We are considering a week in the above area early July. Anyone been? Not found much info on line.
can only assume flash is actually in serre chevalier currently, else he'd be all over this like a cheap tweed suit 😉
🙂
Just back from a day trip to Zurich, actually!
Only a Serre Che regular in winter, I'm afraid, so not sure if I'll be much use for summer stuff beyond general area information.
Not sure there's a massive amount of trails, but it's a great location. Epic road routes nearby too.
Yeah, montgenevre was very good trail riding. Serre chevalier can be a bit limited so I'd say you could do a week with transport and trail bikes, wouldn't do it in one of the resorts without a vehicle though, and take a bike you can pedal so you can head off the lift network.
There's a bit in the new Alps book. The descent from montgenevre down to briancon is fantastic on every level, scenery, trail, history etc. Took us a few hours IIRC stopping exploring the old forts etc really nice afternoon.
Thank you. I saw Montgenevre in the new alps book and thought it ticked lots of our boxes. I'm just struggling to find any reasonable priced accommodation or detailed information about the bike park.
I'd say if you're Alps novices there's better places to spend a week in honesty - if you've been to most resorts and want something different then give it a go. You'll need to be happy exploring to make use of a week there though or possibly look at guided the main trail area is not big at either resort. Also remember if driving it's currently a pain to get to, add an extra couple of hours with la grave road closure I have no idea if they'll have the bypass road sorted by the summer.
I'd stay in Briancon personally, we camp at the campsite down by the river 5 vallees or there is plenty of accommodation and your between both resorts. 2 cars ideally for this so you can descend to briancon at the end of the day or I think you can get a bus up to fetch the car from both resorts but can limit you on time.
Here's the montgenevre piste map http://en.calameo.com/books/003163502683159670a77
Bardonecchia and sauze d oulx are drivable for a day out also.
We've done 2 alps, les Gets, Chatel, Vallnord and Tignes. Want some new scenery and a nice relaxed town, must be pretty. Was considering a week in Montgenevre followed by a week in Bardonecchia. Don't mind exploring for a few days but want a fun bike park.
No camping. Want to be within a 10 min ride of the lifts.
Not bothered by the drive it's nearer than Vallnord.
Might hire road bikes for a day as well.
It's not tignes or portes du soleil - you don't have the volume of trails they do so doing a full week in resort isn't as good an option IMO. I'd say montgenevre and bardonecchia are a couple of days riding in the bike park max, obviously that's totally dependent on how you want to ride and if you're happy riding the same trails multiple times. Bardonecchia has more marked trails but it's still only a handful compared to the big resorts. What there was benefits though I think the trails are well maintained and built and don't see as much use.
There's definitely enough to get a bit more out of montgenevre off piste not sure on bardonecchia didn't do much outside the park there. I think staying in resort and wanting to ride to the lifts is a limiting factor at these smaller resorts, if you can be flexible and try and split a week between 2 or 3 you would get more out of it.
Montgenevre will tick your pretty, relaxed town box though. Road bikes you have the Galiber which from montgenevre will be a cracking ride.
I did a week based between 2 alpes and alp dh'huez and made a day trip to Montgenevre for a change of scenery.
The town as mentioned above is quiet and a nice place.
The bike park however is not up to scratch compared to the other places you've already visited.
The black run at montgenevre is easier than the greens at les 2 alps. In fact when we arrived there there was a school bus of young kids + teacher/responsible adult heading to the chairlift. 3hrs and you've exhausted the bikepark and i wouldn't go back for another day.
Don't get me wrong, it's worth a day visit to ride somewhere new but to put it into UK perspective - it would be like basing yourself at thetford forest for a change of scenery even though the riding at Wales/Scotland is significantly better.
Serre chevalier is close by but looks like another 'do in a day' place.
it would be like basing yourself at thetford forest for a change of scenery even though the riding at Wales/Scotland is significantly better.
That's a shame. The guide book makes it sound perfect. We will be on trail bikes by the way and do explode outside the bike parks.
We just fancy some decent weather and are a bit bored with braking bumps.
Yes - Stayed in Bardonecchia for a week a couple of years ago (just road cycling though). Really nice area and some epic road routes. Heading back in a couple of weeks for skiing so hoping for a bit of snow!
First day we watched the Tour at the top of the Col d'Izoard, then over the next few days did some other routes taking in Col du Mont Cenis, Col de Telegraphe, Col du Galibier. Sestrierre is one I'd have liked to tick off but ran out of time. Also handy for a day out in Turin as it's an easy, cheap train ride away. There's a great little restaurant in Exilles (La Quadriglia) too that serves up a cracking wild boar steak.
Sorry can't help with the mtbing.
Skied at Montgenevre last year and really liked the town/area. No idea about biking potential though. Have you thought about Samoens? There's a few good trails from the lifts and some ride up, across, down stuff. It's also a short drive from Les Gets and Morzine when the local stuff runs out.
Spent a few days in Briancon a couple of years back, some nice trail riding and not-to-hard Dh runs using the main lifts in the ski resorts. Briancon centre quite small and workaday rather than cute, but pleasant nonetheless. Left after three days as was enroute to somewhere else but the side valleys up toward Montgenevre looked really good.
Considered Samoens but we've had too many mud-bath weeks. I know there are no guarantees but the guide book suggests dry sandy trails are highly likely. Also we've done Les Gets a couple of times. I really want some completely new views.
I've been to Montgenevre in 2011 when Le Tour passed through. Very quiet place, right at the top of the mountain, even the day before the tour arrived. a real one horse town.
Very few places to eat but the road riding is great. I only stayed there cos I couldn't get anywhere in Briancon which is a much larger town in the valley with lots more facilities.
Handy for Col du Lauteret and Galibier but it is right at the top of the mountain so you have a slog back home in the evening. You can cross over into Italy too
Saw the MTB slopes but didn't get a chance to ride them.
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EDIT: Stayed in a poky little hotel in the high street. Not much to write home about but they did let us keep the bikes in the room!
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just checked, we were in the [url= http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g944503-d1479617-Reviews-Residence_Neige_et_Golf-Montgenevre_Hautes_Alpes_Provence.html ]Hotel Neige et Golf[/url]. It's cheap, that's about all it's got going for it
Can't comment on the bike park stuff, but the natural trails are great all round that area. You also have bardonecchia close by too.
There is some hidden single track gems to be ridden around Briancon,not a great deal in the bike parc tho.
Happy thread resurrection!
We are now going to Montgenevre for two weeks. I have bought all the maps and poured over Strava (I'm currently injured so had a lot of time on my hands). Can anyone give me some advice about where to find those hidden singletrack gems mentioned above. We have a car and intend to have at least a day in Serre Chevalier and a couple of days in Bardonecchia. The lift map shows both a green and a blue down to Briançon so we will do them. Also going to try and squeeze our CX bikes into the car and do the Col d'Izoard, and possibly the Galbier (to be honest I suspect we will be too busy tearing around on mountain bikes, but it sounds good).
Would love any advice on trails/tourist attractions/guides/restaurants.
Thank you.