Just starting the research, but happy to tap into the wealth of ideas on here.

The girlfriend is going to Glastonbury this year (24th-29th June), which I’m taking as a free pass to do whatever I like. I was thinking about a quick – no brainer trip to the alps. I’ve been a couple of times before, driven and taken my trail bike (140mm-120mm), but for ease I was thinking flights, transfers, Morzine, cheap chalet, hire a downhill bike.

I’ve already got mates roped into various biking and boarding trips this year, so it will be a solo mission. Normally I would drive and car-camp/camp – but not sure it will be cost effective?

Then I noticed it was PassportesduSoleil that weekend… Which on first glance seems perfect, but then I realised it was a) sold out, b) presumably more expensive, c) limited rental choice?

So I guess, the questions are, in no particular order:

1) any ideas?
2) should I just drive and take my bike, find other things/places to do (not sure all lifts will be open?)
3) are there any package deals (flights/transfers/lift pass/bike hire) that would still get me into Passportes?
4) Lonely farts club? Tag along with a group in a minibus, with accomodation? Anyone got a space?
5) go somewhere else – always fancied the Tyrol at some point
6) Bike: Accelerate the build of the ION 16 (might not have the funds), Hire a DH, Buy a 2nd-hand DH and sell back? Just take mine? I guess this depends on transport as I’m not flying with a bike…
7) Another trip to Scotland?

Sorry – I know I should probably work this out for myself before asking…

PPDS isn’t sold out, it hasn’t even gone on sale yet.

Ah – the website says tickets on sale between two dates in 2014. That must have been the 2014 version. Well that is good news! Cheers.

Registration opens 11th of February at 9am.

Even if you dont sign up for the passeportes you will have no trouble hiring bikes and using the trails.

All sounding good, cheers. Normally like to do my own thing, but quite fancy just keeping this one simple.

I presume people recommend doing the PPDS just one day, not all three and then riding elsewhere on the other days?

The PPDS entry can’t just be used to lap the lift?

PDS is great value, and food and drinks included as you go round. Use the next day to do all the best bits again. The entry will only be valid for 1 day anyway.

Makes sense. Thanks.

From memory the PPDS entry includes an extra day’s lift pass too..

Hi, coming into this thread a little late, we’re looking to do ppds this year on the Friday, are we saying that signing up gives you one day for the cirque and a second day of lift pass included? Cheers

Plan A would be to book a guided week somewhere. You are pre lift opening in a lot of places but companies usually have a van uplift plus a bit of pedalling. Chamonix is an option as that timing should be before the bike ban but it’s not a place to be riding alone I would say, too much backcountry and chance of having a fall

I have done a couple of solo trips and a car means you can do a couple of venues to keep things interesting, eg Chamonix and Verbier are 45 mins apart by car in the summer, it’s adds to the cost of course.

PassPortes Inhave done a few times, grand day out and good intro to Alps, mostly fireroads / tracks. Last time I did it we stayed with Ski Blue Ridge in Les Gets and there where a few single travellers. It will have sold out there in Feb but you may find a hotel/chalet which has a spare entry as I think they get some allocated.

@broke lift pass is cheap anyway less than €20 a day from memory

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I managed to get into the PPDS on the Friday in Morzine.

Anyone fancy plugging some cheap, bike friendly accommodation for one in the town?

Ski Blue Ridge as I said above – on the edge of Les Gets. You can roll down the road into Morzine to start the PPdS. When we stayed there for the event there where a few solo travellers who tagged onto our group. They also do airport transfers, last time I got one for euro 30.

Ski Blue Ridge

Other choice I have used in Morzine is Grand Tetras Hotel. A bit out of the way and parking quite limited, B&B or half baord.

Grand Tetras

Chalet Montana, cheap! and price per person too so not based on selling full rooms.

paul and nina at apex have b and b in the farmhouse in morzine its on the super morz side of the village just over the bridge

nice spot nice people.. were there that weekend to ride

Paul and Nina Dally

http://www.apexmorzine.com

ta j

Cheers all. Wi’ll check out those three.

thinking about entering the friday too. just gonna go solo, cba trying to recruit others & organising etc…
working in London that week so could fly LGW to Geneva on thursday tea time, transfer to the Montana. Ride the PPDS on Friday and fly back to MCR on saturday lunch time. a quick tot up has it at just over £300!

only think is no Morzine starts left, where would you reckon next best place to start from would be? that i could get to for 7am? was thinking Les Lindarets? looks like a 15min drive past the lake?

i could even fly back Friday night at 10pm – how long does the ride take?

I can’t remember how long we took to do the ride but we caught a flight back the same day (think it was 9pm) and had loads of time to spare. And that was with starting at Avoriaz, doing the first descent into -I think it’s Lindaret and standing in the lift queue until we realised we’d left the lift passes behind giving us an extra loop as we had to go back up and get them!! So time wise it’s fine…we did worry a bit about getting a mechanical and being slowed down. I wouldn’t choose to do it!!

@jaffe – the Swiss starts sell out later, have a look at Morgins but you’ll need to stay locally. I always treat the PPdS as part of a longer trip, 3 day weekend at least. IMO its not worth flying over just for the day. The ride is all day and to get the most out of it it’s worth stopping for food and drinks on the way round, you’ll be done by 5 as the lifts shut then !

We are arriving in morzine on the Friday! Managed to book 4 of us onto the ppds for sat and sun, however Sunday starts morzine but sat had sold out by the time I filled all the forms in, so am starting in Les linderettes on the sat morning.

Our plan is to use the Saturday as some time to get into the trails out there, then do the whole ride on the Sunday. Then we should have free passes for Monday and Tuesday to! Happy days!

Can anyone recommend accommodation in Morgins?

Doing the PDS on Sat 27th starting out from Morgins 🙂

apologies for this slight hijack, i hate starting new threads…

i am looking into an Alps trip of my own, maybe the PPDS but not certain. ive done the Morzine thing a couple of times already so id really prefer something less crowded more singletracky, lift assisted for the majority and still with an element of DH and techy stuff. Les Arcs looks to fit the bill but the stickler is it’ll be a long weekend job so not really interested in anything much over an hour transfer wise… but im open to suggestion?

Trail Addiction do a Saturday till Wednesday deal. have to live with the transfer…