Myself and a mate have got a pass for a trip to the alps. Currently looking at a long weekend (5 nights) around the weekend of June 16/17th. We’ve never been at all so I was hoping to get some tips from here on accomodation, riding and general advice for for first timers
Current thoughts are to drive down (we’re in Kent) and stay in Morzine or Les Gets. I believe the lifts there should be open by the time we go? We’re looking to do a couple of days on the road bikes and the rest MTB. The only firm thought is that my mate wants to do the col de joux plane and one other climb.... any suggestions for a second climb to do?
Then there’s the MTB. We’ll both be on 130-140mm travel full suss bikes (Boardman FS Pro and Orbea Occam). We’ve done blues and reds and BPW and that’s about our level. Any recommendations of what to do? We both don’t mind a bit of climbing/xc so happy for some of that to be thrown in to the suggestions as well as lift assisted riding.
Any advice would be appreciated! Cheers.
Driving isn’t a bad idea, especially if you’re taking 2 bikes each.
Morzine / Les Gets not a bad idea either, it’s the obvious choice, but that doesn’t make it a bad one, there are endless trial choices and most of them are signed and easy to follow, there’s a trail map and even an app with live GPS marker to make it easy to navigate, but guiding isn’t a bad idea. Loads of accommodation options too, cheap and cheerful to flash and option to stay in a shared chalet with other riders on half-board, we did that the first time more than 10 years ago and it was a great laugh, but it depends on the other people staying.
riding is steeper and longer than the UK, but because of the length of trails they’re less packed with features than BPW so can be a bit easier in some respects. Try to avoid dragging brakes, it hurts body and bike and eats brake pads - but it’s easier to say than do until you’re used to it.
Trails have got a lot easier over the last decade, better surfacing, less mud, less OMFG features on the ‘motorway’ trails. The main run down Les Gets 1 used to be dicey, now my kids can ride it.
Morzine will be perfect. It's an ok drive and there's plenty of easy to find road and off road riding. The lift assisted stuff is great fun and you can explore for even more if you are happy to climb a little
Just to add (can't seem to edit) Morzine is a better base than Les Gets imo. You have 3 good road climbs from the town and it's more central in the MTB area plus it's downhill home at the end of the day.
Morzine is a great base for your first alps trip i would say.
I'm not 100% sure but I dont think the lifts will be open then. They generally open for the Passportes, which this year is 29th June to 1st July. I could be wrong though.
I would not go without making sure the lift network is running.
Your dates are too early. Go after the passportes du soleil has been through. Ideally a couple of weeks after so some track maintenance may have been done (ha - not likely)
Bike Morzine are great - my mate owns the company and he gets very very good reviews for bike specific accommodation.
There's plenty to do and being based out of Morzine will give you the best location for riding, food and nightlife ect.
If you remember my username I'll send you some advice nearer the time if you want. Or buy me a coffee and I'll go over some stuff when you're out.
Cheers
Al
The first few times we went we stayed with this lot in Morzine:
[url] http://jollygood.com/ [/url]
Food was great, rooms nice, good bar, decent location and transfers included.
One year we got hold of a van, my mates drove down and I met them there (I think I was at a wedding or something) and we stayed in a self-catered place in Morzine. On balance, I preferred Jolly Good, but that was only because you had the added hassle of sorting your own food etc.
For the road bike bit, depending on your legs you might want to look at the Cluses-Col Colombiere-Col du Aravis-Megeve-Cluses loop. I'd park up in Cluses (about 20 mins drive from Morzine) to save a good chunk of climbing at the end of the day, but I'm weak and rely on chairlifts a lot! So if you've got the power, the full loop from Morzine would be great, and with a good selection of cafes and boulangeries along the way.
For the MTB bit, don't get too fixed on routes you want to do before you arrive, and don't get too fixed on grades either. Skipping round the jumps on harder trails can leave you with lots of really good and quieter riding inbetween, a lot of the fun in a place like the PdS is just following trails infront of you fairly safe in the knowledge that you'll get to another chairlift to move you back to where you want to go next. (assuming the chairs are open which, given your dates, not all will be)
Too early for the lifts to be properly open.
As a first timer who is comfy on Blues & Reds at BPW, take spare brake pads. Lots of spare brake pads.
Thanks for the advice so far. The dates sound like an issue then which is a bit of a nightmare as we’re quite limited with trying to sync time off as my mate works shifts. Is there any way to know exactly when they’ll be open or is there anywhere else in the alps suitable for us that will be open then?
Also thanks for the kind offer Alexxx might take you up on it if we do end up there.
I’d really try to get there when the lifts are fully open. Sometimes they open early, sometimes just the main lifts for certian times of day and all that, but the off-bike stuff is a big part of it (for me anyway) there’s something very cool about ending your day with a few dozen other riders at Bar Robbo etc.
Its not a long season but it typically runs from the last weekend in June till the end of Aug, but check.
Other resorts have different seasons.