The recognition was announced on Friday, October 9, 2026, during the Roc d’Azur event in Fréjus. This label, supported by the General Directorate for Enterprises (DGE) in partnership with France Vélo and the Réseau vélo & marche, aims to identify, support, and promote French destinations of excellence for cycling tourism. Among the 30 national laureates, three are located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region: Mont Ventoux, Luberon à Vélo, and Provence Alpes Agglomération, the latter being the only one in the region selected for its mountain biking sector.
This distinction provides Provence Alpes Agglomération with increased visibility at national and European levels. It also facilitates networking with other destinations and tourism businesses, and grants access to free services offered by the project partners.
Leveraging its diverse landscapes, varied terrain, and year-round favorable climate, Provence Alpes Agglomération has prioritized mountain biking as a strategic sector since 2018. The territory currently offers nearly 2,000 km of marked mountain bike trails, spanning close to 100 routes, making it one of the largest mountain biking areas in France. This area is maintained year-round by a dedicated team of eight field agents. Additionally, the Stade VTT XCO de Haute-Provence, certified level 1, is accessible free of charge in Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban.
The iconic site of Terres Noires, near Digne-les-Bains, is an internationally renowned mountain biking spot. The territory also features three « Grandes Traversées VTT® » (TransVerdon, Alpes-Provence, and Chemins du Soleil), two internationally recognized Bike Parks (EVO Bike Park in Digne-les-Bains and Bike Park in Montclar), an « Espace Cyclosport® » with 19 cycling routes and 15 mountain passes, and a « Espace Gravel® » with 20 routes. Approximately thirty establishments are certified « Accueil Velo ».
In 2025, the agglomeration and its Tourist Office launched the website and mobile application « Provence Alpes Outdoor », providing free access to nearly 400 outdoor sports itineraries. Numerous events, such as the Enduro VTT des Terres Noires, the Rando VTT des Terres Noires, the Enduro de Montclar Vallée de la Blanche, and the VTT randonnée la Jarlandine, contribute to the destination's reputation.
This latest recognition adds to previous accolades. As early as 2018, Provence Alpes Agglomération was the first French territory to achieve dual certification as « Espace VTT FFC® » and « Base VTT FF Vélo® ». Subsequently, the community has continuously structured and diversified its offerings, obtaining the « Espace Cyclosport® » (2022), « Stade VTT XCO® » (2024), « Espace Gravel® » (2025), and « Terre d’Excellence Cycliste® » (late 2025) labels, all awarded by the French Cycling Federation. This dynamic reflects the ongoing development of the cycling sector and reinforces the community's ambition to make cycling tourism a sustainable driver of attractiveness.
