Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • First Time Alps Advice
  • chockyb
    Free Member

    Anyone got some advice on Alps holiday locations please. Looking to make It a family holiday with lifts for myself and my 15 yr old son to do some runs in the mornings but also with other activities for us to do as a family in the afternoon. A lake maybe handy for some canoeing/swimming and a town for eating out/shopping. Driving in a van from home so chalet or camping would suit.
    Any advice would be most appreciated.

    Chocky

    chakaping
    Free Member

    How fussed are you on dry/sunny weather?

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Stock option for a first mtb holiday would be Morzine/Les Gets. Lots of marked trails and easy to do a few runs and meet up with family. Good pool in Morzine, lake in Montriond. Fairly pretty apline towns (not concrete jungles). Nice restaurants you can meet family up mountain (eg Mont Caly and Les Linderets “Goat Village”). If the Mrs will collect you you can do the Les Gets / Samoens descent (nice view of Mont Blanc from Lake Joux Plan for them and you plus Samoens has a nice little centre). You are 1 hour from Lake Geneva, eg pretty (touristy but ok, nice restaurant by wtaer) town of Yvoire, boat trip across lake to Nyon if you want.

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    monkeysfeet
    Free Member

    We have stopped at this place a few times, run by lovely people, very much a home from home and close enough to walk into town but away from the noise.
    Loads to do in Morzine for non-cyclists. Large pool in town, walks along the river and the other towns are all close enough to visit.
    When we have visited the last few times for the Passportes the weather at the end of June has been rubbish. August/end of July is much better.
    We did the drive from the Euro tunnel in 10hrs, but it probably can be done quicker.

    nickjb
    Free Member

    Everything Jambalaya said. Morzine has some great trails that are easy to access right from town. It’s easy to meet up for lunch, or do a half day or go riding in area that the others can hang out at. Plenty of other activities: Lake, swimming pool, ices skating, rafting, skate park, tennis, go ape, horse riding and more. We go most years with family groups or with the lads. Either way its fun. Its also one of the shortest drives and has some great chalets.

    Weather is a bit hit and miss. Good chance of rain on at least one day and possibly all week. Or it might be really sunny, real pot luck.

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    I would guess for a family holiday you might want to avoid the Passportes weekend if you consider Morzine. Then again you might enjoy it, but busy and full of loads of adrenalin loaded (and later beer loaded) blokes. Loads of bike stuff going on though.

    It’s a good weekend to get an intro to Alps riding and the Portes du Soleil though, but you’d make the most of it if you were up for doing the Passportes route, which is a bit more than just popping out for some runs in the morning. On the other hand you can just pop out to play in the bike parks. Shopping would be very bike oriented 😉

    chockyb
    Free Member

    Sorry forgot the most important bit, looking to go summer 2015 so will probably end up paying school holiday tax.

    Great advice all much appreciated thanks, keep it coming but Morzine Is looking good.

    nickjb
    Free Member

    Sorry forgot the most important bit, looking to go summer 2015 so will probably end up paying school holiday tax.

    Not really the case for a road trip. Most of the chalets are the same price throughout the season. Travel costs should be the same. Lift pass is fixed price. Ferry might be a little more at peak times.

    fingerbang
    Free Member

    if you’re going summer holidays then I don’t think its noticeably busier or there’s a school holiday tax. I’ve only ever gone in August cos my main riding buddy is a school teacher.

    the only downside to going in August that springs to mind is that the bike park tracks can be roughed up with braking bumps aplenty. However, as a previous poster has said, it rains often and that makes the tracks nice and tacky and less heavy going.

    weather is definitely hit and miss – I didn’t go last year but I understand it was pretty wet. That’s the mountains for you though

    im currently trying to sell a morzine holiday to my girlfriend and son so im playing up the family activites – Lake Montriond and the pool. Plus they can get the chairlift and take footage of me doing the DH runs 😀

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    @chockyb – as per @nick Alps are cheaper in the summer than winter, no real holiday tax. Just book the eurotunnel early. Morzine campsite is a bit out of town and IMO you’ll have a better holiday in a chalet even if self catered. If you go drop me an email and I’ll send you a few routes away from main marked trails

    agentdagnamit
    Free Member

    Lake Garda has a lake, but you would probably have to put a bit extra into the ride planning. Depends what you and your boy are after. Obviously a further drive that the usual French locations though.

    Chamonix’s an option too.

    chockyb
    Free Member

    That’s great thanks very much everyone.

    Steve77
    Free Member

    Chamonix’s an option too.

    If I was going to the Alps with non-bikers I’d pick Chamonix over Morzine, especially if it was for a full week. It’s more of a town than a village, so has more restaurants and shops, and there are more non-biking things to do.

    nolan
    Free Member

    Went to Les Gets for first trip to the alps with the family. Lots of bike trails and can be easily linked into Morzine. Look for holiday companies who offer the multipass. For 1 euro each per day you have access to the swimming lake which has a water slide and pedestrian lift access. The bubble lift and then smaller lift up mont chery then walking the ridge to mont caly and back to get the bubble lift down is a good walk. Also if you’re only riding a couple of trails each day you can get a 12 journey lift pass.

    neil853
    Free Member

    There are better/more tech areas to ride but with the requirements you have I really think les gets and morzine would be ideal. You’ve also got Chamonix not too far away too if you have the car.

    timidwheeler
    Free Member

    For a family holiday consider Tignes. The number of free activities is amazing. There was always something going on. All the water sports are available as are trips up the glacier! Also the lifts are all free. The riding may not be as varied as some places but there are plenty of routes. Have a good look at their website for details of all the different activities. We drove there but we did have to stop over on the way.

    ianfitz
    Free Member

    we had a great time in chatel last year. same lift system as morzine but much, much quieter. more village than town.stayed in the chalet at the campsite http://www.oustalet.com/ well equiped french style campsite.

    also anywhere in the passporte area has the multi pass system which gives you free (non bike) lift passes, swimming pools, mini golf etc and discount on many other activities. you just pay 1 euro per day per card.

    strictly speaking not the proper, proper alps as they are sub 3000m but plenty of great riding, mountains, running/walking, adventurous tourist stuff, good food and all that.

    we went to morzine once on the way back from somewhere else and it seemed a bit hectic. I guess just depends if you prefer a quieter or more bustling base for yuor trip.

    alpineharry
    Free Member

    Another plus one for Tignes or Val d’sere, both right next to each other really, i worked in Tignes for 6 weeks over summer and never really heard a bad thing about it, or had anything to fault it myself. Most people who stayed at the hotel were families, there’s loads of activities on the lake and are all free as mentioned, the lifts are all free and enough riding for a week or 2, i got a bit bored of the riding but i was at it everyday for 6 weeks + pretty much.

    finners
    Full Member

    Morzine.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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