just got back from weeks skiing in Cervinia (was gurt lush)

lovely area, got me thinking about the biking potential

returned with a load of maps, and just ordered a mtb guide book for the area, so the planning has started

anyone ridden(or knows)the area? More interested in back country trails than downhill motorways

The freeride trails running from the bottom of the Pila DH courses down to the bottom of the valley are amazing. Endless line/route options. It’s definitely more DH bike territory though, with the cable car back up to the top, but they’re not motorway-like at all. The DH tracks at the top of the mountain are also awesome but a bit more motorway-like.

A more trail-bike friendly option would be La Thuile, which has many ski-lift accessed trails.

La Thuile is like a perfectly manicured trail centre built in beautiful surroundings for 5/6″ bikes. Really well built place (yes its all man made im told, even K2)

Heard some reports about La Thuile, definetly one to check out, but…

looking at the terrain, the history, and the Italians love of hunting and forraging, i’m sure there must be a whole load of singletrack out there begging to be ridden

Some great epic stuff above Courmayeur and in the grand Paradiso national park above Cogne. no lifts though, you gotta work for it…

Some great epic stuff above Courmayeur and in the grand Paradiso national park above Cogne. no lifts though, you gotta work for it…

that sounds more like it 😀

You’d really be missing out if you didn’t try the freeride track from Pila to Aosta.

It’s just like the best tracks in your local woods (if they were dry and dusty) but 100 times the length.

No woodwork or gap jumps that I remember.

I have a guide which covers this area. It’s from 1997ish tho, so there may be more and better stuff available now. great place.

It’s called In Valle d’Aosta Con la Mountain-Bike. Like I say, there might be more up to date stuff available now.

EDIT http://www.versantesud.it/INGLESE/dettaglio.asp?id=318