When an event is sold out within 24 hours, it shows the interest of gravel enthusiasts to tackle the challenge. When a big share of those who got an entry are repeating riders, it additionally reveals the quality of the work done by the organizers, as the lucky ones participating return home eager to experience similar moments year after year.
This is the case of Le Pilgrimage, and the 2024 edition has been one for the books. We can consider ourselves privileged for the moments we shared with a group of pilgrims coming from all over Europe and beyond, with varied backgrounds and fitness levels. We were ready to embark on a gravel journey in the Western Alps, bringing us to magic places via challenging terrain.
On the first evening together in Chalet AlpeLune, located in Puy Saint Vincent the co-organizers Simon Rosmolen and Cyril Chemin explained the mission, vision and values of Le Pilgrimage. They have participated in many cycling events throughout the years and realized that what they enjoyed the most were the social moments. Based on that, they set their eyes on organizing an event focusing on adventure, community and comfort.
All that was materialized in a successful first edition, which together with attractive artwork and teasing photos showing what the 2023 participants went through, triggered even more people to sign up, reaching the full capacity of the basecamp. As mentioned by co-organiser Cyril Chermin during the opening dinner, Le Pilgrimage was “1 route, 40 different stories”, and although we are here to explain the experience from our point of view, every participant returned home with an eye-opening adventure in the bag.
All the controllables were taken care of by the organizers, and even things like the weather were on our side. After an extra challenging maiden edition truncated by the rain and cold, we can count on one hand the clouds we saw in the sky during the riding days.
The event took place from September 12th to 17th. It was the end of summer and we were based at 1.500 meters of elevation, reaching higher altitudes on the bike each day, so the weather was unpredictable. During the days leading to the start, a cold storm hit the Alps but luckily for us, the most severe consequences were in the eastern side. Still, it snowed above 2.500 m near the chalet and the temperatures for the next few days would be very low. Based on that, we took off our bag all the summer kit and put on some thick layers instead. We are so glad we did.
The stages were self-supported, but as soon as we arrived back at Chalet AlpeLune, we were treated like queens and kings. We all had a serving of pasta waiting for us, and those arriving at a reasonable time could enjoy the hot tub and clean the bike with all the tools at our disposal before dinner. We gathered every evening at 19:30 in the dining room to devour what chef Anne Pekelharing had prepared for us, share the stories of the day, and prepare for what was coming the following day.
Stage 1: Pays des Écrins
Every time we think of the initial stage, our lower back screams in pain remembering the steep gradients we had to tackle. Looking at the profile of the stage, it didn’t look like a tough route as there was no peak standing over the rest. However, we accumulated 2.500 meters of elevation in the first 50 kilometers by linking several climbs of moderate length but high gradients, always within the Parc National des Écrins. The dense forest with high trees only allowed us to contemplate the high peaks around us from time to time, but it also covered us from the strong wind hitting the region.
It was at the end of the last of those climbs where the stage’s checkpoint was located. Some hike-a-bike was needed to get to Cabane St. Jean, a mountain shelter for shepherds and trekkers, but we were rewarded with cheese fondue and grilled sausages. We tackled the long descent with a full stomach and the first stamp on our brevet card.
The last third of the ride was mainly on tarmac, and this time there was no way to hide from the wind. Those riding in a group could minimize the impact of it, another reason to approach this event as an opportunity to get to know people while riding as a bunch rather than an individual effort.
Stage 2: Galibier and Vallée de la Clarée
If the temperatures on day 1 were already low, the forecast for stage 2 wasn’t encouraging at all. The road to the top of the Galibier had been closed the previous two days due to ice, and although the route we had to tackle would bring us to the summit via the off-road side, the high chances of encountering unrideable terrain prompted the organizers to facilitate different alternatives to get to the Refuge des Drayeres.
The sky was clear, so we tackled the original plan hoping that the sun would melt the remaining ice on the trails. The default approach to the Galibier from Briancon is via the main road, but thanks to Le Pilgrimage we discovered an alternative path, mainly gravel, parallel to it.
After three hours of riding, we reached the start of the old road to the top of Galibier. We had already accumulated over 1.000 meters of elevation, but the gradients would drastically increase in the last stretch. The surface was also very rough and not all the ice was melted, so it took us a full hour to cover the remaining 7,5 kilometres. The views of the glacier behind us compensated for it.
We were full of adrenaline at the top of the infamous mountain. It was all for us as no cars could access the road to the top, and at that moment no other cyclists were challenging the adverse weather. Our Hammerhead was displaying an air temperature of -4°C, and we could barely stay upright given the strong gusts of wind. The descent to Plan Lachat was short but extremely cold, so the off-road climb into the Haute Vallée de la Clarée was helpful to warm up again.
At some point, we had to put our feet on the ground as the smooth gravel turned into a rocky section with no clear path. Some pilgrims came well-prepared with trekking shoes to minimize the risk of slipping, but still, the hike-a-bike was long and slow. We finally arrived at the Refuge des Drayeres, where some of the participants who opted to skip the Galibier were already enjoying the nice catering prepared for us.
The average speed increased considerably on the descent to Briancon through the Vallée de Clarée, with some nice trails that kept us entertained. It was during the last climb before reaching the base camp that we realized the magnitude of the challenge we had accomplished, but what was coming over the next two days would be even more mind-blowing.
Stage 3: Strada dell’Assieta and Monte Jafferau
Same as last year, the last stage was a two-day route, with each pilgrim deciding where to sleep before tackling the remainder of it. This time we would foray into Italy, with the Strada dell’Assietta and the Monte Jafferau – although this location was still a secret before starting the stage – as the main highlights. The bike setups at the startline revealed who was planning on bivvying and who was staying at a B&B, and based on what we heard, most would sleep in Susa. We booked a night further up the road to start with a bit of advantage on the treasure quest. Even in a social event like the Le Pilgrimage, our competitive side shows up in one way or another.
We caught the first sunrays on our way to the border. A quiet gravel path led us to Claviere, where we ordered a cappuccino because that is the first thing everyone should do when crossing to Italy. A regrouping took place, and Cyril went ahead saying “I don’t want to miss this part”, so we were expecting something interesting up next.
A few minutes later our Hammerhead warned us of the gradients that we would have to overcome, and things got even more difficult when the recently tarmacked path turned into a mix of Paris-Roubaix cobblestones and potato field. As the saying goes, “the harder the climb, the better the view”, and we took off the clothing layers we didn’t need anymore while contemplating the landscape we were rewarded with. The temperatures finally rose above 15°C, and the suncream that everyone neglected during the first two stages suddenly turned into a precious item.
Before reaching Strada dell’Assieta, a technical and rocky descent was followed by a long climb, which was paved up to Sestriere and then off-road until the 2.400 meters elevation mark. Multiple slices of pizza ingested in the ski resort gave us the energy needed to reach the top, and we also made sure we carried enough extra food and water, as for the next 40 kilometers we would be riding on a plateau at over 2.000 meters, isolated from civilization.
Strada dell’Assieta was definitely one of the highlights not only of Le Pilgrimage but our entire summer. It was like a ridge trail on steroids, with jaw-dropping views of the Susa and Chisone valleys. We had built a good time buffer versus sunset, so we could afford to stop several times, look around us, and realize how privileged we were to be there. It was a mindfulness session.
The endpoint of the old military road was near the top of the Colle delle Finestre, another magic place and one of the highlights of the fifth edition of Among the Giants. The descent was more uneven than what we remember, with washboards making things difficult even on a gravel bike. That was the last unpaved segment of the day, as the remainder of the descent to Susa and the 15 additional kilometers until our accommodation were on tarmac.
We woke up and the first thing we did was open Dotwatcher to check where each of our fellow participants had spent the night and whether any of them had already started the long climb to the third and last checkpoint of this edition, the Caserma Grotte del Seguret.
When we resumed our treasure quest, two fellow pilgrims were ahead of us. Both had kept riding until late at night and laid their bivvy on the side of the military road. We teamed up and did most of the climb together, crossing the pitch-black tunnel, stopping at the checkpoint to get the last stamp, and continuing to the location of the treasure, which was unveiled the previous night.
The extra bit involved climbing up to 2.800 meters of elevation and finding which of the galleries of the fortress on Mont Jafferau was the correct one. A dozen brave pilgrims took on the challenge and were rewarded not only with the treasure itself, consisting of local delicacies, but spectacular views too. Totally worth it.
The mission was accomplished, but there was still a long way until Puy Saint Vincent. Those arriving in the early afternoon prepared a table outside with apéro snacks and drinks. Italy treated us well when it came to food, but it was nice to savor Anne’s food again. Everyone arriving next joined the finisher’s party, which lasted until past dusk as there were a lot of things to talk with the pilgrims we had shared the journey with.
For those who sometimes wonder if it is worth it to pay for a ticket for an event instead of riding the route oneself any other day, we consider that Le Pilgrimage was a clear example of an event that goes beyond the riding part. Don’t get us wrong, the routes and landscapes, as explained above, were stunning and allowed us to discover places we may have not been to if it weren’t for this particular event. However, the support of everyone involved in the organization, the comfort of the basecamp, and the top-quality meals we were rewarded with at the start and end of each day, justify any price tag one may see – if quick enough – when the registrations for the 2025 edition open.
