Gravel races in the canton of Bern

Gravel loves white dirt roads, and the canton of Bern is full of them. Between the farm tracks of the Emmental, the banks of the Aar and the alpine trails of the Oberland, a gravel race in the canton of Bern always finds an alternative to the road 🚵.

The terrain mixes asphalt, gravel, forest tracks and meadows, often within a single ride. The Emmental offers generous hills dotted with farms with huge roofs, while the Seeland unrolls nearly flat roads around Lake Biel, perfect for warming up the legs. The season runs from May to October, with a golden autumn that makes you want to extend your rides 🍂. The undergrowth and alpine trails require a bit of technique, but largely reward the effort. A wide tire and the right pressure already do half the work, the rest depends on your legs and the weather.

The canton doesn't yet have any gravel events on the Finishers calendar, so you need to look to the neighbors. The gravel race calendar offers in June the Cyclosportive Des Portes du Soleil in Champéry, in Valais. In July, UCI The Majestics sets up in Villars, in the canton of Vaud, with a lineup that attracts adventure lovers 🏔️. The gravel races in Valais round out the choice with other playgrounds.

Bern owes its name to a bear, according to legend, and the plantigrade still reigns over the city from its park on the banks of the Aar 🐻. Meeting a bear on a bike gives you wings, luckily those in Bern stay behind their barriers 😄. Everyone will find their race according to their level and their desire to escape, from a ride with friends to a more demanding event. To ride further, the gravel races in Switzerland and the cyclosportives in the canton of Bern offer great alternatives.