Published 31 / 08 / 2023 Reading time: 3 min
Destination Grand Air is the largest mountain bike area in France with the FFC label. Bringing together 4 large spaces between Roanne, Vichy, Thiers and Ambert, it is an exceptional playground for lovers of two-wheelers, and a guaranteed immersion in the heart of wild and preserved nature.
Destination Grand Air, national recognition
In total, it is nearly 3900 km of tracks with 156 labeled circuits which are the promise of unforgettable experiences between lakes, passes and forests. A very diverse terrain that offers routes with more or less elevation and distances between 3 and 247 km. Open air destination is open to all audiences, beginners and experienced. Each map indicates the level of the route using a color code ranging from green to black, and presents the services offered: car parks, picnic areas, accommodation, restaurants... It's up to you to ride!
Key figures
Destination Grand Air, the largest MTB / FCC space in France represents:
- 3 900 km of marked trails,
- 53 starting points,
- 156 circuits.
Mountain and plain in Roannais
Inaugurated in July 2022, this new space represents nearly 1000 km spread over 23 circuits which complete the "Destination Grand Air" offer. A real gold mine for cycling enthusiasts who can join the first marked trails just a stone's throw from the city. As for the 3 other destinations, the courses offer varied levels with more or less difficulty and always in breathtaking landscapes. You can even discover the plain and the Roannaise coast in an itinerant tour of 250 km.
![Destination Grand Air à Renaison au coeur de Montagne et Plaine en Roannais]()
Renaison © Vincent Poillet / RT ![Destination Grand Air au coeur de Montagne et Plaine en Roannais]()
© Vincent Poillet / RT ![Destination Grand Air au coeur de Montagne et Plaine en Roannais]()
Mountain and Plain in Roannais © Vincent Poillet / RT
Circuit “By vineyards and by mountains”
35km / + 880m
Hit the slopes in the forest
A diversified route between the forest of the Madeleine mountains and the vineyards of the Côte Roannaise. Sporty !
The Bois Noir massif, between Loire and Allier
With its 75 marked circuits and its 1520 km, the massif of the Black Woods is the most important component of Destination Grand Air. In the heart of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, in the south-west of Roannais, this remarkable natural space is one of the oldest forests in Europe. Mountain bikers will be able to take advantage of the diversity of reliefs with a highest point at 1287 meters at Puy du Montoncel. So, ready to climb the peaks?
Destination Grand is a real chance for the people of Roanne. The two mountain biking areas offer different, rich and varied circuits. Life-size sensations await you in this fabulous space for 2 wheels.
