Riding the French Alps

[davegixer]

I've ridden Andorra a lot, but not really the French Alps, and intend to change that. Has anyone got any experiences they can share (good or where to avoid) or recommendations for good trails, DH, XC, where to stay, nightlife etc. specifically France for various reasons.
I'm looking at the obvious places such as Chamonix and Grand Massif, as they have good reviews.

Any info would be great.

 

[Donnie797]

avoid the frog legs!
Never been there myself with the bike, but a colleague did a multiple day tour around the Mont Blanc starting from Chamonix and he was fascinated and showed me amazing pics. This page has some further links, maybe they can help.

 

[StuR]

Ive ridden in various parts of the French alps numerous times
Mainly Morzine and Les Arcs area
Les Arcs has awesome off piste singletrack that is quite technical but definitely rideable if you can manage the tougher Uk stuff . Id say it's mainly red with a fair bit of black.
There are also a couple of DH courses
The riding is epic but you really need a guide.
Nightlife is limited in the mountain resorts but Bourg St Maurice is a nice town with plenty going on and it's at the bottom of the feniculer that accesses the main DH run and the sublime black 8 trail singletrack down to Bourg
" trail addiction" used to run an awesome operation in the area but I don't think they are there anymore
There are some other guided options there though
I went 5 times and id go back in a heartbeat

However, if you want the complete package all at your fingertips then Morzine is difficult to beat
Its a beautifully picturesque buzzing alpine town
Great atmosphere , shops , bars , bikeshops etc
Its expensive and expect to get your pants pulled down everywhere you go.
Either go with a fullboard package or a group and hire a chalet , self cater from the local supermarket and limit your eating out.
Expect to pay £6 for a beer , £15 for burger and chips £12 for breakfast

The riding is awesome . literally 100's of kms of trails
2 lifts out of Morzine , one to Les Gets which is only about 4 miles away and is also a buzzing town with several lifts ang loads of trails
The other lift in Morzine access Zores , avoriaz , linderet and on into Switzerland.
Truly epic riding and is used for the annual PDS enduro event
Approx 100km of list assisted riding
The first time i did it still rates as my best day on a bike ever !!

A guide around Morzine would be helpful but not essential as piste maps are easily available and accurate
You also dont have to venture to far to get your fix

Ive been numerous times , just got back 2 weeks ago
Absolutely love the place .
If you get a chance GO !!

 

[Dax]

How much of the trails at morzine are rideable to less DH focused riders? I've got some mates who love fod, afan etc, but struggle on more technical/steeper trails. I'm looking to organise a trip to morzine, but some of the guys are worried it will be too hard for them.

 

[Kernow]

Olargues where the recent Ews was staged has some amazing trails Iam told , there’s vids of them about from the ews

 

[StuR]

How much of the trails at morzine are rideable to less DH focused riders? I've got some mates who love fod, afan etc, but struggle on more technical/steeper trails. I'm looking to organise a trip to morzine, but some of the guys are worried it will be too hard for them.

The black DH runs are gnarly in places with steep technical sections.
The area is well thought out though with black, red , blue and green runs on most of the main lifts
Also the Orange enduro trails are fantastic.
Their gradeing is a little conservative though in my opinion
I:E some of the blues are more like Uk reds
There is loads of flowy single singletrack to link it up and even the fireroads are a hoot
If you enjoy Afan and FOD then you'll find something to suit
Just imagine those trails on steroids but with steeper sections and 4 times as long

 

[Doomanic]

Will you please shut up! There's no way I can convince the wife the Morzine is a suitable summer holiday destination...

 

[StuR]

Will you please shut up! There's no way I can convince the wife the Morzine is a suitable summer holiday destination...

Just do what one of my mates did a few years ago .......
I swear this is true
He told his wife he was going out riding with us for the day and came back a week later
He dropped her phone calls all week
She properly tore him a new one when he got back
He said it was worth it though
Astonishingly they are still married

 

[Interpaul]

I've ridden Andorra a lot, but not really the French Alps, and intend to change that. Has anyone got any experiences they can share (good or where to avoid) or recommendations for good trails, DH, XC, where to stay, nightlife etc. specifically France for various reasons.
I'm looking at the obvious places such as Chamonix and Grand Massif, as they have good reviews.

Any info would be great.

Chamonix is one of favourite places, in summer and winter. I have spent a lot of time there over the years, one of the most stunning places I have seen. But it has a lot of restrictions on the trails in the height of summer, they are kept exclusively for walkers. This FB page may help https://www.facebook.com/chxmtb/ but I think you will mainly be riding bike parks in Le Tour and Les Houches. If you go through the Mont Blanc tunnel to the Aosta Valley in Italy you can get to Pila and La Thuille in less than an hour and they are supposed to be superb - have not ridden (skied there loads) but told by various people it is good for MTB.

This Blog written by a Scottish skier I know who lives in Cham is really useful Chamonix Bike Blog and this post has more details on the bike ban in July and August Unintended consequences/Chamonix Bike Ban

La Thuille review here Singletrack heaven: La Thuile

Pila Review here http://www.chamonixbikeblog.com/2013/pila-near-perfect/

Aosta Valley http://www.chamonixbikeblog.com/2017/aosta-col-entrelor/

Morzine and Les Gets are busy and full of braking bumps, there are quieter places to ride with less stress close by IMHO.

 

[EddieJ]

Seemingly plenty of riding at Les Arcs.

Here is one of my mates following his young son down one of the routes just a few days ago. It makes me smile when I think that the lad hasn't even hit his teen years yet. There are plenty of other examples of places to ride in France on his YT channel.


Not so much deep in France, but I am often puzzled why more people from the South East of the UK, don't clutter off for long weekends into France, Belgium or Luxembourg. Book up in advance, and the cost is cheaper than heading of to places such as BPW etc.

 

[R120]

Pretty much all of the european alpine resorts are now fully switched on to MTB in the summer - i lived in the Alps for 3 years in the late 90s/early 2000's and it was about this time that a lot of the resorts started fitting bike carriers to the ski lifts in the summer.

My experience of the French is that they generally have a screw loose when it comes to action sports, in that they have no fear and will happily come up for the weekend to the resorts on 20 year old skis/boards/bikes and fling themselves off the hardest stuff for which they don't have the skills for (and don't care if they do either), and as others have mentioned i think this leads to some of the grading of runs being undercooked sometimes,

I uses to ride a lot in 3 Valleys (Courchavel, Merible, Vat Thorens) and that was good but a decade since i have been there - Italy and the dolomites is well worth a look too, super friendly people and great food and hospitality - more to do if travelling with non bikers/family as well.

Switzerland is amazing too, especially the italian part near the lakes, they also tend to take good care of the trails, as do the Germans and Austrians.

 

[davegixer]

This is absolutely the info I was looking for, fantastic.

Thanks all, awesome.

 

[davegixer]

Ive ridden in various parts of the French alps numerous times
Mainly Morzine and Les Arcs area
Les Arcs has awesome off piste singletrack that is quite technical but definitely rideable if you can manage the tougher Uk stuff . Id say it's mainly red with a fair bit of black.
There are also a couple of DH courses
The riding is epic but you really need a guide.
Nightlife is limited in the mountain resorts but Bourg St Maurice is a nice town with plenty going on and it's at the bottom of the feniculer that accesses the main DH run and the sublime black 8 trail singletrack down to Bourg
" trail addiction" used to run an awesome operation in the area but I don't think they are there anymore
There are some other guided options there though
I went 5 times and id go back in a heartbeat

However, if you want the complete package all at your fingertips then Morzine is difficult to beat
Its a beautifully picturesque buzzing alpine town
Great atmosphere , shops , bars , bikeshops etc
Its expensive and expect to get your pants pulled down everywhere you go.
Either go with a fullboard package or a group and hire a chalet , self cater from the local supermarket and limit your eating out.
Expect to pay £6 for a beer , £15 for burger and chips £12 for breakfast

The riding is awesome . literally 100's of kms of trails
2 lifts out of Morzine , one to Les Gets which is only about 4 miles away and is also a buzzing town with several lifts ang loads of trails
The other lift in Morzine access Zores , avoriaz , linderet and on into Switzerland.
Truly epic riding and is used for the annual PDS enduro event
Approx 100km of list assisted riding
The first time i did it still rates as my best day on a bike ever !!

A guide around Morzine would be helpful but not essential as piste maps are easily available and accurate
You also dont have to venture to far to get your fix

Ive been numerous times , just got back 2 weeks ago
Absolutely love the place .
If you get a chance GO !!

Huge help, thanks Stu

 

[davegixer]

Chamonix is one of favourite places, in summer and winter. I have spent a lot of time there over the years, one of the most stunning places I have seen. But it has a lot of restrictions on the trails in the height of summer, they are kept exclusively for walkers. This FB page may help https://www.facebook.com/chxmtb/ but I think you will mainly be riding bike parks in Le Tour and Les Houches. If you go through the Mont Blanc tunnel to the Aosta Valley in Italy you can get to Pila and La Thuille in less than an hour and they are supposed to be superb - have not ridden (skied there loads) but told by various people it is good for MTB.

This Blog written by a Scottish skier I know who lives in Cham is really useful Chamonix Bike Blog and this post has more details on the bike ban in July and August Unintended consequences/Chamonix Bike Ban

La Thuille review here Singletrack heaven: La Thuile

Pila Review here Pila, Near Perfect

Aosta Valley Aosta, Col Entrelor

Morzine and Les Gets are busy and full of braking bumps, there are quieter places to ride with less stress close by IMHO.

Brilliant, stacks of info there, many thanks.

 

[davegixer]

That young lad can certainly ride!

 

[davegixer]

All this info has seriously wet my whistle for an Alps trip!!!!!

 

[EddieJ]

That young lad can certainly ride!

Not bad for a ten year old.


.

 

[Norange]

Went to Les Arcs with trail addiction, it was amazing. Went on a few DH runs but the single track was much more fun. These guys still operate in the area and a friend rates them:

Holiday Package & Trail Info | Les Arc, Sainte Foy | White Room MTB

The back country stuff would be great on an ebike as you're not constrained by lift locations.