Le Grand Ruban

71km - 1840m ascent - Mountain bike and gravel

Route provisionally signposted as part of the Fight the Crab charity event.

Leaving Le Brassus, the route heads into the Risoud forest via the Grandes Roches Olympic site.
From there, it's a long climb to the summit.
The border, marked by a stone wall that runs along the ridge, is crossed as you arrive at Roche Champion, close to a number of sites that bear witness to the Resistance and a magnificent viewpoint.
After crossing back into Switzerland on a small technical path, the rest of the route winds its way through this immense forest on a succession of ascents and descents.
You return to civilisation at the village of Le Solliat. From the edge of the forest, there's a fine view of Mont Tendre, on the other side of the valley, where the route will take us in a few hours' time.
A little further east, at a place called "Combe Noire", the route climbs Risoud again.
It's a long, steep climb, but once again the reward is there. The Grande Tèpe offers views of the valley, the Dent de Vaulion, Lac de Joux and even further afield, the Alps.
Once you reach Chalet Neuf, simply follow route 995 in reverse to descend to Les Charbonnières, then Le Pont, for a change of scenery.
It's also the last chance to refuel in this beautiful, lively tourist village.
We head for Le Mollendruz to tackle the final steep sections that lead to the foot of Mont Tendre, crossing some splendid pastures.
This section, at 1550m, where you ride over short grass, is magical and gives you a welcome boost of energy.
After a final bit of effort, it's time for a cautious descent to La Vallée and Le Brassus.
This route takes you to some legendary places, but they are well worth the effort.
It takes in a lot of white roads and paths. You don't therefore need to be technically proficient. However, you do need to be in excellent physical condition and have the time and courage to complete it.