MTB holidays in the Alps – recommendations and comment requested

I am planning a trip to the Alps in 2012 for a group of 4-6 MTB riders. We are looking for singletrack riding not super technical full face helmet riding…something more UK trail oriented – Red grade. As a result I have currently short listed OTP offering riding in Switzerland (Zermatt) and Alpcycle offering riding in France (Meribel). Both companies have featured in MBR and other MTB press and appear to offer the single track experience we are looking for.
Has anyone travelled with these companies recently? Can you comment on the standard of MTB on offer and the service provided by the companies and their local guides.
Should I be considering anywhere else as an alternative?
Many Thanks

Bike Village meets your criteria as well. I would recommend them very highly.

les arcs is great.

I have been with bike village and the white room chalet. both excellent.

Bike Verbier as an alternative, great company

White Room in Sainte Foy offers excellent riding including stuff that the Les Arcs companies cover plus some really exceptional trails on the other side of the valley. Just come back from there and it was easily the best alps trip that i’ve ever been on. Sublime, grin inducing singletrack everyday. Outstanding and seemed very capable of adapting to the needs of the clients. I think they’d be great for you.

Forget the alps! Fuengirola is where it’s at. Sierra Cycling is the company to go with so i’ve heard anyway! 😆

Bike Verbier without a doubt.

trailmonkey – Member
White Room in Sainte Foy offers excellent riding including stuff that the Les Arcs companies cover plus some really exceptional trails on the other side of the valley. Just come back from there and it was easily the best alps trip that i’ve ever been on. Sublime, grin inducing singletrack everyday. Outstanding and seemed very capable of adapting to the needs of the clients. I think they’d be great for you.

What he says +10!! best 10 days riding in the alps in many years

White Room get a 100% recommendation from me as well, also just back from there. I picked them as I liked the sound of the riding that they do when the chair lifts aren’t operational (their Backcountry weeks), had seen them mentioned on here and liked what I read on their website. The riding was superb, they have lots of great trails to choose from, but also did some big mountain days – which I loved. Doubt I’d go anywhere else now for an Alps holiday. The company is also run extremely well, the chalet is lovely, the food excellent and all beer/wine included in the price of your holiday.

Jamie and Mary (Ridethealps.com). Very professional and highly qualified guide. Will taylor make a trip for any type of rider/accommodation requirements. Been twice with them and had a great time. Jamie’s great guide and rider willing to teach and help with tequnique if required.

I went with OTP in 2007 and had some superb riding. The 2 days riding down the valley were stand outs. We had 8 or 9 people and 2 excellent guides. We stayed in a self catering apartment and then met with the guides outside at 9am every morning. Guides were Chris (‘dale Jekyll back then) who’s been in Zermatt for like forever and Stuart who rode a Cotic BFe.

I also went to the Tarantaise Valley in 2009 with the White Room and that was great fun too. We did the backcountry week before the lifts opened, so there was lots more traversing down valleys and van uplift stuff away from the usual lift accessed runs.

Both highly recommended.

White Room – What he says +10!! best 10 days riding in the alps in many years

The riding’s brilliant. The uplifts are non-stop & relentless, we also had the best 10 days riding in the alps with the White Room and we were only there for seven days 🙂

Stevo’s promised that he’s going to install an espresso machine in the chalet for my next visit 😉

White Room MTB Holidays

Flickr – White Room Alpine Holiday[/url]

I would highly recommend http://www.ridethealps.com Jamie is a great guide

Save yourself some money and go to deux alpes/alp d’huez there is easily a couple of weeks riding there on great trails that do not need a guide to show you around.

Another good area is around Montgenevre and the italian alpi bike resorts of Sestriere, bardonecchia and Sauze d’oulx all close enough to commute to from one base.

Another vote for unguided. We rent a cheap ski chalet, chuck the bikes in the van and sort ourselves out. Relaxed riding. Usually Morzine, nice town, great trails, generally very easy going.

Another vote for White Room here, been last 2 years with them, wipe the floor with every other MTB Holiday company ive been with.

Just in case this thread is useless without photos…

Bike Verbier +1

I’ve been 10 times over the years – eek!

The Irish lads who were out with us a couple of weeks ago were looking for flowy trails and got them in spades. They choose the rides which suit your groups skills best. We were more tech oriented but the choice of trails we have ridden over the years mean that there are an enormous number of trails that would meet your needs. Great trails, food, accommodation, guiding, chat – as I’ve said before, they are the gold standard when it comes to guiding.

Hope this helps?

Cheers

Sanny

Thanks all, I seriously have a wee lump in my throat here. Nice to know it’s all worth it sometimes!

Season just finished, out riding with mates tomorrow, then maybe some rest!

Ride the Alps – very good for non uplift, cross country holidays especially if you have a ready made group.

Take a look at Singletrack Safaris, they’ll do a good mix of resort and off piste riding, you get to stay and ride at several locations too, which might give you a good idea of the type of riding you prefer?

Another recommendation for White Room. Been twice and had a great time, amazing trails and great guides.

Another recommendation for White Room. Been twice and had a great time, amazing trails and great guides.

Forget the alps go where the sun shines the Pyrenees! Just back from a week in Luchon we uesd AQR and would recommend them without any hesitation.

Molini freeride in Italy , main season runs from 1st May to 31st Oct ,singletracks to suit all accomplished mtb’ers.
Warm weather , hot tracks and cold beer !!!

+1 for the White Room!

Riding in the Tarentaise Valley = The White Room…..simples 😀

This isn’t me or mine but I’ve been to Les Arcs etc and this is what I’m planning for 2012.

three valleys

been there twice with different riders and some great natural trails for all abilities, not loads of riders so you get trails all to yourself

pleisure holidays do some cheap deals and great guys to ride with

Thanks all, I seriously have a wee lump in my throat here.

Slightly alarming Steve

Like I said to you last week, Bike Verbier was our Alps trip bench mark and our first time with you lot was as good, so we’d go back. Big up where it’s deserved 🙂
All you need now is a chef who can rustle up some Findus crispy pancakes and some Chicken nuggets…. 😉
Stevo on Mont Jovet

La Varda is amazing and this year ‘that’ switchback is ALOT harder due to a huge slab of rock that has slid down and blocked it!

We did High Voltage this year and that is my new favorite trail.

More than happy to highly recommend The White Room. Remember Stevo talking about setting up his company years back and then off he went and did it! Been out there twice with Stevo and Iona and they had to put up with us lot two years in a row, bless ’em. Awesome riding, accommodation, food, wine and laughs. Very chilled out and great company. Can’t praise them enough.

You crying yet Stevo?

Pic’s of our trips here if you like:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemilne/sets/72157624659000105/

oh yeah and the White Room Chef was amazing!!! Never had so much good food! (may be the only alps trip where I have come back slightly heavier!)

Atlas mountains morocco good trails good food great people

Look no further than the White Room. Got back yesterday from a fantastic week of riding on many epic trails. The whole setup they have from the chalet to food & guiding is fantastic

Steve, Iona and the rest of team – Thank You!

ta for posting those vids nicksee. vini, vidi, vici is such a fantastic flat out blat. in fact the whole run we did that day from the col de petit st bernard down to the bottom of v.v.v was incredible.

can’t remember tgv, not sure that we did that one ?

nice to see the weather stayed nice for you too 8)

nice to see the weather stayed nice for you too

Well it wasn’t on Sunday and Monday, Rained on Sunday, Steve was blabbing on about how you lot were moaning about the dust, we weren’t sure to believe him!
Monday it was snowing, which became the day off, then the sun came out and was nice n hot all week!

I wondered how long it would take Nick to get those up! 😉 btw Nick I got some great footage following you, DVD’s are already in the post. 😉 EDIT: Nice to see you kept your spiderman impression in there! 😉

Yet another vote for the WhiteRoom! Got back on Saturday evening, best holiday ever, despite the snow, and a branch puncturing my friends calve on Mount Jovet.

Already looked on the website… When can we book for next year Stevo?

btw for those that don’t know, its Neil on the HT Kona 🙂