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Summer Alps Virgin

46 posts & 29 voices | Started 1 year ago by robinbetts | Latest reply from Munqe-chick

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robinbetts - Member

I'm planning a week in the alps next summer, thinking Morzine as I know it quite well when it's covered in snow, and it seems to be rated pretty highly more mountain biking. I've never been to the alps for mountain biking, so I'd like to ask the oracle that is the STW forum for some info.

1) Does it work in any way like a ski resort, in that you get a lift pass and the lifts link to trails and you can get around the area this way (obviously you can ride up some stuff as well I guess)?

2) Is it laid out like a big trail centre, with marked trails, or do you use maps and find your own routes?

3) If you haven't risen there before, would you be missing out on finding great routes if you didn't have Schultz of some sort?

4) What's the cheapest way to do a week over there? We've been thinking about driving and flying, camping and self catered accommodation. There'll be 3 (maybe 4) of us taking our own bikes. What are your recommendations?

5) Any other tips or things we should know or think about?

Thanks in advance guys!

Posted 1 year ago #
konaboy2275 - Member

1 - Very much like skiing although not as many lifts open.

2 - Trails are generally marked but there are some cracking 'off-piste' bits too if you can find someone who know their way around.

3 - Schultz?

4 - All works out similar by the time you've taken Autoroute charges in. A vehicle is handy whilst your there though in case of injuries. Try looking for self catering appartments and look in the villages around if you're driving as you can get cheaper accom there. Chatel is also good and links into Morzine etc.

5 - Take a well serviced bike - nowt worse than having your week ruined by mechanicals. Also if you're doing the DH thing use dual ply tyres and thick tubes - never had so many punctures in one week!

Hope that helps a bit...

Posted 1 year ago #
Carpe diem - Member

I'm thinking of doing the same too ( first time ) What spare kit should you take?

Posted 1 year ago #
neil853 - Member

I've been three or four times to that area in the summer and every time i've driven. You need to have a couple of drivers if you're going to drive, i've done it on my own a couple of times from Preston and its not a pleasent experiance, last year there was two of us and it was much better! It wasn't so much the cost of flying/driving it was more the fact that driving is a little more straight forward (for me). You can take as much stuff as you like (within reason), go when you, i feel safer that my bike isn't getting thrown around want and just don't have the hassel of flying. Costs wise last year was £300 fuel, £150 for the tunnel (don't use the ferry they are minging) and about £120 in tolls, that was between four of us from Preston.

Riding wise i've never used a guide out there but i think if/when i go next i will try to get some accom that offers guiding, just so i can get to some hidden stuff that is smooooother lol, because the trails out there do get battered, they try their best with cutting the brake bumps out but its an impossible task.

If you want a cheap look at alpine elements, they did a holiday (self drive) for £199 fully catered. We thought the place was alright for a cheap holiday but other people on here thought different.

Anyway hope this helps

Posted 1 year ago #
titusrider - Member

What bikes have your group got? if you are all riding sub 120mm hardtails morzine unguided will be hard work. as mentioned most of the trails get lots of braking bumps and are really hard work on the arms. Also most of the marked out stuff is mostly DH runs. both times ive done morzine ive either hired a DH bike or bought one off ebay and sold later. Big volumne tyres and bigger rotors are a must if you do take your own bike pretty much whereever in the alps you choose

Places like les arcs, verbier, chamonix etc are probably a bit more suited to the average uk bike (but then often need guiding)

Posted 1 year ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

Mr MC and I have been for the last 7 years (except this year).
1. Yes. It's about 40 euros for a lift pass for the week for the whole of the week.
2. Yes they are, there's obviously some that aren't marked but lots of the awesome ones are marked. You can again buy a Passportes map for a few euros and it will easily show you your way around.
3. You don't need guiding in Morzine as everything is so well marked. You may miss a few cheeky local trails but there are always other groups to join up with, chatting to people in the bars afterwards who will give you more handy hints. The organised trips IMO are a bit expensive when it's all marked for you.
4. There are hundreds of chalets in Morzine which you can rent out. They always have free spaces. Cheapest would be to hire a chalet for 10 (or however many) of you and your mates, we stay in the same place every year and with the 10 or 12 filling it, it's about £50 each for a week. Then we cook in some nights and others eat out. If you want to go super cheap there is an awesome camp site in Les Gets (I can give you details if interested). Peanuts for a plot then attached is a large house with washing facilities, hot showers and a kitchen, TV, table foot area which is all included in the price. I would consider looking at flying, as often it's not as cheap as you think to drive down there. When you factor in ferry, petrol, tolls it works out abotu the same (or can do, those are the experiences we have had in the past).
5. I would consider full face and body armour. You'll get a lot of people harping on in a bit saying "oh no you don't it's opver the top" but it gives you that extra confidence to push yourself that extra little bit, knowing if you crash you'll save the scratches nad bumps that can easily be avoided.

be prepared for the chevre de fevre (goats cheese fever .. if you eat too much that's what you get). Find the Christmas cafe at Pre la Joux (they do THE best pizzas). Make sure you go to Les Lindarets and experience the ridiculousness that is goat village. But most of all have a weekend time, it's awesome. I do love it there.

Posted 1 year ago #
robinbetts - Member

Thanks for all the info guys. "Schultz" in 3) should have been "guide", not sure how my iPhone managed that one!

We'll all be on full suss's, a Five Pro, a Prophet and a Reign 2. The possible 4th member has a hardtail with 100mm Rebas, would the advice be that that's a bit lacking for Morzine? I'm always a bit skeptical when people say "you need a long travel full suss" etc, as he copes with some pretty rocky stuff in the lakes on it.

How long does the drive realistically take (say you had two drivers) home to resort (we'd be starting from Cardiff)?

Posted 1 year ago #
Hob Nob - Member

It's 600 odd miles from Calais, of which 95% is toll roads, so as fast as you can drive it really. If you want to give it some all the way, you can do it in under 8 hours with a couple of driver changes & a fuel stop. We found driving it at night was easier for some reason.

It's the most soul destroying bore fest of a drive though until you reach the foothills.

Posted 1 year ago #
Scamper - Member

Our first trip to the Alps this summer was morzine. We drove down and took the ferry which was something like £70. Our self catering accomodation was £80 via riders retreat and was fantastic - we are talking about late august. Driving gave the advantage of driving up to Les Gets rather than getting the lift up from Morzine.

We did mainly xc routes and from what i can gather can be devided into;

a) Tourist routes (same as what you find on your ski map - blue, red and black). The main red and black you could knock off in a day - the black in particular is very good xc once you get the slog up the tracks out the way.

b) VVT way marked trails (blue, red) found on maps with a bit more detail, although not quite OS standard. These can be way more technical than the tourist black route.

c) What can be best described as technical single track footpaths marked on above detailed map but not way marked.

d) Using above in conjunction with a mountain bike guide book.

Only really got to scratch the surface of what was available in a week due to my wife being inexperienced. Also did a few marked downhill runs, although if you are not into getting fat air some are a bit tedious. In fact the blue runs were more fun on my wife's HT rockhopper as was one the more natural green DH run.

Oh, and i was surprised how muddy it was too.

Posted 1 year ago #
steveh - Member

If you can do the 4 of you in one car it'll be cheaper to drive. 2 is about the break even point in my experience. Depending on your cruising speed and how much you stop, I expect 8 hours the other side of the ferry to get to morzine at 80ish with fairly minimal stopping.

If you want to camp there's a nice site in Montriond just below Morzine, the big advantage of being here is that on the days when you head over to the further places (Champery, Chatel, Morgins) you only have to make the lifts to the top of the ridge above Les lindarets and you can roll all the way home. If you're heading back to les gets you have to make the last lift up the Pleney unless you fancy the very long drag up the road.

Posted 1 year ago #
xiphon - Member

@ neil853

Preston? I'm from that area, and thinking of heading out to the Alps next summer, trying to find other riders who are old enough to drive abroad too...

Posted 1 year ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

I can find out exaclyt how long it takes from Cardiff if you want to? All the guys I go with live in Cardiff, half fly and one group always drive (often as they do a 2nd week elsewhere). But Rich specifically said it isn't any cheaper to drive, there are just pros (and cons) to it, ie you can pack as much stuff as you want (pending you don't have too many people crammed in and you have the space).

I would necessarily say you NEED a big travel bike in Morzine, I just think the point is you will have more fun, specifically if you go at at time when the breaking bumps are bad (however you get used to that buzzing arm feeling). The first year I went on a 1994 Kona Fire Mountain with PACE RC35 forks after about 2 days the forks weren't working any more, MR MC took them apart and I'd ground the elastamers away so I was back to rigid. I still had an awesome holiday and rode the big Les Gets DH and Le Pleney however it wasn't as fun. Now I have a Reign 2 and it's awesome, no more chicken runs for me

I agree about probably staying more towards Morzine than Les Gets. Morzine is more central for the whole PdS region. Les Gets you need to get that last lift up otherwise it's a drag of an uphill especially on a 6"er!!!! I was just know there is a cheap campsite up there.

Posted 1 year ago #
konaboy2275 - Member

We rode with some guys who had been guided on previous trips and they took us over into Switzerland and round loads of really nice trails towards Champery the back over to Chatel. Wouldn't have found these without someone who knew their way around. Bike wise I was riding a Coiler and 3 mates had Nomads and 1 had a Brooklyn race link. I blew my forks up on the first day - won't be buying zocchi's for a while... Beware it is heavy on bikes - imagine the battering they get on a uplift day but extend each run as they are longer and do it for 6 days and you're getting close!

Posted 1 year ago #
Ambrose - Member

@Robinbetts

A group of approx 10 of us from Carmarthenshire area are going out for the last week in July. Many have not been there before, some once, a couple of us loads of times. All are excited, it is an absolute blast. Maybe we'll meet up for a beer or two?

I'd happily ride with a decent normal helmet, eg a Xen or similar but almost everyone rides the DH's in full armour and FF helmet. You can hire pads really cheaply out there, or get some here before you go.

Spare parts ar unbelievably expensive- so take some with you, esp brake pads (I got through 7 pairs in 11 days last year!) and perhaps a spare mech and mech hanger. I snapped my rear mech on a lift on the final day but managed to catch the lift down to town, get a spare mech and then return to replace it and finish the ride. All a bit of a faff but I'd have lost my last days riding otherwise. Oddly enough I've only had a couple of punctures in all the time I've been going there- but I'm a wussy scardy cat rider.

Posted 1 year ago #
neil853 - Member

@ xiphon yeah i've moved to Coppull now but yeah the same area. I went down with two others from Preston and a few from daaarn saaarf. It was mainly an xc holiday last year which is what i prefer now.

Body armour i would agree with (even though i hate it) i rode with knee and elbow armour last year but a full face is over the top in my opinion, far too hot for xc riding (unless you come off and land on your face). Dual ply tyres and larger rotors are useful, and if you're driving some mud tyres would be good too

Posted 1 year ago #
Hob Nob - Member

Armour is so subjective, you get plenty of people who have bought the entire 661 catalogue as they are going to the Alps and others who ride in the normal gear they would at home.

The biggest thing is riding within your limits, I don't know what it is about the place, but it seems to bring out the wannabe Sam Hill in everyone. All of a sudden people grow a pair and try stuff way outside their comfort zone & it usually ends in tears.

There is nothing heroic about smashing yourself up mid way through a riding holiday because you were stupid enough to try & hit the Chatel Road gap when previously all you have managed is a kerb drop.

Posted 1 year ago #
krag - Member

@Robin:

It took us 12 hours (including the ferry) to drive from Merthyr to Morzine, so knock off 20 minutes for Cardiff. That was with 3 of us sharing the driving, with a stop for lunch.

The rest of the gang went down in a van and took quite a bit longer

Posted 1 year ago #
Stevie G - Member

1.
Munqe-chick i was in morzine this summer, lift pass was 82 euros for 6 days....
2.
Quite easy to find most the trails but quite a few hidden gems.. I'd advise a least picking up a free piste map when you get your lift pass
3.
Like i say lots of hidden tracks but you'll find enough to keep you busy.. Try and get over Chatel way some nice routes there plus on way home you get 12k downhill road ride back to morzine (very fun overtaking cars!!)
4.
Can't say whats the cheapest but we stayed with Jono @ Riders Refuge awsome chalet and great food to come back to after a long, hot days riding..
[b]5.
I'd take a full face helmet and some pads at the very minimum but i suppose it depends what sort of riding your planning. Just remember it's a lot steeper and faster out there so any fall is going to hurt..

Posted 1 year ago #
coolhandluke - Member

We've done Les Gets / Morzine twice now and earlier this year we fancied a change so did Saint Foy with the White Room Chalet.

This year was THE best holiday we'd ever had. No more getting lost, finding a crap trail, repeating the same stuff, shopping, cooking, cleaning. Fully catered, fully guided is way better.

Typical day
get up, eat, lift to top, ride, lift to top, ride, eat, lift to top, ride,lift to top, ride, cheeky beer, lift to chalet, clean, eat, drink beer, sleep : repeat 5 times, go home with battered bike.

The riding wasn't so DH'ish as Morzine but we enjoyed it better as it wasn't so full on. More singletrack like but it went on for ever.

There were some fantastic route shown to us and we did an enormous amount of descending, estimated by a climbers watch to have bee 17,000m in 5 days riding. That's 17,000 vertical m.

Well worth a look IME.

regarding kit , arm, leg pads as a minimum and a full face lid (for Morzine) . Spare inner tubes, puncture repair kit, rear mech hanger, spare pads.. Get brakes serviced / bled before going. They will suffer the most, fat 2.5 tyres (high Rollers dual ply). Make sure your wheels are strong.

Posted 1 year ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

StevieG ok lift pass doubled since we last went, but hey still good value compared Yuo skiing. what about the awesome super Morzine DH run that drops straight down side of mountain and then you don't have to go down 12k on road on a full susser.
there is no way you need to pay for guide or a guided holiday in MOrzine if you want classic DHing holiday.

Posted 1 year ago #
jedi - Member

i prefer chamonix. email phil@mbmb.com!

Posted 1 year ago #
UK-FLATLANDER - Member

I would recommend elbow and knee/shin pads, trail helmet like a Xen, spare brake pads, spare mech hanger, well adjusted brakes, a good sack and hopefully plenty of sunscreen. Have driven (twice to Chatel/Morzine and once to the Ecrin. If you have the time spread it over a couple of days, and arrive fresh and relaxed.

Posted 1 year ago #
hambl90 - Member

Munqe-chick can you give me the details of the campsite in Les gets please, thanks Ian

Posted 1 year ago #
Del - Member

been morzine, guided, been Spain, guided (and going again the w/e! ), but so far, for a well rounded biking holiday, bike verbier come top. just ace. everything. must. go. back.

Posted 1 year ago #
coolhandluke - Member

Like i say lots of hidden tracks but you'll find enough to keep you busy.. Try and get over Chatel way some nice routes there plus on way home you get 12k downhill road ride back to morzine (very fun overtaking cars!!)

tiz true too but even more fun when cutting hairpin corners by taking the suicide line down the grass banks an cutting the corner off a bit.

Posted 1 year ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

the phone numbers I have for the campsite are about 7 years old in case they don't work. But you probably can find the campsite on the t'interweb.

Camping La Grange au Frene, 74260, Les Gets.
Tel: 04 50 75 80 60 or 04 50 75 80 55
Fax: 04 50 75 84 39

Happy days.

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

Ask everyone around you (including guys in bars etc) for the trails off the main strips. Its worth it. I'd stay away from the main drags - Pleney etc otherwise you won't get into the exploring mindset.

You'll love it.

Posted 1 year ago #
mattbee - Member

I wouldn't go with Apline Elements if they had the only safe place in a zombie apocalypse. Damaged bikes on their trailer, paid for rental bike not available, running out of food etc......
We had a terrible time with them.
Other than that, to echo many people's advice, drive isn't too bad, about 12 hours from Portsmouth to Morzine allowing for my wife's considerable number of wee stops!
Plenty of trails to explore as well as waymarked stuff. Use the lifts as a way of stitching stuff together and get out there. To be honest even if you end up on 'firetrack'/piste the views are stunning.

Posted 1 year ago #
DT78 - Member

My experience with alpine elements wasn't too great either to be honest. My (richer and therefore fussier) mates were really hacked off with it, I'm used to staying in hostels so thought it was ok.

Food was pretty bad, staff were all teenagers who were completely disinterested in providing a decent level of service, had the police round threatening to search our rooms as some **** was setting off fireworks. Plus the roof leaked above one of my mates beds (that was quite funny though!)

Riders retreat was much much better, but cost more, get what you pay for.

Braking bumps are pretty bad but I manage fine on my nomad on all but the really severe stuff. I'm really tempted to give it a go on the hardtail next year.

As for spares if you are driving I'd take a spare front and rear wheel, spare mech, spare rotors, spare hangers (hell even a spare bike if it will fit). We managed to destroy all of the above and as mentioned above morzine is very expensive for spares/repairs

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

The place I stayed with in 03 was sooo bad to its staff (and not great to its customers) that one of its staff poured sugar into the tank of their Transit transfer vehicle.

Allmountainlodge?

Only 4 of us in one week so they decided to pull the staff from Guiding us to finish off refurbishing the facilities for future guests.

Nice.

I remember that week well because the transit broke down in the curving tunnel under Geneva. That was a scary moment for us all having to scramble into the emergency tunnel/shelter.

Posted 1 year ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

Camping La Grange au Frene, 74260, Les Gets.

Ive stayed at that campsite twice now. Last year for 2 nights and this year for about 9 days.

Its got decent facilities (clean showers, drying room, pool room/kitchen, living room, pressure washer for the bikes etc) and its half way up a big hill so you can ride down the road to get to the lifts. Then on the way back you can take the lift back up and ride down the hill again to get back to it.

Posted 1 year ago #
mattbee - Member

Allmountain lodge are alpine elements.

The campsite below lake Montriond always looks quite nice whenever we ride past it. Worth a trip to the lake too, especially if it's hot, around lunchtime/work ending time. Several times we've had the delight of an icecream whilst watching attractive young ladies cool down in the lake!

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

I'm laughing but
running out of food etc
we were supposed to have a 'alcohol included'. Now the three other lads weren't anywhere near drinkers, just sensible and sociable but by the 3rd night mysteriously the fridge wasn't replenished and I got the feeling things were tight, run very tight on the food/etc front. You know you pick up snippets overhearing the staff talking etc.

Now this was 7yrs ago so things may have changed. Thanks for the headsup on the name change though.

Posted 1 year ago #
snaps - Member

We drove over in 2008, Cardiff to Zermatt in 14 hours @ 80mph with minimal stops, 5 of us in a van was about £360 each all in including lift passes, chalet hire, tolls, ferry etc

Posted 1 year ago #
Scamper - Member

Yer, from the other side of the Ferry to Morzine, you have ot give yourself 10 hrs. Unless you are travelling at 90mph, swapping drivers and only very quick toilet breaks.

Posted 1 year ago #