Mountain bike orienteering
French Sprint Championships
National Long Distance
March 14 & 15, 2026
Home and Access
Welcome to Vallon Pont d'Arc, in the heart of the Ardèche Gorges nature reserve, for the first mountain bike orienteering event of the 2026 season. We have put together a program that combines both the sporting aspect and moments of conviviality.
Racing Center
The race centre is located at the Vallon Pont d'Arc community hall, 1bis place de l'ancienne gare.
Free parking is available on Place Pablo Neruda.
To warm up
From Saturday morning, you can warm up by using the XC course at the Olympic stadium in Salavas, which will be open to the public for the occasion.
Nestled in a natural setting on a hillside, in the heart of an oak forest overlooking the Ardèche River, the XCO mountain bike stadium meets Olympic standards. The track offers two variations: 2300m (127m of elevation gain) or 2700m (138m of elevation gain). The track was designed by the same architect as the one for the 2024 Olympic Games.
With steep descents, banked turns, rocky areas, steps, artificial modules, jumps, climbs and double-track sections, the course is technical and demanding.
Several types of modules or layouts are available: pumpline, rock garden, wooden walkways and rock formations, jumps…
Competition schedule:
Access to the 2 race areas will be from the race center (follow the signs).
Given the significant distances to the starting point, shuttle buses will be organized for categories HD10/12 and HD70+.
(Departure times will be scheduled accordingly)
On the CO side, you will be riding on a new map created for the occasion which will offer an alternation of sectors with excellent cycling, super fun single tracks and more technical and rocky areas.
Registration is exclusively on the FFCO website, follow this link:
Courses are available for non-licensed participants, young and old, for both introductory and competitive levels. Feel free to come and discover or improve your mountain bike orienteering skills.
Accommodation & Meals
To make your arrangements easier, we have reserved two accommodation options for you with our partners.
The CREPS of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc and the Ardèche Discovery Center in Salavas
In both cases, booking and payment are made directly to the accommodation provider, and prices vary depending on the options chosen ( individual or shared accommodation , with or without breakfast).
CREPS AURA
1.2 km from the race centre
10 minutes on foot - 3 minutes by bike
€25/person in a 3-person room
€30 per person in a single room
Breakfast: €4.50/person
150 Passage François Leclerc, 07150 Vallon Pont d'Arc
04 75 88 15 10
Ardèche Discovery Area
3km from the race centre
20 minutes on foot - 10 minutes by bike
245 Chemin de la Vernède 07150 Salavas
04 75 88 05 74
Dinner Saturday evening
On Saturday, after the awards ceremony, we invite you to share a meal together at the race center to enjoy a friendly atmosphere and relive the day's race while savoring local and seasonal products.
Meal reservations are made at the same time as race registrations on the FFCO website.
Meal price: €/person
Tourism
The South Ardèche is full of remarkable sites, in addition to the magnificent map on which you will be running!
So, if you have some time before or after the weekend, take the opportunity to extend your stay and explore the nature reserve and its surroundings.
We have selected for you...
The Ardèche Gorges, explored on foot down along the river or up on the tourist route
The Chauvet 2 Ardèche cave, a replica of the famous Ardèche cave
The typical Ardèche villages with their narrow streets (Balazuc, Lagorce, Vogué, Labeaume...)
More information so you don't miss anything:
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