From a gentle ride along the ‘Piste Verte’ to a challenging hill climb up the Pic du Nore, Mazamet is a cyclist’s dream.
From a gentle ride…
Just 200 metres from the gates of La Villa starts the wonderful ‘Piste Verte’ cycle path that makes use of the former railway line from Mazamet to Bédarieux (around 65km). With a slight incline on the outward leg, the Piste Verte passes through beautiful countryside and villages that make up the Vallée du Thoré. It is also known as “PassaPaïs”, meaning “through the land” in Occitan dialect.
We always suggest to guests aiming for a specific point and the maps we can provide give distances/durations between certain points along the way. Please make sure to reserve some time for interesting activities such as a visit to the Textile Museum in Labastide or the Grottes de la Devèze (also known as “the glass spinner cave”) – both of which are passed by the cycle path.
Why not pick up some picnic items at the Tuesday, Saturday or Sunday morning marché in Mazamet to take with you, or ask us where the bars and cafés are located along the route?
You can also take your bike on the train to Castres and pick up another 47km-long section of the Piste Verte which links Castres to Albi, again along a former railway line.
If you are not bringing (or arriving) on bikes, don’t worry – we hire bikes for just 20€ a day
… to a challenging climb!
For those in search of something more testing, the Montagnes Noire and Monts de Lacaune are your playground. Mazamet’s famous cyclist Laurent Jalabert (a former professional cyclist and Le Tour de France competitor) has a 79km training route which you can follow that rises from 380m to 1,200m. Now that’s serious cycling! You could also have a go at the “Pic de Nore”, a 12.5km long, tough climb that is dubbed the ‘mini Ventoux’ by local cyclists. It was on the route of the 2018 Tour de France.
Feeling competitive? There’s still time to register for this year’s “La Jalabert” that takes place on August 18th. This classic race is open to all from 15 years old, and offers 4 different categories.
Further information about the various cycle routes in and around Mazamet & the Tarn can be found on our Office du Tourisme website where you can download and print routes.
Don’t forget your helmet and happy cycling!