Ok I’m really struggling on where to go in the alps. Its me and two mates, we’re looking to keep costs low so need to camp and we would like somewhere that either had a guide book or there was enough information available for us to find the really good stuff without the need of a guide. We’re wanting to mix the week up between man made stuff and natural trails. What would people recommend?

My two mates in a similar situation (on a budget and camping) are going to Morzine/Les Gets, perhaps not the most innovative suggestion but it’s an obvious and reliable one. Lots of clearly marked trails and plenty of other options plus a big area to explore further afield.

Morzine is the easiest.

and all the best trails are conveniently signposted with plenty of ‘vtt interdit’ signs.

i’m off to chamonix i reckon in august as i love it there 🙂

mbmb.com

Ok so if we went to Morzine how easy is it to find the natural trails without a guide? Are they in a guidebook or is it more a case of looking at a map and hoping?

Thumbs up to Morzine, last 2 issues of Dirt had a few off the map morzine ride features, theres a guide book too. I stayed at Progressive MTB in Montroid which is a 5-10 minute flat ride to the main lifts in Morzine and was excellent value and Seb the owner was awesome with loads of local knowledge, worth checking out, I think it was £22 per night including breakfast. Also has somewhere secure to store your bike and wash it down. Probably worth the small extra over camping.

kinell that sign depresses me.

Is Morzine/ Portes Du Soleil any good for the natural stuff- I’ve looked at Les Arcs and that natural singletrack seems amazing with a ridiculous height loss potential, does Morzine compare or is it mainly good for man made stuff?

does Morzine compare or is it mainly good for man made stuff?

Loads of good stuff. All man-made (in the sense that it’s often goat paths or the like, not just DH motorways), and some of it requires a fair bit of pedalling. Loads to do for a week.

Cheap camping available, or you could hire basic self-catering accommodation for not too much – £200/week for a 4/5 person place wouldn’t be unreasonable (though you have to eat, so add a fair amount for this – the supermarkets and restaurants aren’t cheap).

There’s a good guidebook available as well.

That sounds pretty good, We’re ideally after a area where we can get the classic alpine singletrack images- you know alpine meadows or open mountain side. How bad is Morzine in the rain?

Verbier’s mint, but it’s definitely best done with Bike Verbier – no one knows the area’s trails anything like as well as these guys (and girls). DIY, you’d still have a good holiday there but you’d miss out big time.