“Where the pavement ends, the adventure begins.” That’s pretty much the perfect tagline for the launch of a new gravel event. It offers just enough of a tease to draw you in. Fortunately, the organisers of La Piste Berbère back up the tagline with some extra information too “a 6-day immersive gravel adventure in Morocco, non-competitive, designed for riders seeking adventure, authenticity and conviviality.” If that sounds like the event for you, then read on to find out more.
“La Piste Berbère is aimed at riders who want to experience gravel as a complete experience, not as a timed performance.” That’s how event organiser Christophe Meurice sums up his new event. It’s being held between the 3 and 10th October 2026 and during the course of the event, participants will ride from the High Atlas mountains to the semi-desert landscapes of the Jebel Saghro. The total route is 500km in length and includes 6500m of climbing. Christophe describes the route as “crossing demanding and spectacular areas, alternating mountain tracks, desert plateaus, Berber villages and bivouacs, offering a raw and authentic playground faithful to the DNA of gravel.”
Although one of the big ‘draws’ for visiting Morocco is the incredible gravel riding, La Piste Berbère also promises to offer participants a real insight into Moroccan life “Accommodation (hotels and campsites) is carefully selected by us to enable you to enjoy authentic cultural and culinary experiences and sample the legendary Moroccan hospitality.” Placing an emphasis on quality not quantity is high up the list for the organisers too – they say “The Piste Berbère is a socially and locally committed adventure event. The number of places is deliberately limited to 60 participants to ensure a personalised adventure in a sporting and friendly atmosphere.”
The organisers go on to say, “La Piste Berbère advocates a different approach to long-distance gravel: ride, discover, share, in a spirit of adventure and respect for the territories crossed. The event can be ridden solo or in pairs, guided by GPS, with no rankings or time pressure. With its clear positioning, demanding format and spectacular scenery, La Piste Berbère announces itself as one of the new gravel events to watch, for long-distance enthusiasts as well as adventure riders off the beaten track.”
Entry into La Piste Berbère starts at €1790 and includes everything listed above. For more details and to sign up, head over to the event website.