Can anyone recommend some good riding with lifts preferably, in the lower western end of the Alps?
I’m talking about the Ecrins National Park sort of area by the looks of it, or perhaps as far as Briancon.
a lot of the chat seems to be about places which are a good 4/5 hours drive away from me; further north and east.
I’m sure they’re worth the trip but be nice if there was somewhere i could do in a long daytrip
guiding recommendations be great too. i dunno, maybe it’s not that kind of area?
off to do soem french googling anyways

I rode there years and years ago- it was ace. I seem to recall that there is a MTB ban in the Ecrins though nowadays. Take a look on the Sere Chevallier website?

I’ve climbed and mountaineered there extensively over the years and done some MTB occasionally when the weather has been dire. Can’t give you any MTB advice as we’ve just hired MTB bikes and piddled about rather than festering in tents waiting for good climbing weather.
You can view IGN maps here, just click on the left(cartes IGN)and zoom in to view Briancon area where there are lifts marked.
http://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/accueil

It wouldn’t surprise me if there was an MTB ban within the park, but there may be access stuff on the peripheries.

there was a chairlift (or 2?) with a few Dh runs, and some longer Xc stuff, at Puy Saint Vincent.

and i’ve heard good things about montgenevre

and of course there’s serre chevalier.

get over to the dark side– its a road bike paradise there !

This looks like a good starting point, if you hadn’t found it already
http://www.serre-chevalier.com/en/summer/lift-accessed-recreation/bike-lift-rides/

I dare say you’ll find other click and print maps for Montgenevre and Puy st Vincent

Also guiding and XC stuff available
http://www.serre-chevalier.com/en/summer/activities/cycling/

thanks a lot for all the replies.

this site was good for general info and leads:
http://www.alpsun.com/mtbbike_en.htm

most of the good options seem to be around Briancon:

Vallouise valley has a lot to offer between Puy-St-Vincent, Pelvoux etc:
http://www.paysdesecrins.com/espace-vtt-ffc-pays-des-ecrins-2013.pdf

then there’s Serre Chevalier valley a bit to the north:
http://www.serre-chevalier.com/en/summer/lift-accessed-recreation/bike-lift-rides/ thanks B.A.nana

at Briancon apperently there’s a decent from the top of Prorel cable car – 14km!

But then, a bit further south, (and nearer for me : ) is a great looking bike park at Les Orres:
http://vtt.lesorres.com/espace-vtt-lesorres/bike-park

that’s where i’ll be off to then i reckon. 2.5 hour’s drive from my granny-in-law’s! happy days : )

oh aye, and montgenvre there’s a bike park too:
http://www.montgenevre.com/summer/fr/activites/vtt

Staying in Puy St Vincent in a week or two, taking the road bike 8)

as well? or only?

Montgenevre is good, les orres is small and busy (not that good), serre chevalier looks good but not ridden there.

Further south: Allos is excellent, Pra loup is ok for a day, chabannon (?) is meant to be good, super devoluy is pretty good for a day or two and orciere is excellent.

There is also vars, not ridden there but i have had mixed reports.

Check out big bike magazine website and http://www.26in.Fr, both have bike park guides.

Have fun!

Only, there aren’t enough days for both!

Montgenevre is supposed to be pretty good.
I’ll let you know after I’ve ridden there on Tuesday on my way to the Mega.

Rode Les Orres last year. It’s fairly small but good fun.

If you’re coming to the Ecrins area from the south or from the Grenoble direction, there’s also Orcieres Merlettes to consider.

Just over into Italy from Montgenevre, you also have the alpi bike resorts.

Took part in the Risoul (linked to Vars) Deval this year. Only rode the 1 enduro trail down from the resort to the Durance river (that’s the problem with racing, usual blog plug here http://www.chamonixbikeblog.com/2013/risoul-deval-turns-out-the-deval-is-in-the-detail/ ) however the surroundings looked pretty good for riding and the resort seemed pretty keen on bikes. Whether that translates onto the ground or if it was just tourist info enthusiasm I don’t know, but if you’re not that far away, it’s worth an explore for the day.