Les Terres Noires - Provence Alpes Tourist Office

The Black Lands, these dark dune landscapes offer a completely lunar spectacle! Born under the sea in the Jurassic, they result from the deposition of quantities of clay-limestone sediments called marls. The black color of these rocks is due to the presence of pyrite (iron sulfide).

Here, black soils are also called Faucets. The English call them “Bad lands”, in other words “bad lands”. Because in fact, vegetation is almost absent there... Only a few short grasses and other thorny shrubs survive on these compact and impermeable rocks, regularly subject to strong erosion. This is why the Black Lands are very often described as a “lunar landscape”.

In the heart of the black earth in Haute Provence — PAA

Unique MTB spot in the world

Put your wheels down in the Black Lands

A world-famous spot, the Terres Noires are a true paradise for mountain bike enthusiasts. A few kilometers from Digne-les-Bains, these dark lands offer technical and spectacular trails that attract riders from all over the world. Steep descents, banked turns and natural obstacles require total steering control. Mountain bikers find themselves immersed in a striking landscape, where the contrasts between the black earth, the particular vegetation and the surrounding mountains create a unique atmosphere. The Terres Noires are a true gem for mountain bike enthusiasts looking for intense adventures and thrills.