This year we're probably off to Les Arcs for our week long Alps fix. We're most likely going to wing it and set ourselves up in a chalet and not use local guides etc.
Is this a bit foolish and might we miss most of the good stuff, off the beaten track by only using the signed routes?
We're on a bit of a budget hence not using an established company.
Any advice or tips you can share?
Cheers
James

Following the signed routes doesn't give you much and you'll crack them all off in a day, although black 8, cachette and red 10 are good fun to session. There is a huge amount of superb unmarked stuff, but you will be very lucky to find it without a guide.

Going with trailAddiction.com will be money well spent.

mintyjim,

as above, the marked routes at Les Arcs aren't great (although those mentioned are indeed good for a few blasts). However, if you're half-decent at navigation and you have a willingness to explore, you'll find some good stuff. You'll also inevitably end up pushing back up out of a few tree/bush/cliff nightmares! 😉

Day-guiding with ourselves or with TA is available, would probably be worth signing-up for a day or 2.

Get a guide, simple as. There is some fantastic stuff in Les Arcs but you'll be lucky to find it on your own. La varda is a must!

Not using a guide for that area would be criminal as the best stuff isn't waymarked IMO.

Agree la varda is a must but its not that hard to find its just that someone would have to tell you where to look. I would say drop me a mail but actually I wont, because trail addiction are bloody brilliant and deserve your money rather than me giving out their knowledge for free 🙂

As above, Les Arcs is definitly one of those areas where a guide is a must. If you change your plan of attack, book with TrailAddiction – superb holidays.

I'm also doing Les Arcs on the cheap in the first week of August, i've also been advised that a guide is required to find the off-piste stuff. I've been in touch with TA several times about adhoc guiding and they've been immensely helpful, so i'm going to book 2/3 days with them at the start of my trip.

on a budget (where you cant afford guiding) you would be better off in Morzine/les gets anyway. So long as your not all on 80mm hardtails anyway!

No experiance but isnt chamonix pretty good for unguided singletrack?

Great feedback, thanks to all! I'll take a look at a few days guiding as an option instead, but money is very tight for some in group (one teenager).

Can't really face Les Gets / Morzine again (after 10+ plus trips there), although for a weeks easy to find riding it is pretty good.

I did Alps D'Huez (the Mega) 2 years ago and the riding was fantastic, long DH singletrack and I enjoyed myself immensely without the need of a guide, it was much better than the short DH runs in Portes de Soleil IMO.

Taking an SX Trail this year rather than a DH bike for a more all mountain experience.

La Varda is one of those trails that you should ride at least once in your lifetime.

Personally though, I prefer the back country days that trailAddiction run. Those back country trails are (for me anyway) what alpine mountain biking is all about.

Nice to hear, I'll be doing a Backcountry week with TA in about a month. Wooo! 😀

Seconded, the Backcountry riding TrailAddiction run are phenomenal. Quite categorically the best riding i have ever done.

Mintyjim,

Check out my mates place, it could be right up your street. http://www.themountainbikechalet.com – I know at the moment he's doing fully catered holidays for £259 for a week. Get a group of 5 and the 6 person is free.

If you want a guide for a day or two, or even for the week he can sort them out for you from 80 euros a day for up to 6 people.

Trail addiction are fantastic, both from a guiding and nice people point of view.