The crossing of the Massif Central by road bike starts in Clermont-Ferrand and pass over the Auvergne volcanoes to arrive at the sea, in the pretty town of Sète, nicknamed “Venice of the Languedoc”.
Cross the ‘vieux massif’ and discover, with each turn of the wheel, a variety of impressive landscapes;
- The Chain of Puys
- Mont Dore, Causse Méjean (a vast limestone plateau)
- the Plateaus of Aubrac
- the Cirque de Navacelles
These varied and peaceful mid-height mountains are perfect for road cycling. Climb the famous ‘cols’ (mountain passes) of the Tour de France 2020: Col de Ceyssat, Col de Guéry, Col de Néronne or the Pas de Peyrol (the highest paved mountain pass of the Massif), or even the famous Mont Aigoual ! Last but not least, the local gastronomy is not to be missed. You will also stop off in one of the officially most beautiful villages in France: Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.
This tour requires a lot of climbing the following overview details the daily options. The day with the most climbing is day 5 with 8,858 ft. of climbing. It's going to be a long day. Wish me strength to complete the climbs!! Even he "easy" days will be more challenging than the hardest days in Los Angeles.
Looking at the extended weather report, it looks like we'll be catching the last 4 days of the European heat wave. 102 degrees F is hot no matter where you come from. I suppose we'll be drinking lots of water on this trip.
Overview
The Great Crossing of the Massif Central by road bike starts in Clermont-Ferrand, passes through the volcanoes of Auvergne, and ends at the Mediterranean Sea in Sète, “the Venice of Languedoc.”
Along the way, we'll experience diverse landscapes including:
We'll ride quiet roads, climb famous Tour de France passes such as:
- Col de Ceyssat
- Col de Guéry
- Col de Néronne
- Pas de Peyrol (highest road pass in the massif)
- Mont Aigoual
Highlights
- Tailor-made program for your group
- Multiple difficulty options per stage
- Varied landscapes: volcanoes, forests, gorges, plateaus
- Rich regional cuisine
- Finish at the Mediterranean Sea
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 – Saturday, July 11, 2026
Clermont-Ferrand
- Arrival and hotel check-in
- Bike pickup
- Dinner
Day 2 – Sunday, July 12
Loop from Clermont-Ferrand
Options:
Day 3 – Monday, July 13
Loop from Clermont-Ferrand
Options:
- V1: 80 km / 1500 m / 4,921 ft. ascent
- V2: 100 km / 1700 m / 5,577 ft. ascent
Day 3 – Monday, July 13
Clermont-Ferrand → Lac Chambon
Options:
Day 4 – Tuesday, July 14
Loop from Lac Chambon
Options:
Day 5 – Wednesday, July 15
Lac Chambon → Murat
Options:
Day 6 – Thursday, July 16
Loop from Murat
Options:
Day 7 – Friday, July 17
Murat → Nasbinals
Options:
Day 8 – Saturday, July 18
Loop from Nasbinals
Options:
Day 9 – Sunday, July 19
Nasbinals → Sainte-Énimie
Options:
Day 10 – Monday, July 20
Sainte-Énimie → Meyrueis
Options:
Day 11 – Tuesday, July 21
Meyrueis → Le Vigan
Options:
Le Vigan → Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Options:
Loop from Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Options:
Day 14 – Friday, July 24
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert → Sète
Options:
Day 15 – Saturday, July 25
Sète
- V1: 75 km / 1700 m / 5,577 ft. ascent
- V2: 115 km / 2550 m / 8,366 ft. ascent
- V3: 125 km / 2600 m / 8,530 ft ascent
Day 4 – Tuesday, July 14
Loop from Lac Chambon
Options:
- V2: 90 km / 1900 m / 6,233 ft.
- V3: 135 km / 2600 m / 8,530 ft.
Day 5 – Wednesday, July 15
Lac Chambon → Murat
Options:
- V1: 80 km / 1200 m / 3,937 ft.
- V2: 120 km / 2250 m / 7,381 ft.
- V3: 140 km / 2700 m / 8,858 ft.
Day 6 – Thursday, July 16
Loop from Murat
Options:
- V1: 70 km / 1050 m / 3,444 ft.
- V2: 100 km / 1850 m / 6,069 ft.
Day 7 – Friday, July 17
Murat → Nasbinals
Options:
- V1: 75 km / 1450 m / 4757 ft.
- V2: 105 km / 2050 m / 6725 ft.
- V3: 125 km / 2250 m / 7381 ft.
Day 8 – Saturday, July 18
Loop from Nasbinals
Options:
- V1: 85 km / 1500 m / 4921 ft.
- V2: 100 km / 1800 m / 5905 ft.
Day 9 – Sunday, July 19
Nasbinals → Sainte-Énimie
Options:
- V1: 70 km / 800 m / 2624 ft.
- V2: 95 km / 1250 m / 4101 ft.
- V3: 115 km / 1550 m / 5085 ft.
Day 10 – Monday, July 20
Sainte-Énimie → Meyrueis
Options:
- V1: 70 km / 1250 m / 4101 ft.
- V2: 100 km / 1900 m / 6233 ft.
- V3: 130 km / 2100 m / 6889 ft.
Day 11 – Tuesday, July 21
Meyrueis → Le Vigan
Options:
- V1: 100 km / 1600 m / 5249 ft.
- V2: 135 km / 2050 m / 6725 ft.
- V3: 155 km / 2600 m / 8530 ft.
Le Vigan → Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Options:
- V2: 100 km / 1350 m / 4429 ft.
- V3: 145 km / 2300 m / 7546 ft.
Loop from Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
Options:
- V1: 75 km / 1000 m / 3280 ft.
- V2: 90 km / 1500 m / 4921 ft.
Day 14 – Friday, July 24
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert → Sète
Options:
- V1: 75 km / 500 m / 1640 ft.
- V2: 95 km / 850 m / 2788 ft.
Day 15 – Saturday, July 25
Sète
Total Distance
- V1: 1,045 km / 16,800 m / 55,118 ft. ascent
- V2: 1,345 km / 23,000 m / 75,459 ft.
- V3: 1,555 km / 26,400 m / 86,614 ft.
A true glutton for punishment judging by the altitude gains! Go getum Brian!
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