Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • How does this sound?
  • edsbike
    Free Member

    Hi everyone,

    I'm really just trying to gauge the level of interest here, so please be honest and critical.

    The parents of a good friend of mine own and run a chalet in Samoens, in the French Alps. Currently only during the winter, it sits empty during the summer season. They have asked if I would be interested in running some mtb holidays out of it next year, so I'm just weighing it up to see if it would be worth my time.

    I'm due to finish my masters in engineering next summer, and would love to do something like this to avoid getting a 'proper' job for a while! I've worked for a cycling touring company before, so I do have some experience of the kind of expectations people have, and I'm a keen biker, so like to think I have some idea of the kind of thing people would like.

    There's obviously a lot of competition out there, and as I'm thinking of doing this as project, and not to make myself rich, I'm thinking of trying to run them as cheap as possible.

    So, would you be interested in a weeks biking, staying in a pretty posh chalet with sauna, hot tub, fully catered, inc. transfers from Geneva, lifts to bigger resorts such as Chamonix and Morzine for a day or two? I wouldn't be guiding as I don't have the appropriate qualifications, but we'd provide marked routes and could organise local guides for specific days, this seems to be more normal among other companies these days.

    Pricing would be competitive, others seem to be €400+ (not inc. transfers), I'd be looking at trying to do them for around €350-€400, inc. all food, transfers etc.

    Any comments, ideas or feedback would be appreciated, nothing is set in stone. And if anyone would be interested in coming to stay, drop me an email on edmiddleton1988 at gmail.com for a chat.

    Sorry for the long post, many thanks,

    Ed

    RealMan
    Free Member

    You had me at

    with sauna, hot tub

    Have you got a website yet? Do you need people to help out?

    tang
    Free Member

    mmmm been thinking the same as my boss has a big chalet in meribel right next to the lifts sitting empty most of the year. hes offered it to me for free in the summer. i was at one point thinking of a similar proposal.

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    nickc
    Full Member

    Are there lifts out of Samoens now then?

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Yep, new lift opened earlier this year, with access to the whole Grand Massif region now. Was there a few days ago, there's much better provision for mountain biking now, they've opened up all the trails and hand out maps etc.

    Realman, still very early stages, so just planning and gauging interest, but there will be a website, and we may need help, so keep an eye here. Website for the winter season (run by my mate's parents) is Ski Massif.

    Here's the chalet:

    Please keep comments coming.

    Ed

    phil.w
    Free Member

    How about also marketing it for roadies. It's in not a bad location for some of the great Tour passes.

    Maybe offering a service where rides start at the chalet and you could pick up the guests and bring them back at the end of the day. (so they dont have to do round trips). Or you could drive them out and they could cycle back, such as from Bourg to do the Col de Roselend.

    vinnyeh
    Full Member

    How many rooms?
    At the moment I can see that it's available for £1000 a week, self catering in July/August. I'd be tempted to block book it for 6-8 weeks, and sub out the rooms at £120-£150 a week!

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Thanks Phil, a good idea.

    vinnyeh, I think that price is a few years old, think it would be different now, but as my friend is involved, the price of the chalet is not a huge issue. They've also said that they can let us use the minibuses/trailers/Defender for moving stuff and people around.

    Really I was just looking to see if there was much interest, to see whether or not the whole thing would be feasible. I'm thinking of it as a bit of a project to keep me busy, with the possibility of doing it again if I actually made any money from it.

    Anyone on here that would consider it for next summer?

    Thanks, Ed

    dave360
    Full Member

    yes I would Eds. And so would her indoors. Can you drop me a line next February to confirm price & availability, please.

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Will do Dave.

    What weeks are preferable for people? Between mid June and mid September.

    Ed

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Anyone else have any more thoughts or interest?

    Ed

    flippinheckler
    Free Member

    I would definitely like to stay in a Chalet like that & at that price I'm sure a lot of my riding buddies would also.

    Any idea how much guides cost and how many does the Chalet accommodate.
    You would need to provide a workshop with tools for bike prep & fixing also a good linkup with a LBS with bike hire.
    Who would be doing all the food catering etc also would the price include alcohol.

    RealMan
    Free Member

    Ed YGM.

    hungrymonkey
    Free Member

    ed, drop me a line if you need a chalet bunny type person or something. i may or may not be in proper employment by then, but its not exactly a plan of mine to be in a 'career' by then.

    tamarvin@googlemail.com

    pastcaring
    Free Member

    what have you got to lose?

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Chalet sleeps 28 max (assuming there are couples in doubles etc.), but does 20 comfortably.

    Mate's mum does all cooking at the moment, pretty posh food, their winter holidays are fairly pricey. She's offered to carry on, maybe with more mountain biker food, whatever that is, I guess just lots of it.

    Beer and wine would be included with dinner, as much as you like, and will have to work out if I could afford to offer any more after that. At the moment they run a cheap honesty bar for when they're not in the chalet, I could also run a free taxi down the hill into town if people wanted to go out for drinks.

    Chalet has a decent workshop, it's sometimes used as a base for enduro and trials motorbiking, I'd fill it with bike specific stuff as well. I'm a pretty competent mechanic, been in a shop for 8 years, so I'd be acting as mechanic as well when needed.

    They have a link up with a ski hire place in Samoens that does mtbs in the summer, will have to ask about hire though, Samoens isn't a huge place so that might not be possible.

    Thanks for the replies guys, all helps.

    Pastcaring: true, I suppose. Would just like to try and do things properly first time, with the minimum of mess-ups.

    Main sticking point is guiding – do people still like hols with no included guiding? Flow MTB etc. don't offer it.

    Cheers, Ed

    neil853
    Free Member

    hi Ed, I would certainly consider it. By the sound of it you seem to have all the bases covered.

    Key things for me are (like someone has already said) a decent workshop, bike clean area, help with getting lift pass, lifts to areas that may not be served by lifts and so have quieter smoother trails and yes, guiding.

    Guiding is not essential but is something I'm looking at for my holiday next year, not all week but maybe a couple of days. Price seems competitive but wouldn't spend anymore than that without guiding. But I like your approach so if you email me details and I will definitely keep it in mind for next year.

    I normally go away in july and self drive, don't know if you've considered that? Transfers aren't any use to me 😉

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Cool, so cheaper hols with extra for a transfer would be a good idea I guess.

    I'm looking into finding a guide from the local area, someone who's willing to do odd days as and when guests want. Will let you know.

    Thanks for the help Neil.

    Ed

    edsbike
    Free Member

    I've found a bike hire place in Samoens that would team up with us now, looking a finding guides.

    Anyone else interested?

    Ed

    ChunkyMTB
    Free Member

    Looks good to me.

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Would come stay Chunky?

    Andyhilton
    Free Member

    add my email to the list for next summer.

    edsbike
    Free Member

    Right guys, got a (basic) website up and running now with a bit more info on it.

    I’ve sorted the guiding out with a local company, so can offer hols with a full programme of guiding, or you can book daily through us at a discount.

    Please have a look and email me through the website if you’re interested.

    Thanks, Ed

    bikemassif.co.uk

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

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