Just got back from a glorious week in Les Arcs riding. Went without guiding this year apart from one day from Ali @ TrailAddiction. I'd forgotten just how steep and technical it is in places.
Planning 2011 already!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ginja_andy/sets/72157624473002072/
That looks fantastic, i'm off there in a couple of weeks. Can't wait 
Looks like you had lots of fun even without the bikes
Wish I'd known when you were going, Andy. You could've taken Ali's new frame out with you!
I was out there a couple of weeks ago. It's alright...
Nice pics, I'm off there for a week with trailaddiction this Friday
WoW, that loks great, been thinking about that for next year, How was it on a Hardtail...?
My thoughts entirely. Planning on going next year and wondering about taking a 140mm Ti hardtail.
you'll be fine on a hardtail, after all this is where dialled mike trialled the prototype Alpine frames.
Nice one Andy, looks like you had a great time. Tom and I are heading out the 1st week of August, can't wait. 
Nice pictures. Do you know roughly where the sketchy dismount trail is...e.g. any nearby landmarks etc.? no need for giving away precise location on the net!
> you'll be fine on a hardtail
You will have lot less fun on a HT than on a decent FS bike, there is nothing at all to be gained by taking a HT to Les Arcs. Even the XC trails you have to pedal to get to are fast and fairly gnarly. Something around the 5-6" travel mark is the perfect bike for Les Arcs.
> Do you know roughly where the sketchy dismount trail is...e.g. any nearby
> landmarks etc.?
Get a guide. You will ride a fraction of the best trails that Les Arcs has to offer without one; the TrailAddiction guys are worth every penny they charge.
Wow. I'm going with Trail Addiction in 4 weeks.
Thinking of taking my Hardtail for a laugh (though I do have a 2010 Enduro too).
Anyone know what sort of bikes are available to hire and a rough idea of price?
armchairbiker, do yourself a favour and take the Enduro! It's all perfectly do-able on a hardtail, but the unanimous verdict when I was out there was that a 5 or 6" FS is the way to have the most fun on those trails. My Blur LTc was pretty much ideal imho.
Well I spent a day there last week. What a joke.The marked trails are fire roads (except for one cracking black run). Unless you want to do battle with the walkers go elsewhere.
Hth
Marko
Assuming you're not trolling Marko....your biggest mistake was not hiring a guide. There's a bloody good reason everyone says to get one.
HTH.
Great pics! off there on my hardtail on friday.
pedalhead - it was more because I have room in the car (and I can use it for spares!). However I know looking at the pickies - I'll be wanting the Enduro!
> you'll be fine on a hardtail
You will have lot less fun on a HT than on a decent FS bike, there is nothing at all to be gained by taking a HT to Les Arcs. Even the XC trails you have to pedal to get to are fast and fairly gnarly. Something around the 5-6" travel mark is the perfect bike for Les Arcs.
sorry but what a load of BS.
Well I spent a day there last week. What a joke.The marked trails are fire roads (except for one cracking black run). Unless you want to do battle with the walkers go elsewhere.
baffled! some of the best riding in the world!!
me on a 456, having loads of fun, almost keeping up with the boys on FS.
I had a lot more fun this year than 2 years ago on a FS.
Nickegg
Not a troll. I paid for the lift and picked up the guide. Having spent 2 weeks in Deus Alpes and Alpe D'huez riding all the trails I was expecting the same - more or less - in Les Arcs. Just had a text from a mate in Meribel who reckons it's the same there:
Blue = Fireroad.
Red = Fireroad with some gravel.
Black = Fireroad with the occasional pothole.
It's just a warning for riders who are looking for a Morzine/Les Gets/2 Alpes style venue....And no I'm not a mental youth type downhiller, more old git who needs a rest from pedaling uphill.
No problem with hiring a guide, but it's not what I go to the Alps for.
Hth
Marko
Mark, if all you found in Les Arcs was fire roads, you seriously fecked up.
Go for longer than a day next time and ride with someone with local knowledge.
'baffled! some of the best riding in the world!!'
My point is that if you use the resort guide you will be disappointed.
Hth
Marko
picked up the guide.
do you mean you basically picked up some kind of pamphlet that happened to be near the lift?
oh i see, yes.
pity, you missed so fantastics riding!
Marko I feel sorry for you mate, Les Arcs has pretty much some of the best riding in the alps. Knocks spots off Les Gets, Morzine, Alpe D'Huez and Les Deux Alpes.
You've missed some phenomenal riding if all you found was fireroads. Even the resort map has some of the popular singletrack routes on it.
As for a Hardtails, well hardtails aren't for me, but I know plenty of people who ride just as quickly and have as much fun on a hardtail out there.
<shameless plug>
if you want to do the DIY thing... a friend has a chalet at the bottom of the funicular in Bourg.
http://www.thebikeshelter.com/
he can organize guiding with locals who know where all the good stuff is.
Les Arc is such a good place to ride...
Marko, forget the VTT map issued with the lift pass invest in a IGN map covering the area and you will find some exceptionally good routes.
Crikey!!
Les Arcs print a VTT trail map, just like Morzine etc. If you've only got a day, you pick a route or two off the VTT guide and go ride. Well the ones the resort has mapped out - that we rode - suck. It's that simple.
I'm sure there is plenty of good riding there if you have the time (and money) to hire a guide.
Hth
Marko
Marko: In riding some of those fireroads you must of passed so much good stuff without realising, i'm gutted for you. It's all very well saying you don't go to the Alps to use a guide but the fact remains you simply won't find most, if not all, the best trails and, believe me, there are alot in the Les Arc area. Oh well, next time hey?!
As for hardtails there, having had to use my mine around MBR yesterday i can safely say that it's full-sus all the way when to comes to the Alps! Fair play to anyone who rides a hardtail on those trails at those speeds.
Wow, missed this one.
Mike - sorry. Dropped you an email but should have been more explicit as I would have dropped the frame off for Ali.
We've been going there since 2004 so know most of the trails. Most are best found with a guide like Ali from TrailAddiction. Been going out there for almost 10 years and know it like the back of their hand.
As for a hardtail vs. full suss. Had just as much fun this year on a hardtail. Was probably faster on that than years previously on a bigger fs big. You'll have fun whatever you ride. Stay away from the Cachette DH course as it's rubbish! Go for the singletrack. That's where the steep, rocky, techy, fast scary stuff is! Love it.
Matt - yeah we had a great time mate. Hope you and Tom have a good one. Weather was cracking for us!
Driving out to Les Arcs tomorrow morning - staying with ChillChalet in Bourg. Can't wait. Not sure about black runs being fireroads, i would'nt call the Black8 run a fireroad. Sounds like you missed the best stuff. But each to their own, perhaps it's not whatv everyone wants.
The Cachettes DH course is ok and there a number of good runs behind Bar Maxima, Church run plus countless other trails.
Marko
Blue = Fireroad.
Red = Fireroad with some gravel.
Black = Fireroad with the occasional pothole.
Is my understanding of a fire road wrong then? In all those pictures only one looks like it's got what I think of as anything like a road in it.
The point is that, like a lot of places, the Les Arcs trail map is a bit rubbish. It's definitely not all fire roads (Black 8 is a well-worn classic obviously, and there's quite a few other decent bits and pieces on it) but it does contain quite a few and it most definitely doesn't give much info on the great singletrack riding to be found at Les Arcs.
If you REALLY just want to turn up, pick up a trail map at the lift pass office and use that for a day's riding, you'd arguably be better off at Sainte Foy, La Thuile or even Tignes if you're in the Tarentaise area.
On the other hand, with a proper map and a bit of imagination, it's not exactly difficult to find great trails in Les Arcs. Might involve a few adventures along the way, but loads of stuff to be found.
more rad photos...thanks...still wondering where's the "sketchy dismount" trail/promontory that bikevillage take people on? (google image "sketchy dismount" "bikevillage"...you'll see why I'm asking). I know Les Arcs pretty well, don't need a guide, just want to know about this one trail if anyone's come across it and feels like sharing...!
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