1st April. Decided to give skiing a rest due to the poor refreezes over the last couple of days and get the MTB out for a 28km route starting at the house and going down the Gresivaudan valley towards la Terrace and la Frette. The route goes past a number of chateau or fortified houses such as
The Chateau de Bernis in Crosses. It is an old fortified house dating from the 14th century and modernised in the 18th.
The route then headed down and along the Isere river to la Terrace.
on a very good and well drained track. At la Terrace you cut by the riding school where you have a great view of the village church
The route joins the Chemin de l’Empereur before heading up to la Frette and one of the steepest tarmac roads ever, this takes you past and ancient monastery now converted into a home
We now turn home via a track that runs along the valley side at around 350m altitude, at la Terrace take the road to Montabon and at a right hairpin 400m take a trail that follows the countour to the head of the valley and turns into a single
this takes you past the waterfalls of la Gorge
before rejoining the road at Celliers, climb to l’Eveche (fortified house) then take the road to le Carre
which takes you pas the Chateau Carre, descend down to the village (chapel on the left) and take the chemin de passerelle to cross over the river Carre
to Petit Lumbin, follow the route des Noblieres to take the tracks behind the dykes which take you to the Lumbin riding school. From here follow the Marais back to Crolles. There is an interesting single by the Ruisseau de Crolles.
