I’m an A-Line addict, I love big jumps, booters, big drops etc
Is there anywhere in the Alps/Europe that will give me a good choice of A-Line type flowy jump trails?
I’ve been to Les Deux Alpes a couple of times which is a good place but I’ve been spoilt by the quality of riding in Whistler.
Chatel looks a pretty good bet, anywhere else to be recommended?
Also does anyone know how much a summer season pass for Portes du Soleil is?
Ta

Spooky Woods at Glentress is pretty rad.

Gawaline at Les Orres. Nowhere near as long/good as A-Line though.

Liked the “Freeride” bit at Glentress but I’m after something with a chairlift!

That Les Orres track looks like fun though,I’d never even heard of that place. Must be so many hidden gems in europe.

A-Line is perfect IMHO, tough act to follow.
Once spent a whole day riding only A-Line, from warm-up to lift-close. Too much fun, so flowy.
I wish I could live there but at 42 i’m well past bunac age 🙁

This?

When were you last at deux alpe? IME for that jumpy, fast, open type of riding there is no park in France or the Pyranees that is better.

One or two trails at Valnord that fit the bill, a few at Orciere but for volume deux alpes is the best. Cant comment on the top trails at les orres as the top lift was shut when I was there but the lower stuff was nothing special (only two runs anyway).

lots of laps at your local BMX track?

lac blanc bike park.

I was last in Les Deux Alpes in 2009, it’s a fun place, no doubt but there wasn’t anything wide with endless amounts of big table-tops and berms (ie A-Line, Dirt Merchant, Freight Train etc).
Lots of jumps dotted around the place maybe and Venosc DH is tons of fun, but nothing that similar to A-Line.
Have they built a new track since then?
Like I said, I’m probably asking too much as A-Line is “perfect” and Whistler tends to spoil you for that type of riding 🙁

Some of the runs in chatel are similar (ish) though with a much higher danger level (no markings for gap jumps etc) but IMHO there is nothing that I’ve ridden in Morzine that comes close to Whistler track build standard though Morgins tracks are different in style but very well built and maintained. A friend runs the Jarvso Bike Park in Sweden however and they have had Gravity Logic build there, I haven’t been (yet) but it looks mint. Heres a little video http://www.zapiks.fr/north-trip-ep-iv-jarvso.html

The closest I’ve found is the Shimano trail at Are in Sweden. It’s closer to Dirt Merchant than A-line (more varied jumps, step-ups and step-downs) but it compares really really well to the machine built trails in Whistler.

Thanks for the replies.
Yeah, Jarvso looks like a great place, not loads of trails but a few really good quality ones built by Whistler folk.
Shimano trail in Are looks great too. Dirt Merchant-ish is fine with me.
Hmm Sweden….

I imagine that you will find Deux alpes a lot better now. Can’t comment on how it compares to whistler though.

Edit. Everyone was comparing the trails at a little southern park called chabanon to whistler. It is small though, and has weird opening times. Never went as it was closed I passed by but all the locals rated it.

Lots of a-line type stuff at Chatel bike park
http://www.mountainbikeparkchatel.com/

I’ve always found Dixons Hollow at dalby to be worth a visit with the big bike.

The woods behind the nationwide in swindon

On a side note, Surface to Air at Aston Hill is great fun and made by guys back from Whistler.

Surface to Air looks ace, can’t wait to get over there and try it out.

[video]http://vimeo.com/52616222[/video]

It is so well made, can’t wait to ride it in the dry for a change.

HOw old is that track?

Rollercoaster at Hafjell might fit the bill.

Top part was off limits last year but we’ll see if it’s back this year.

Any good?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ys1R6DMg4

Rollercoaster at Hafjell might fit the bill.

Now that looks like A Line. I imagine a week in Norway will put a dent in the wallet.

Now that looks like A Line. I imagine a week in Norway will put a dent in the wallet.

Depends how much beer you drink. If there’s a group of you renting a cabin is a pretty good option and fairly reasonable prices.