I wondered if anyone could suggest the right place to go as I fear my requirements are way too narrow:
- big landscapes / views / long trails
- no ridiculously technical and steep stuff, I think I am a good/fit trail rider but I am 56. I watch the Sella Ronda videos and that looks ideal although I can also happily step up to the level of the easier reds at BPW (for illustration) but if the majority of the riding was equivalent to something like Terry's Belly then that would be ideal, flowy and bermy.
- uplifts although I don't mind the occasional climb
- NOT in July / August so not sure that's compatible with the above uplift requirement. June or September basically.
- has to be in France for familiarity and logistical ease (I am French and this will be part of a trip to France to visit family).
- bike is a 130mm Revel Rascal
- probably over 3 or 4 days but flexible either way
Thanks for any suggestions
I would suggest going to Bourg St Maurice, you can then access Les Arcs which has a bit of everything but also go up the valley to the Tinges / val disere area which certainly has the big views
I was gonna say pretty much the same as Chrismac.
But check the lift opening dates at Bourg, you don't want to arrive the week that they've just shut (don't ask me how I know that).
Thanks. Can I access a telepherique from Bourg St M to get to the riding or do I need to drive up?
I went on a bucket list holiday to Bourg Saint Maurice in August. I stayed and rode with The White Room and cannot recommend them enough. I'm 55 year old, moderately okay on technical stuff, lacking in fitness but still managed to have the holiday of a lifetime.
Access to Les Arc is via a funicular that runs every 30 minutes from the centre of town.
I've got to go against the majority so far and say PdS (aka Morzine). Lifts open mid-June and no where else in the Alps has the same scale and verity of trails. To stay within the OPs requirement of BPW style blues is going to be pretty limiting in Les Arcs, the Bike Park is far smaller and the off-piste way more technical than OP is going to enjoy.
Whichever venue you chose, you're going to have to accept more gravity and length of trail than you're used to. The Green trails around the Zore area of Morzine are a great introduction, smooth, flowy and bermy, then move onto the blues, each will have a section that's steeper and tighter than you're used to, but you'll love it! A few days riding lift to trail and you'll easily 'up your game' if you want to. Trails in PdS are now far better made and maintained than ever before, braking bumps still an issue on some trails, but in June it should be prime.
The Goat trail (that's it's name, it's a man-made XC without climb trail) from Zore to Lindret is a great ride and you can use it to get to Chatel which has great Blues, again, bigger, long, steeper than Terry's, but nothing that's going to throw you out of your comfort zone or ideally into a tree.
Thanks. Can I access a telepherique from Bourg St M to get to the riding or do I need to drive up?
There is a funicular railway from Bourg upto Les Arcs that is included as part of the lift pass price. Tinges / Val is about a 20-30 minute drive up the valley.
I’d recommend a Whiteroom backcountry week. But they don’t do shorter holidays.
Fair comment from Siscott, might have a good point there.
PdS may be better in terms of marked routes and easier built trails. I've not been for years.
BSM was always the best option for moderate singletrack (often multi-use paths) though.
no where else in the Alps has the same scale and verity of trails
I know this always comes up as a debate, but this is patently not true. For scale, just look at the relatively low altitude in PdS vs other areas in the Alps, where you can be surrounded by glaciers. True, the lifts there are open a little longer, which is going to be an issue for you in France as they tend to be limited to July/August , maybe into the first week of September. PdS is also logistically easy, in terms of getting there and navigation, but also has an over abundance of bike park type trails, breaking bumps, jumps and queues. Horses for Courses though, if that's what you're after then it would be ideal.
If you only have 3 or 4 days, then you dont need a huge area to ride in to avoid repetition. If you have the budget, maybe try and get a short break with White Room or Bike Village, their shuttles will open up the timetable past early September. I've done a 3 day trip with them, not sure how available that option is. Personally I think the Tarantaise valley has the 'best' riding in the French Alps, and the views arent far off the best either.
You'd have to do a bit of homework first, but Chamonix in September is fantastic. Pretty varied (2 small bike park areas, with lots of more natural stuff in the valley between) and literally the biggest scale in the Alps. You'll miss the bike ban at that time of the year.
Samoens and La Clusaz would be good for a few days too, but check the lift schedule.
Personally I think the Tarantaise valley has the 'best' riding in the French Alps, and the views arent far off the best either.
The Tarentaise also gets my vote, especially when you include the surrounding areas that are in striking distance. I've been going for years, and there's still stuff that's new to me. Stevo and the gang really know the area well.
no where else in the Alps has the same scale and verity of trails
I know this always comes up as a debate, but this is patently not true. For scale, just look at the relatively low altitude in PdS vs other areas in the Alps, where you can be surrounded by glaciers. True, the lifts there are open a little longer, which is going to be an issue for you in France as they tend to be limited to July/August , maybe into the first week of September. PdS is also logistically easy, in terms of getting there and navigation, but also has an over abundance of bike park type trails, breaking bumps, jumps and queues. Horses for Courses though, if that's what you're after then it would be ideal.
If you only have 3 or 4 days, then you dont need a huge area to ride in to avoid repetition. If you have the budget, maybe try and get a short break with White Room or Bike Village, their shuttles will open up the timetable past early September. I've done a 3 day trip with them, not sure how available that option is. Personally I think the Tarantaise valley has the 'best' riding in the French Alps, and the views arent far off the best either.
You'd have to do a bit of homework first, but Chamonix in September is fantastic. Pretty varied (2 small bike park areas, with lots of more natural stuff in the valley between) and literally the biggest scale in the Alps. You'll miss the bike ban at that time of the year.
Samoens and La Clusaz would be good for a few days too, but check the lift schedule.
Chamonix has more trails than PdS? I'm surprised at that. Google suggests it's about a quarter the size in terms of number and total length of trails. Is it a case of more un-waymarked routes etc?
The Portes du Soleil sounds pretty much custom made for what the OP is asking. There are places with more technical riding, more natural singletrack, higher mountains, more adventure etc. But when you’re in the PdS for the first time, it’s such a great place to be able to navigate yourself around - it still definitely feels like an adventure when it’s all new.
For the holiday of a lifetime, I think a few days guiding sounds epic. But I assume it’s more expensive? As I say, there are so many epic places. Chamonix and Verbier are particular favourites of mine. But the more ‘natural’ trails in both places can be extremely techy.
So I still say that, for a first time visit, with the desire for a range of trails which include plenty of blues and reds - rather than incredibly difficult blacks - the Portes du Soleil takes some beating.
I'd have to agree with Bourg tbh, the trick is that there's so many good spots all around and a lot of them cater well to less technical riding. Les Arcs itself and La Rosiere both have good riding that'd work for you (and lots that wouldn't), and Tignes on the blues and reds made me think of nothing more than a UK trailcentre than a chairlift.
Usually I'd say guided for a first trip, because it just works so much better- no worrying about logistics, no looking for the next meal, or wasting time riding crap stuff or stuff that's randomly hard or accidentally taking something that rides great but takes you miles from the uplift... And that's all nothing compared to the difference it makes if you hurt yourself.
But the timing and the riding demands are really tricky. Bikevillage is relatively mellow in terms of difficulty, as these things go, but tends away from the bermy and flowy and there's still harder stuff
Around Bourg you definitely need to be guided to find the really good stuff IMO.
Around Bourg you definitely need to be guided to find the really good stuff IMO.
See normally I'd say that's true for sure but probably not for the OP. What I'd call the good stuff isn't what they want.
I’m tempted by White Rooms
Having done a walk from Morzine, to me it’s not the high Alpes. I want to see Glaciers.
A useful thread. Thanks
"Bikevillage is relatively mellow in terms of difficulty, as these things go, but tends away from the bermy and flowy and there's still harder stuff"
Nice thing about BV is that Sam will tailor the riding to what the group want. I've ridden glorious mellow stuff with Sam but also had my brain melted with some unbelievable tech too 🙂
He'll touch the park if that's what people want, but I'd agree that on the whole it's avoided - no bad thing in my opinion 😉
Nice thing about BV is that Sam will tailor the riding to what the group want.
Or even give you a little one to one action if the rest of the group are a bit less adventurous.
He also now has a Dylon and if you really want it a Graham who'll really sort you out...
Another one for a shout to Whiteroom. Rab Pat and Steveo were brilliant fun . The riding was awesome and food better . I did the high summits week and even though it close to wrecked me going up. Coming down was some of the best riding ive ever done , sod the risk the sketch was worth it ..
Only place I’ve been in the Alps is the Three Valleys. Has a range of trails including some very nice woodland and cross country stuff as well as bumpier, bermier things. Like Wales but bigger and with uplifts.
Hard to look past BsM and Whiteroom. The problem is if you’re expecting it to be a once in a lifetime trip you’ll almost certainly want to go back as there’s not enough time in a week let alone a few days to even scratch the surface.
I'd third PdS. So easy for a first timer, loads of trails that are flowy (what the OP asked for) and open early enough (although I'd say go the 1st week in July). No need for guides if you stick to the bike park, but you can discover more single-track trails with a good guide in the area for a day or so.
I've been to a few different Alpine resorts over the years and gone for the guided option for most. I've found that a lot of guiding companies actively try to "advance" your riding, even when you ask them not to. From what the OP says, I'm guessing he is in the place of being comfortable in his level of riding and just wants to ride new trails within that capability. From my experience, that might be quite hard to get, especially on a guided trip with a mixture of abilities.
I've heard good things about Bike Village though. Founded by an ex-colleague's uni mate I understand, and much more up for looking after individual guests. Choose with care if you do go guided.
This is some of the riding we were doing in the Les Arcs / Bourg St Maurice area. Like I said earlier, I'm in my mid-fifties, ride old school natural singletrack and starting to get a tad risk adverse, but the trails there were no more challenging than trail centres here. We were also very lucky to have Rob our guide just for the two of us and benefitted from some fabulous coaching.
Sorry, don't know what happened with the multiple copies, but you get the idea. The area is fantastic, the scenery is jaw dropping and the trails descend forever!
OP here. Many thanks for the input. I can see the appeal of both BSM and PDS. I'll be driving so I might as well do both!
I can see the merits of a week with a guide with one of those companies that include accommodation and food. But probably not my vibe, I prefer to ride on my own than with people that are either too fast or too slow and enjoy making my own mistakes 😂 and go at my own pace. And I don't drink alcohol 😂.
I am relatively confident I can "get with the locals" easily to find the right trails if need be. It doesn't feel like I am going to run out of trails quickly.
Nice thing about BV is that Sam will tailor the riding to what the group want. I've ridden glorious mellow stuff with Sam but also had my brain melted with some unbelievable tech too 🙂
Yep but unless they're lucky or there's some careful preplanning and group matching, the odds are most people going to a BV or WR holiday want to do other stuff. Solo guiding has a limit, they can't take you off by yourself all the time.
(sometimes group matching does work, I went solo to WR once and Stevo found me a group of other repeat customers that he was confident would work with what I wanted to ride, and also were cool people, and it went awesome- we spent the entire week relentlessly smashing proper alps stuff on the pointier end of what they offer. But it's definitely going to be harder the other way round)
If I was driving, going on my own, and only going for 4 days then I’d do Morzine. It’s quicker to get to, and you’ll find the hidden trails much easier.
In time honoured STW fashion, I will add a suggestion that absolutely nails 4 of the 5 requirements.... and kinda fails on 1.
Valais.
Which is as easy to drive to from most northern parts of France as Chamonix or the PDS, easier than the BSM/Tarantaise area, and speaks French (kinda, huitante, quoi?) and more relevantly when you hit up Verbier or Crans Montana with a bit of research you easily have 4 days of uplifted fairly flowy (all flowy is relative to personal experience) epic view big mountain riding. The lifts are open through until October (not all, and not every day, but again a bit of research reveals more) and plenty of lower level options if the weather doesn't work out.
I'm based in Chamonix and guide in every spot listed so far, and I'd say Valais fits the bill best but after that I'd go for BSM and just try and hit the first week of September when you'd still have a few lifts available on a few days of the week. Especially if you have a car as that then puts the 3 valleys into play too which if you did a day at Les Arcs, a day at La Plagne, a day at Meribel and another day at Les Arcs or La Plagne you could have done 4 of the best big alpine days out there, allbeit not perhaps *quite* as good as in Valais and much harder to do if it can't be in July or August. None of the areas have their 2026 lift opening dates up online yet, but they generally don't wander too much year on year, so the 2025 dates should aid for planning. This might help: https://chamonixbikeblog.com/2025/lift-openings-2025-certainties-of-life/
And for another long wheelbase poster: good news, I've been exploring and been shown some new things..... 😉
Morzine and the PDS is a good place to stay if you don’t want to do a guided trip. It’s got lots of different types of riding from alpine XC to park laps. Lots of people to see and loads of tracks.
I also like Tignes as well, but not been there in several years.
We've booked another couple of weeks next year with Sam.
Hopefully catch up with you then for some new trail fun.
June or September in France is very limiting, I can only really think of the PDS that will give you ski lift access at those times. You can get odd weekends in some other places (in the Alps and Vosges) but it's limited. Les Arcs/BOurg is all done before the end of August as as are an awful lot of other places.
Many thanks again and a quick update. I am breaking one my own requirements by deciding to do the Sella Ronda, based in Selva Di Val Gardena.
Main reason is that I am merging this with a week with my kids who will fly to Innsbruck. September 2026.
I welcome any tips about Sella Ronda. Looks like counter clock wise is better to start with?
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the Sella Ronda. I’ve done it a couple of times, first time shortly after it opened, and again a couple of years ago. It’s really improved over the years and there are more flow trails now. I’d definitely recommend hiring a guide from the tourist office, as the package includes a discounted lift ticket, and the guides have some freedom to tailor the route to include the type of trails you like. There can also be occasional temporary diversions, and the guides know the best ways around them that avoid too much road.
I can’t remember whether we did CW or CCW, but it was the one with less pedalling uphill! FWIR, we did something like 900m uphill pedalling, several gondolas/lifts and well over 4000m descending.
For context I’m in my 60’s, experienced rider but way more risk averse now (I live in the Tweed Valley, but choose not to ride ‘the Golfie’).
In Italy, we did some of the easier sections of the EWS/EDR Enduro trails in Val di Fassa - some shortish sections required a bit more focus, but if you can ride something like the red at Glentress and a few bits of the old black there, you’ll be absolutely fine. The flow trails in Val di Fassa are great fun.
HTH.
Thanks a lot, that's brilliant feedback and exactly what I wanted to hear. Yes will probably get a guide!!