Any recommendations for places to ride and guiding companies close to Briançon in France? I’m off to do the Guillestre – Col d’Agnel pass in June and would like to fit some MTB in too..

Dunno about biking as I generally go there to boat but I highly recommend a day rafting with Vincent at the raft centre in Chateau Queyras and playing on the Via Ferrata through chateau Q gorge.

And you have to eat at Dehan Dehors in Guillestre one evening, my favourite eatery in the whole world.

Montgenevre is a cool little bike park. Over the border in Italy you have the Alpi bike resorts (Bardonecchia/Sestriere/Sauze d’oulx). Serre chavalier has a bike park (not ridden it but should be good for a day or two) and a rad bmx track/dirt jump area.

I can recommennd the municipal camp site for Montgenevre. Its just before the switchbacks up to the town, big, cheap, friendly and in a really nice setting. There is some marked trails starting at it as well.

La Grave

and there’s a lift or 2 with some trails up at puy st vincent.

the area is not exactly whistler-esque, but you could have a cool week or 2 – you’d need a car to get around though…

While I haven’t ridden Serre Che on a bike, I ski there and it’s a lovely place. From what I’ve seen, there’s some awesome trails to be had! http://www.serre-chevalier.com/en/summer/activities/cycling/bike-park/ You can lift out of Briançon or any of the other base stations by the looks of it. Chantemerle would be my pick. Some great food on the mountain too, especially at Le Bercail at Aaravet.

As above, Sauze has a good bike park, and some of the trail features visible through the snow looked very good. Also, at Orso Bianco at Sportinia (mid-station) they serve the best pizza on the planet.

Monty? Well, not skied or ridden there, but drive through often enough. Looks OK.

La Grave? Great for shredding da phatt pow, but not so sure it’s set up for bikes in the Summer.

La Grave

I stopped there last year with the intention of doing some riding and sacked the idea. Cable car doesnt run that often and gets pretty full, its expensive and there seems to be only two paths where bikes are allowed. Steep sided mountains so not best suited to riding up either.

Orso Bianco at Sportinia (Sauze mid-station) they serve the best pizza on the planet.

Wrong but not far away.
The best pizza on the planet is served at Kilt in Claviere.

Thanks for the suggestions.. a bit more research required!

I definitely saw some of the standard French MTB trail directional signs (the ones with the red triangle, dots and numbers) when I was skiing in Serre Che a couple of weeks ago.