A Gravel journey into
the french alps

Hotel Saint Roch | August 28 - September 2

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The summit is our sanctuary, the trail our tribulation. Join us on Le Pilgrimage: the journey that will challenge you while you follow in the footsteps of our patron pilgrim Saint Roch and discover the best trails in the French Alps. Your spirit is elevated by the breathtaking routes and the comfort of a shared safe haven: Hotel Saint Roch. Because a true pilgrimage is all about the journey and sharing stories over a well-deserved meal and drink at the end.

LE PILGRIMAGE
DE SAINT ROCH

Le PILGRIMAGE

Le Pilgrimage offers a unique blend of adventure, community, and comfort. It’s not a race, but a challenging journey shared with like-minded souls.

Over five days, you’ll ride three self-supported stages at your own pace, each returning to our base camp at Hotel Saint Roch, where you’ll rest, eat, and sleep in shared rooms.

The three stages will take you to some of the best off-road mountain passes in Europe, with checkpoints placed throughout the route. We finish with a celebratory dinner and party at the hotel.

We can host 50 pilgrims, so be sure to sign up in time.

You'll stay at Hotel Saint Roch, our alpine base camp, and will ride three challenging stages (±450 kilometres, ±15.000 meters of climbing in total) in five days filled with views, food and adventure.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PILGRIMAGE?

Program:

  • August 28 - opening dinner & briefing

  • August 29 - stage 1

  • August 30 - stage 2

  • August 31 - stage 3

  • September 1 - stage 3 + finish party

  • September 2 + check out

Your entry fee will include:

  • Half board based stay (incl. breakfast & plat du jour dinners)

  • Post ride pasta

  • GPS live tracking on Follow My Challenge including tracker rental

  • All routes in komoot collection & GPX files

  • Ride manual & brevet card

  • Goodies from our partners

  • All hotel facilities, including spa, swimming pool, bike workplace & storage

WHERE WILL WE TAKE YOU

The area around Hotel Saint Roch boasts breathtaking mountain summits.

Located at the edge of Parc National des Écrins and near the Italian border, this journey lets you cross hidden valleys, pass isolated refuges, reach high-altitude lakes, and take in glacier views on some of the area’s toughest trails.

No Pilgrimage is complete without hike-a-bike sections, but these are rewarded with divine descents.

At checkpoints, you may find pilgrim treasures—small, meaningful items to sustain you on this journey.

A Road Book with resupply points and .gpx routes will be sent ahead of the event.

STAGE 1: AUGUST 29

  • A brand-new route showcasing the highlights of the Pays des Écrins, one of France’s most stunning national parks. Along the way, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of glaciers and glimpses into the serene surrounding valleys.

    Routes are subject to change at any time due to unforeseen weather conditions.

    • 90 - 120 kilometers

    • 2.750 - 3.500 altimeters

    Final route will be announced several weeks before via the road book.

    Note: All Pilgrimage routes are unsupported and require significant endurance and navigation through mountainous landscapes. More information can be found in the Q&A.

STAGE 2: AUGUST 30

  • After conquering the iconic Galibier twice and passing by the Refuge des Drayères twice, it’s time for a new adventure. We have a few route options in mind, which we’ll reveal a few weeks before the event. But rest assured, it will include another epic unpaved gravel climb, a hike-a-bike section through desolate landscapes dotted with mountain lakes, and stops at refuges for essential refreshments.

    Routes are subject to change at any time due to unforeseen weather conditions.

    • 120-130 kilometers

    • 3.000 - 3.400 altimeters

    Final route will be announced several weeks before via the road book.

    Note: All Pilgrimage routes are unsupported and require significant endurance and navigation through mountainous landscapes. More information can be found in the Q&A.

STAGE 3: 31 aug & 1 sept

  • Like last edition, there’s a good chance we’ll cross the Italian border once again. This time, we’ll take a different route, with a climb higher than ever before—one of Europe’s highest unpaved mountain passes. Which climb it will be? That remains a surprise for now.

    Along the way, you’ll discover hidden fortresses and face pilgrims challenges. Stage 3 is a two-day journey where you’ll have the choice to bivouac under the stars or opt for accommodation along the route.

    Routes are subject to change at any time due to unforeseen weather conditions.

    • 2-days stage

    • 200-230 kilometers

    • 6.000 - 6.500 altimeters

    Final route will be announced several weeks before via the road book.

    Note: All Pilgrimage routes are unsupported and require significant endurance and navigation through mountainous landscapes. More information can be found in the Q&A.

Our basecamp, start and finish point, and the place to rest, meet, eat, sleep, and celebrate after Le Pilgrimage is Hotel Saint Roch, a cozy retreat nestled in the mountains, offering a perfect base after long days on the trails.

Hotel Saint Roch provides comfortable shared bedrooms with mountain views, a soothing sauna for post-ride recovery, a swimming pool, a living room with a crackling fireplace, and a welcoming bar where you can share tales from the trails with fellow pilgrims.

We’ll offer freshly prepared meals, including French breakfasts, energizing post-run snacks, and a communal ‘plat du jour’ dinner at the shared table.

THE basecamp

HOTEL AMENITIES

  • Book your bed in a shared bedroom, equipped with a private bathroom and mountain views.

  • Daily plat du jours by chef Anne and her team, fresh pasta upon return, and a full French buffet breakfast to start each day.

  • A spacious and comfortable restaurant, which we call our living room, complete with a fireplace and a bar to share tales from the trails.

  • Need to refresh? How about a dip in our spa and outdoor swimming pool? Dip that bib.

Le pilgrimage
PACKAGE - €795

  • 1x Le Pilgrimage entry

  • 4x nights bed

  • 4x plat du jour-dinners incl. opening dinner

  • 4x breakfast

  • 3x post bike pasta

  • 1x finishers party

    Usage of all hotel facilities: living room, bar, hot showers, hot tub, swimming pool

  • When: August 28 - 2 September 2025

  • Where: Puy-Saint-Vincent, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

  • Duration: 5 nights, 6 days

  • Stages: 3 stages, ±450 kilometres, ±14.000 altimeters

  • Difficulty level: demanding / ultra

  • Type: self-supported during stages, supported at basecamp

  • Basecamp: Hotel Saint Roch

  • Food & drinks: daily breakfast, ‘plat du jour’ dinner & post ride pasta included. Drinks at own expense.

  • Tickets: 795 euro per person

  • Max group size: 50 riders

Pilgrimage SUMMARY

  • Anything with a minimum of 40mm tyres would be ideal. We advise to set up your bike with at least a 1:1 gear ratio set up.

  • This region is famous for it’s sun. Usually in September the weather is stable. But as always, in the mountains the weather is unpredictable so pack accordingly. Yes, at 1400m it can freeze at night.

  • Nobody said finding salvation was easy; finishing all three loops is a true test of endurance and resilience.

    Each loop covers a long distance through alpine areas, with an average of 9-12 hours of biking (and hiking) each day. Participants should be trained and prepared to navigate self-supported in mountainous terrain, carrying their own supplies.

    This challenge requires the capability to complete multiple days with each route covering at least 100 kilometers and 3,000 meters of unpaved elevation gain. Experience in high-altitude or rugged terrain, along with the ability to handle challenging weather conditions, is essential.

  • Under all circumstance make sure you’ll bring: headlamp, bike lights, waterproof jacket, down jacket, reflective vest, small first aid kit, emergency blanket.

  • During Stage 3 you’ll handle your own meals and accommodation; the road book you’ll receive suggests various sleep options like bivy spots, campsites and guesthouses. In previous editions, our Pilgrims slept in everything between a 4-star hotel to a bivy in an abandoned sauna of a closed hotel.

FAQ’s

  • Puy-Saint-Vincent is located close to Briançon and the Italian border. We recommend travelling by train to: Argentière-les-Ecrins (15 km ride) or Oulx in Italy (50 km ride). The closest airport is Turin. Airport Marseille offers fair rates as well. Of course, you can easily reach us by car.

  • Your package will include quite a lot, but what we don’t include are drinks, except the first two that will be on us at the finishers party.

  • Valid health insurance is required, and travel insurance with mountain coverage is essential, as the organization is not liable for any damages or injuries.

  • In keeping with the social spirit of the event, we ask all participants to share the basecamp experience, which means booking the full package is required.

  • It is not possible to bring your pet. Chickens, cats and other predators roam around in the garden of the chalet. Oh and there are also wolves in the area.

MEET THE CREW

ANNE

CHEF DE CUISINE

Simon

FOUNDER, HOST

CYRIL

HOST & PHOTOGRAPHER

Aaron

CREATIVE

supporters

GRAVEL

August 28 - September 2

TRAIL

July 1-6 (inaugural edition)