The mythical tunnel du Parpaillon

At the end of a kilometer long unpaved climb you reach a tunnel, high in the French Alps at 2600 meters. The dark gateway is as mysterious as it is ominous. Anyone who dares to enter the tunnel sends shivers down their spine. Inside it is cold, wet and dark, pitch dark. The subsoil is marshy and also covered with ice shelves deep into the hot French summer. As soon as you cycle into the tunnel, the light at the end of the tunnel does not seem to exist.

The Tunnel du Parpaillon was built at the end of the 19th century by the French army and provided a connection between the Ubaye valley and Embrun. This enabled the groups to move quickly and transport supplies to the Italian border. Now the tunnel forms a connection for the completion of this 112-kilometer gravel route through the French Alpine landscape.

This route starts in Embrun, because of its location on the azure lake Lac de Serre Ponçon, also called Petit Nice. With the cooling breeze from the water you follow the route along the lake. After 12 kilometers you turn and start the climb of the Col de Pontis. You climb to 1300 meters through a coniferous forest and along steep rock walls. On the way you pass the village of Pontis where you can refill your water opposite the church. Overlooking the lake, a steep descent back down awaits.

Here you follow part of the Transubayenne route towards Barcelonnette. This is an old railway line along the river l'Ubaye that is interrupted by several tunnels, the longest of which is no less than 1.5 kilometers. Make sure your lighting is sufficiently charged, because you will need it again later. Before you start the climb to that other dark tunnel, Barcelonnette is a good place for a stopover.

After 63 kilometers you leave the D900 and start the climb of the Col de Parpaillon, which is 20 kilometers long in total and has 1500 meters of altitude (!). Parts of the climb are paved up to the last 11 kilometers. You cycle through pine forests and follow the sound of a flowing river on your right, until you reach a bridge. Here you reach the tree line and leave the woods behind. The landscape opens up and the road winds its way up through hairpin bends. At over 2,600 meters you reach the Tunnel du Parpaillon. Put on an extra jacket and turn on your lighting. Brace yourself, because the tunnel is cold and dark and seems to go on forever. Beyond halfway the first rays of light shine, which become increasingly brighter as you approach the end. You narrow your eyes when you cycle outside and a new mountain landscape opens up along your eyelashes.

An 18-kilometer descent into the valley of Crevoux now awaits. The first part is unpaved and as soon as you reach civilization again, the road is asphalted. You roll back to Embrun where you have plenty of options in town to take a breather from this ride.