There’s a chance a few of us could be heading to Chamonix next weekend and I was wondering if there are any trails other than the Petit Balcons? We’ll have a vehicle so can go up or down the valley but not too far. I realise the bike park in Verbier is still open so that’s one option (for the whole weekend) but one guy in our group isn’t really a mountain biker so would probably die on the first berm… 😆

To clarify, we’ll be driving from Lausanne, not the UK and we’re looking for some nightlife in the evenings too, I think Verbier will be pretty much dead this time of year…

Thanks

I was wondering if there are any trails other than the Petit Balcons?

Yes, loads.

one guy in our group isn’t really a mountain biker so would probably die on the first berm

Most of the biking in Chamonix is quite hard as it’s a very steep sided valley. Not a great place for the inexperienced (although the petit balcon nord is fine).

I think Verbier will be pretty much dead this time of year

Yes, it will be completely dead. Chamonix always has something going on as it’s a big town.

Look for a copy of the Chamonix Bike Book. Quiet a few routes in there and fairly easy to follow instructions. Zero G bike shop had some when I was there.

Goes and has a look on the book self…

As above, you can get the Chamonix Bike Book, it has Mountain and road rides.

Also The Mountain Bike Guide by Tom Wilson-North is very good.

I also have a Mountain Biking Trails map from 2013 that I seem to remeber was pretty handy.

IMO Verbier is the no brainer as the lifts are running, the enduro trails go to the valley floor. The bike park is fairly tough and only the blue will really work for the “non biker” but Chamonix is tougher. Yes Verbier will be very quite, just residents really and many of them will be elsewhere for Oct and Nov, my resident friends generally took other holidays then. You can stay down in Les Chables or one of villages if you wish. There will be virtually no tourists and most visitors will be day trippers

If you pick Verbier drop me a message and I will make some recommendations for trails, bars etc.

You might consider a double header with a day in Verbier and maybe a day riding the train up from Montreux to Roche du Naye / Col du Jamman. There are some good rides down and stunning views of Lake. I can dig out some maps.

As above, Chamonix isnt an ideal destination for a novice really, especially in the wet. The Balcons are good rides, and the bike book will show you some trails on the valley floor. Parts of the Sud are a bit techy, esp after rain, but the Nord should be suitable.

You’ll need to do a lot of climbing / pushing to ride any higher without the lift system, and your friend might not like what he finds up there…

You can take bikes on the Valley Train (from St Gervais over to Martigny) – which sort of gives you an uplift to Le Tour, that might help make a full day. If you check the map, you can also use it to get up to Finhault, which is fairly high, but over a col from Chamonix – from there you could ride up to the Emmosson dam, but the descent is quite technical in places (and you’d want to get the train back again from Switzerland).

Plenty going on in the evenings though, and you wont be affected by the July / August bike ban.

Bike Verbier did a write up about an out of season ride – they took the post bus to Liddes them some climbing before summiting Col de Mille and back down to the Valley towards Les Chables. Will try and find it. 5hr ride ? That on Sunday mornig with a full day at Verbier on Saturday bike park + mostly “enduro” trails. There will be some life at say Fer au Cheval in Verbier on Saturday evening.

I’ve just checked back here and I see that there are a lot more replies, thanks all.

We’ve pretty much decided to do Chamonix, we heard from a Verbier local that all the bars (Farinet, Bar Mont Fort) are closed and this is basically a lads weekend away, with biking, so some nightlife is important.
The beginner won’t be coming with us so we’re prepared to do some climbing and tricky sections of the Petits Balcons should be fine, I just re-fitted my grippier tyres…:-)

I hiked up to Rochers de Naye last weekend with my wife, I’ve never cycled down but living in Lausanne that’s a day trip to be planned for the future I think.

We did have a copy of the bike book, I’ll have to dig it out. From memory, it was all big mountain stuff but if there are valley rides too then that could be ideal.

The valley train tip could work too, I’ll look into it as I’ve found a long route that passes through Le Tour which we could adapt.

Thanks again all..

Train was very good when I used it. Free usage with the accommodation we had. But, they do show a limit to the number of bikes allowed on, although I never had a problem.

I stayed a couple of nights in Chamonix on the way back from a job in Milan the week before last. We did a day in Verbier which I highly recommend. The Wouaiy trail was amazing. On the Saturday however we were guided by the excellent Wayne at Chamonix MTB. Between our van and his we did a bit of van uplift for more singletrack brilliance though one lift was still open for us (last day). I did a day with him in the summer and it was the best day of relentless genius I’ve ever ridden