seaside, often crowded with pedestrians, especially in the summer. Nevertheless, the route below will take you through the magnificent landscapes of Antibes as well as the Promenade des Anglais upon arriving in Nice.

I highly recommend stopping by Prima Volta pizzeria as a reward. The pizzas there are delicious!

Download Gravel GPX

My Equipments

For this itinerary

Bike

COMMENCAL - 365 RACE FROZEN BROWN

Wheels

CORIMA - ESSENTIA 40

Pedals

LOOK - X-TRACK POWER DUAL

Saddle

FIZIK - VENTO ARGO R3 adaptative

Tires

HUTCHINSON - TOUAREG 700x45 - Tubeless ready - Hardskin

Shoes

FIZIK - VENTO PROXY - Coral / Purple

Clothes

ASSOS

Bib tights

Jersey

Gilet

Bike computer

GARMIN - Edge® 840 Solar

Sunglasses

OAKLEY - Sutro Lite Sweep

L’article Day 3 : Fréjus – Nice 88km +670m est apparu en premier sur Destinations Gravel.

Day 2 : Le Lavandou – Fréjus 69km +870m

Kim Gintrand — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:12:42 +0000

Toulon – Nice bikepacking on our gravel bikes! A first trip among friends serving as a ‘crash-test’ to understand our needs, the useful things to bring, how to manage our days, … and many other things.
Day 1 : Toulon – Le Lavandou
Day 2 : Le Lavandou – Fréjus
Day 3 : Fréjus – Nice

Start/Finish

Le Lavandou / Fréjus

Distance

69km

Elevation gain

+870m

Time

4h30

Best seasons

all year

Difficulty

3/5*

Physique & technique

After having breakfast at a bakery in Le Lavandou, we headed towards Fréjus, for our second and final stop.

This second day begins with a beautiful climb that will lead you to the Route des Crêtes. Over 420 meters of positive elevation gain at once, with an incredible view of the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

Once you reach the highest point, you will begin the Route des Crêtes until Cogolin. Approximately 28km of low traffic roads with views that mix snowy mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.

There are many DFCI (Forest Fire Defense Roads) on each side of the road; we chose to stay on the main road, which was quite calm in terms of traffic. The only car we encountered was the one from the post office!

After Cogolin, you will pass through Port-Grimaud. We didn’t have time to stop and enjoy this little “Provençal Venice.” One of my biggest regrets during this trip!

The end of the route takes a cycle path to reach Sainte-Maxime, as well as a section of the Corniche d’Azur to reach Fréjus. We opted for parallel streets because the seaside was very crowded.

The end of the route is in Fréjus. If you still have energy, you can continue to Saint-Raphaël, which is only 5 km away. You can also go to Cannes, but beware, it adds about 43 km and +400 m of elevation gain. You will then be in the Esterel massif, so there will be no accommodation options.

Download Gravel GPX

My Equipments

For this itinerary

Bike

COMMENCAL - 365 RACE FROZEN BROWN

Wheels

CORIMA - ESSENTIA 40

Pedals

LOOK - X-TRACK POWER DUAL

Saddle

FIZIK - VENTO ARGO R3 adaptative

Tires

HUTCHINSON - TOUAREG 700x45 - Tubeless ready - Hardskin

Shoes

FIZIK - VENTO PROXY - Coral / Purple

Clothes

ASSOS

Bib tights

Jersey

Gilet

Bike computer

GARMIN - Edge® 840 Solar

Sunglasses

OAKLEY - Sutro Lite Sweep

L’article Day 2 : Le Lavandou – Fréjus 69km +870m est apparu en premier sur Destinations Gravel.

Day 1 : Toulon – Le Lavandou 50km +410m

Kim Gintrand — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 12:03:07 +0000

Toulon – Nice bikepacking on our gravel bikes! A first trip among friends serving as a ‘crash-test’ to understand our needs, the useful things to bring, how to manage our days, … and many other things.
Day 1 : Toulon – Le Lavandou
Day 2 : Le Lavandou – Fréjus
Day 3 : Fréjus – Nice

Start/Finish

Toulon / Le Lavandou

Distance

50km

Elevation gain

+410m

Time

2h30

Best seasons

all year

Difficulty

1/5*

Physique & technique

A fairly easy first stage that gets you warmed up for the rest of the trip. We decided to make a stop in Lavandou, which is just before the beautiful climb to join the Route des Crêtes for Stage 2.

The beginning of this route takes you on many cycle paths leading you out of Toulon. Although they often run alongside roads, you’ll have the sea in the background, which will help you forget about the traffic.

Watch out for the wind in this region! It can blow very strongly, and I recommend checking the weather in advance and studying the winds to avoid uncomfortable situations.

When you arrive at Almanarre (a highly renowned spot for kite surfers), keep your eyes open to spot the pink flamingos located in the salt marshes.

After passing Hyères, you’ll pass by the Old Salt Pans, which are part of the Port-Cros National Park. Be careful of pedestrians in the summer; these paths are quite narrow and have sandy sections. Nevertheless, the views are beautiful!