Help me have a reduced or no climbing holiday in Chamonix..

Following on from my thread about what bike for chamonix. I have discovered that (thanks to the helpful posts of stw’ers) it appears to be a great place for fit people who can climb. The trouble is, I cannot..

So other than trying to find accommodation elsewhere, I wonder if you could help me work out if there are enough decent/challenging tracks in cham, for me to have fun on without any climbing? IE so I can bring my DH bike.. I like roots rocky challenging, not fussed about mega bumps, like berms but also not necessary. I ride my dh bike on downhill singletrack..

loads plus 1 hr from verbier too oh and les houches is worth a day

Ohh Tony, ps I shall FB you in a min about end of Aug appt.

loads

you say?
So I can hit the lifts, get to the top and descend grinning without having killed myself on the climb?

The issue is we have no car. Currently considering ditching our accommodation and going to morzine or elsewhere…

You’ll fit in always lots of people with DH bikes all kitted up in armour hang around in Cham, so take your DH bike and do the same.

You’ll fit in always lots of people with DH bikes all kitted up in armour hang around in Cham, so take your DH bike and do the same.

What so i do not even have to ride? At all? Awesoem.

love it there but hrdly see any dh rigs and body armour 🙂

Les Rhododendrons seems to be the place to hang out every time I’m there there’s plenty of armoured up DHers, probably just come off Flegere.

WHen exactly are you over Toys? It’s not that you need to climb to get the best out of Chamonix (though if you can lead 7a+ it’s quite helpful….)more that the trails don’t really suit a DH rig, they are much much better on a AM trail bike, which you seem to have, so just take that!
The trails are already starting to get busy with walkers and at the speed you need to be going to justify a DH bike, it’s just too fast for the other trail users.
Of the “bike only” DH trails, Flegere is average at best, the new Les Houches trails are now due to open in mid July due to land owner disputes, the old Les Houches trails are sort of closed and most of the north shore sections in pretty bad disrepair, and the Vallorcine track will BE CLOSED ALL SUMMER, along with that side of the hill to all walkers and cyclists. Though the lift will be running. This leaves the Le Tour trail, which is good, but doesn’t warrant a DH rig.
To summarise. Just take the 160mm trail bike.

If I wanted a downhill week on a downhill bike, I would go to Morzine.

If I wanted a downhill week on a downhill bike, I would go to Morzine.

This rates as possibly the most helpful comment on stw this week. You should be proud.

Grum P – coming on 29th June till 5th July. The issue si that my mates AM bike is borked so He has to bring his DHbike, I will die of jealousy. Also mine I have just discovered needs a fork and shock service and everyone is fully booked for proper services until the end of time.
TBH it is not about justifying a dhbike, if you had seen my riding there is little justification for it, but it will be more comfy..

I am fundamentally shit, 4 stone overweight, and afeared of msot things. 2-3 ft doubles at max and slow as anything, does not stop me from having a good time though..

Ah well, +1 to Johnhe ‘s comment….then come back at the start of September with AM bikes and visit Chamonix for some challenging rocks n roots!

The dates you’re over covers the weekend most of the Haute Savoie lifts open, so as well as PDS you could try the Grand Massif area for some DH only uplift without the crowds. If you can cadge a lift off someone then Les Portes du Mont-Blanc would also keep you busy for a day with a DH rig and wanting some roots and rocks without any of the braking bumps. It’s also when the bike ban kicks in in Chamonix, so most of the best trails from the lifts are off limits by then anyways.

I’m sorry, I really meant to give helpful advice. You asked if you’d be better moving your holiday centre from Chamonix to Morzine. So I assumed this is an option. I’ve ridden quite a few times in each place. If you want to ride a DH rig for a week and climb very little, then my advice is move your holiday to Morzine.

I’ve had full days out in Morzine where I hardly ride uphill at all. Every time I visit Chamonix I end up knackered. The last time I went there with some mates the train conductor refused to allow us onto the train with our bikes. So getting from one place to another without riding uphill or having a van can be problematic.

I just noticed La Thuile is only 40 minutes from Chamonix… Possibly the best day’s riding I’ve ever had was there, and 100% chairlifted.

Johnhe is correct though.
Cham is not the place for uplift and downhill.
There are big lifts and trains you can use, but not a sort of multiple runs place. Also AFAIK there aren’t bike specific trails in abundance, so you’ll be coming across walkers – not great when using a DH bike as it’s intended to be used.

And if you go to moraine the pleney lift is closed this summer so you will have you ride some. You have no transport you say?

bland – up super morzine, 2km traverse along the top – into a world of lovely trails down into les linderets and over into chatel. Not too painful. In 10 years of going to morzine have hardly ever ridden pleney. Too many talented kids ride there..

Northwind, La Thuile is probably my favourite lift accessed riding, though like Chamonix I think it’s better on an enduro style bike than a full DH rig (I used to race DH, got 3rd overall junior in the old SCU series, which shows my age, so it’s really not that I don’t like DH!!!) It is a pretty expensive 40 minutes though if you have to pay the full whack for the MB tunnel…
Pila just a bit further (and many euro’s if you take the autostrada) down the Aosta valley is better for pure DH riding.
Hire a van and make a roadtrip of it! Start in Chamonix then Pila, La Thuile, over the col to the Tarantaise and its Tignes/Val D’Isere free lifts, Les Arc/La Plagne for singletrack, round via Beaufortaine and its buses, La Clusaz, Portes du Mont-Blanc, Grand Massif, PDS, return van, go home a hero!

Hello, before you book owt up id check the snowline as it is still v low and that will make any of the decent trails useless!

Hire a van and make a roadtrip of it! Start in Chamonix then Pila, La Thuile, over the col to the Tarantaise and its Tignes/Val D’Isere free lifts, Les Arc/La Plagne for singletrack, round via Beaufortaine and its buses, La Clusaz, Portes du Mont-Blanc, Grand Massif, PDS, return van, go home a hero!

Grum, this is pretty much what we have decided to do!