Where are the little hidden gems of the Alps?

Just returned from two weeks in Les Arcs. Sad times. No more of this for a while:

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The only thing for curing the blues is to start thinking about the next trip.

Last year we spent two weeks enjoying the local trails in Les Arcs, and visited Tignes and La Rosiere. We did the same this year, but also went to La Thuile and Pila. La Thuile was really fantastic – steep, beautiful, natural feeling trails through stunning woodland. Pila was fun, but a bit braking-bumpy. Would have liked a bit more squish to make it less hard work! The freeride trail back down to Aosta was awesome. The two days in Italy were my favourite of the holiday.

Next year we are thinking of mixing it up a bit: spend a week in Les Arcs on the old faithful trails we have ridden so many times (though apparently Granny might now be a Granddaddy), and then spend a week based somewhere else from which we can do day trips to other riding areas.

Has anyone got any recommendations? So far I’ve heard La Clusaz, Les Saisies and Les Houches might be worth investigating. Any Italian areas to add to the list? (Our experience of Italian mountain biking set ups so far has been excellent). Finale is a possibility but might be a bit too far away.

Not necessarily after bike parks – our best riding has been based on an IGN map and a highlighter pen (as long as a lift is involved!).

Recommendations of good campsites also gratefully received.

Verbier and the surrounding area, with http://www.bikeverbier.com if at all possible. These folk know the wider region like the back of their hands – probably better than literally anyone, Swiss folk included. They use a van, trailer and local lifts to get to the back of beyond – the riding is insanely good, and very much off the beaten track. Plenty of happy customers will testify on here. If you must camp and not use guides, this is still a mint place to ride, just don’t expect to find the very best trails or fit in nearly as much riding time.

I recognise that view .. a good way to find the gems is ditch the guiding companies and just explore, IGN and a pen like you say. Be less static. ie, we followed that valley south up to the end, to see where it goes. You can be out for 2-3 day’s loop at a time with just a larger camelback if you use huts + B+Bs.
Risky approach, you may carry a bike for 2 hrs and find not much but a road descent or a carry-down as what looks good on a map isn’t always good (and what’s not shown can be amazing), you may find the ‘best-trail-ever’. But if you need to stay close to lifts you’ll be less likely to escape the honey-pot spots.

Sorry to hijack, but how difficult is the Pila to Aosta trail? Is everything rollable/chicken runs and does it get particularly steep and/or technical? Everyone does rave about it, but could do with a sensible assessment before getting out of our depth halfway down.

For context, the girlfriend and I have ridden in the Alps a few times now, we are both wheels on the ground riders, and lean towards ‘a nice day out in the mountains’ rather than ‘shredding to the max’ or ‘scaring ourselves shitless’.

One of the best things about the Pila/Aosta freeride track is the number of options available. I’m sure it would be quite possible to make your way down without your wheels leaving the ground although I’ve never managed this myself so can’t guarantee it..

To the OP, if you thought the Pila tracks were a bit brake bumpy I wouldn’t advise going to Morzine/Les Gets.

One of the best things about the Pila/Aosta freeride track is the number of options available. I’m sure it would be quite possible to make your way down without your wheels leaving the ground although I’ve never managed this myself so can’t guarantee it..

To the OP, if you thought the Pila tracks were a bit brake bumpy I wouldn’t advise going to Morzine/Les Gets.

I’m rubbish at “getting sick air”, but the Pila/Aosta trail was fine for me. First time down it was early in the day and it felt loose and sketchy, but once I’d played around on the DH trails up the mountain we were ripping down the freeride and having lots of fun. There are chicken runs for all of the jumps.

Down the Semnoz by Annecy – 5 euro for a bus from the centre to the top with your bike. Did a 16km descent loosing 1600m (few short climbs on the way down). You probably need a local to find the best trails though, place is littered with them.

That looks like the off piste entrance to La Varda to me…

There are lots of little hidden gems, but not places I would want to spend a few days in each at, if I was just riding the best stuff.

It’s certainly worth exploring Chamonix. There is some stunning riding there.

Sorry to hijack, but how difficult is the Pila to Aosta trail?

It’s not difficult to ride, but it’s tight and there’re loads of corners and if you stay off the brakes you might not be able to spot and/or make the chicken runs – so it’s best if you’re comfortable with little jumps and drops. There’s no really big features on it though.

Rode there a couple of days again this summer, it’s still possibly the most fun trail in the world.

🙂

Down the Semnoz by Annecy

Some Belgians in our campsite in Bourg also mentioned that.

It’s certainly worth exploring Chamonix. There is some stunning riding there.

I’ve heard it’s excellent, but wasn’t there a thread recently discussing how they’d gone all anti-VTT there this year?

Anyone got any experience of Austria? Must be some good biking there and it’s generally a lot cheaper than France/Switzerland IME.

They officially close the main area for the walkers, but you can ride early & late season there, plus you can ride each end of the valley full time (Hooches & Vallorcine).

That being said, if you are high up,a fair way from the lifts & don’t ride like a dick when there are people around, I’ve only ever had a positive experience, even mid season.

I’m not well travelled but La Thuile deserves to be about a million times as well known as it is- absolute trailbike perfection and not even all that far from the usual uk holiday honeypots. Hardly a hidden gem but an overlooked one, apart from on here where everyone’s been 😉

I agree – my day there was one of the best I’ve ever had. There was one particular section of singletrack which was just covered in deep red pine needles – it was like riding through a dream sequence!

You wont find the real hidden gems without freeing yourself of the tyranny of the lift.

But you probably knew that already.

I spent a very happy afternoon at Metabief – super fast smooth trails with not too much traffic. Might not be the kind of place you’d go for a week, but worth checking out if your route goes close by.

Wallop was it you and your wife who we met on the cachet the and at la thuile last week?

@wallop – sepcifically on your list

La Clusaz, I’m keen to investigate here as it’s above Annecy so lots of other holiday activities. The resort has a fantastic reputation for restaurants in the winter so I’m keen to try those too. I have been looking through the IGN maps and on French VTT sites and with use of bus as the uplift there looks to be plenty to explore.

La Saisses, I rode here as warm up day of Trail Addiction Destination X, basically a smallish bike park and not worth basing yourself there. I would recommend the Destination X Areches-Beaufort holiday though.

Les Houches, and adding whole Chamonix valley to me this is your pick. You can easily ride Verbier which is about 45 mins to an hour away in the summer. With a combination of the Chamonix Bike Book, maps and a bit of research on here you can find plenty of riding for a week in Chamonix and Verbier.

In a secret cave

i’m off on saturday again to chamonix. duh duh duh duh duh, im loving it

Hi Bland – I am the wife you shared the chairlift with during your epic hangover 😀

Jambalaya – cheers, that’s great info. Are there any other areas you know of which are worth considering?

@jedi when you’re back could you please let us know what the status is of lifts (rumours of Vallorcine being shut to bikes not available on bike pass) and also transport up/down valley. I’m hoping to get out there in September as last year I only had a half day there.

Another view, just behind your view. Ahead… La Varda 8)

yeah no worries 🙂

I think it was the most epic view of the trip.

The pics don’t really give you the scale of the place.

No, and it’s not just the view – it’s the air, the colours, the peacefulness… and not forgetting the marmottes.

You can stick your road bikes up your bum.

We worked out that the peak you can see in the far distance has one of the Tignes chairlifts going up to the top.

Chamonix beta: the vallorcine lift is open, but the dh track is closed due to lots of works, alternatives exist. The lift there always closes at end aug anyway. Train is running le fayet to argentiere, the bus beyond does not take bikes. As ever, more info (and several lesser known spots) at chamonixbikeblog.com

Oh, and the bike pass only covers the front 2 lifts at le tour ( short new trail being built) and prarion at les houches, new trails also being worked on plus 2 new lines finished.

La cluzas has a small park (2 runs) and some xcmarked trails. Beautiful village but not really worth the detour.
Les saisies has a small park (5 runs) and a lot of enduro style stuff that you can get busses back from. There is even a mega long marked trail to alberville and a (I think) 10 euro shuttle back. Areche also has som uplifted stuff (just down the valley from les Saises.

If you are at les arcs, les saisies is really not far and worth a day or two.

Best of the less known areas IMO are future south, Allos and orciere. Or even Deux alpes which is ace and closer.

Headed straight over to la varda after I left you at the top of the cachette lift wallop and did la varda in one go flat out, possibly the daftest and hardest thing I have done in a long time.

Got 3rd fastest time on strava though so made up for the agony!

Good work. We did a quick run down the DH track before getting the lift back up and heading over to the Trans Arc. We took a bit of a detour at the top of La Varda but I’m glad we did – the view! It does mean no strava time though 😆

Still gutted to be home. 😐

Grand Massif.
2400m to 800m float your boat?

Looks perfect!

Just bake from a week with the amazing folks at bike verbier. Was my first Alps trip and I’m still grinning like a loon, even after two days in the office 🙂

We visited Pila and I have to agree, the Aosta track is completely amazing, loads of lines, drops & jumps – definitely something for everyone there. Fully recommended!

Livigno, bike park and beer at €1.50 a half litre, it’s a duty free resort and party town…

We’ve just got back from our first Alps trip in Alp D’Huez. Talk about steep and loose! The other half was grinning from ear to ear everyday but I scared myself silly. I’ve been looking at Italy as a possible for next year too as love the look of Sauze d’Oulx so will be watching this feed with interest!

Anyone rode at zona zero in northern Spain? Looks like an interesting place but not sure how big an area it is? I know Doug at vasque mtb is doing trip there

zona zero vid