Video: Shredding Tight & Twisty Alpine Trails in France

Maxime Peythieu, a mountain bike rider from the French Alps, and brand ambassador for Santa Cruz Bicycles, is an all-bike player. He decides to show us all he does on a bike, from dirt jump to freeride, in a few video edits throughout the year. Here is the third opus of "Skillz" series.

Look at the first, and second episode of "Skillz".


For the third episode, he decides to go higher, through the mountain between La Grave and Serre Chevalier at the Ecrins's gates, riding his Santa Cruz Hightower.


Which place is better than La Grave to ride a mountain bike? We cannot compare this spot to another one, La Grave is such a unique experience on a mountain bike.
Moreover at this period of the year, when all the larch are turning into a red color.


"After a few rides in La Grave the past summer, I really wanted to go back there shooting some pictures at this incredible place, both by the landscape you can enjoy from the top of the lift at 3200m high, with the glacier of la Meije, than by the tracks built by the AVAG association. Especially the Kingstone road, which starts from 3200m and down to the village at 1500 meter high."


AVAG association, who create tracks over La Grave for a long time, got the support of PayDirt by Santa Cruz Bicycles in 2021 to help grow by the creation of new tracks, all by hands of course! Maxime had the chance to ride the fresh new section on the lower part.


Maxime also wanted to ride this ridge close to the Galibier for a long time. He can't find a better background than the Ecrins right there.




The Hightower in its natural environment


Photos & video made by Willy Camus

Max Peythieu's Instagram