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Spring break in Digne (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) from 27 April to 4 May 2014

Presentation

Our spring break for 2014 will be in Digne from 27 April to 4 May, at the Renouveu Vacances residence "Le Richelme".
The Dignois region, where we will be staying, is home to high peaks overlooking lavender fields, in Europe's largest geological reserve. Digne-les-Bains, a town with a population of 19,000, lies at an altitude of 600 m, at the confluence of three valleys. The surrounding villages and, above all, the numerous chapels overlooking the town are the starting point for many walks.
Known above all for the quality of its thermal waters and geological sites, Digne is also a town of culture with, among other things, the museum of the philosopher and astronomer Pierre Gassendi and the home (which can be visited) of the famous explorer Alexandra David Neel.

Hosting

We'll be staying at the Résidence Renouveau Vacances "Le Richelme", 04000 Digne. It is located at the south-east exit of Digne on the Col de Corobin road. The residence has 79 rooms with 1 to 4 beds (for a total of 144 places), including one room for people with reduced mobility, spread over 4 floors served by a lift. All rooms have en suite facilities (shower, WC), television and telephone. Bed linen and towels are provided, and the residence cleans up after guests.

Programme details

Eight mountain bike circuits and 6 road circuits will help you discover the very different landscapes of the Dignois region. From thyme-scented Provence to the mountain foothills of the Seyne-les-Alpes valley. Apart from a short (road) excursion in the Hautes-Alpes (05), all the passes on offer are in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04).
Of the road routes, 3 can be considered easy, one medium, and 2 are over 100km long, with a maximum of 1600m of ascent. Half of the routes leave from the place where you are staying by bike, the other half by car.
Leaving aside the optional passes, 3 mountain bike routes are easy, while the other 5 are a little more physical. All are mostly rolling, with a few single-track sections and some pushing, but no portaging. Three of the tours start from our accommodation, while the others require short car journeys. Two are scheduled for the same day and in the same region, but with different starting points. One tour has no fixed date, so it's up to you to decide if and when you want to do it.
The list of all tours is available, as well as separate lists for road routes and mountain bike trails. From these lists, interactive maps, route sheets and altitude profiles are also available for each route, along with geolocation files. It is also possible to download the entire brochure (2.6 MB).

Safety instructions

Warning: The suggested order is intended to facilitate the organisation of informal groups, but is in no way compulsory.

The Club des Cent Cols does not provide its members with qualified instructors, so each participant must consider himself or herself to be on a personal excursion, even if we recommend that you group together according to your affinities, your pace or your contemplative or sporting activities... in order to create a club atmosphere. Come home early enough to encourage group life.

As the activity presents a number of risks, we ask you to respect the following instructions:

Take into account your physical condition and the weather conditions before embarking on a tour. Know how to shorten it or abandon it if necessary.
Respect the highway code, other road users and the environment, and comply with the organiser's instructions.
On a mountain bike: close the barriers after you have gone through, respect the prohibitions and the direction suggested by the circuit designer to avoid collisions. A mountain bike route against the flow of traffic can become much more difficult.