The night shrouds the Cians gorge in darkness and the higher we get, the cooler it becomes. The car headlights tear a narrow strip of tarmac out of the night. In the darkness we can see larch forests and rock faces. It seems to be a rough area. When we arrive at the Valberg winter sports area, I almost feel like I'm on a skiing holiday. But Olivier and Laurent Giordanengo quickly change our minds. The cousins are the organisers of the Portes du Mercantour enduro race. These bike races are all the rage in France at the moment. The course is divided into sections that are ridden for a time ("Spéciales"). In between are connecting sections where you can regain your strength and play with the terrain ("liaisons"). We exchange a few pleasantries and then quickly set about planning our weekend. It's all about the best single trails, the best equipment and the most interesting routes. We must be in paradise - when Laurent and Olivier talk about the beauty of their homeland, they never miss a superlative.
Find out more about the Portes du Mercantour in the free PDF download.
