[Closed] les arcs this summer -any tips

TrailAddiction themselves should know where the best place to hire bikes is. I'd definitely mention it before you go!

Oh, and take waterproofs and warm kit as well as the usual summer gear! We went in July and there was torrential rain and snow.

Don't fall off.

It is just riding your bike! Try not to smash yourself to bits on day one 😉 We came across a Trailaddiction group on the first day of our week, chap had broken his collarbone from the looks of it on an easy step-down... Cue 6 days sitting in a chalet being miserable while your mates are out having a blast.

Well worth looking into kneepads etc if you don't usually wear them- you'll be doing a lot of riding and really not wanting to miss any days from minor injury.

I am there in July as well what week?

I was there 3 years ago my bike didn't turn up at the airport they offered to get me and my mate a six trail I think for 80 euros a day.

To be honest have you thought about buying a old stinky or something for 400 wish notes?

That's what I did my first year.

And like the others say pads and try not to crash it hurts!

Pads & Fullface for an option?
Go easy, don't try and show off on day 1
Practice switchbacks
Work out what hire bikes are on offer (and book some) before deciding not to take yours
Take your saddle

If you have a day off and transport head over to La Thuile for some other fun riding.

Don't want to worry you or owt, but you're going to need someone to show you around for a start as without the French guiding qualification there's a total ban on all operators in the area from guiding.
Trail addiction state that they don't have the French qualification on their website, so not sure how they're going to get around the ban.

[quote=twohats said]Don't want to worry you or owt, but you're going to need someone to show you around for a start as without the French guiding qualification there's a total ban on all operators in the area from guiding.
Trail addiction state that they don't have the French qualification on their website, so not sure how they're going to get around the ban.

Doesn't this shizzle crop up every few years and with a bit of chit-chat between the local mayor and the holiday companies then things magically get resolved ?

Maybe so, but from what I heard the other day the ban is still in place and threats of court action and fines...

Consider driving down and taking your own bikes rather than renting. It's only 9 hours from Calais - and a lovely drive.

The guiding thing caused all kinds of mayhem in Les Gets/Morzine when it kicked off, still in place now two. The French get very protective of their mountains sometimes, the entry requirements to the ESF being quite something too!

Doesn't this shizzle crop up every few years and with a bit of chit-chat between the local mayor and the holiday companies then things magically get resolved ?

Sometimes but looks like it might not as there are a number of UK companies who are actually in line with the rules.

Les Arcs area is great but if you don't know where your going it can be dull and frustrating, the published piste map is a waste of time and the good stuff needs know how 🙂 First year I went out we did exploring which had a 50% success rate, the rate is proportional to what you can ride as some of it was great on the map but so techy that it wasn't worth it. On the flip side you can find an awesome end of a trail and got the last 50m but unless you ride back up it you will have no idea where it starts. There are some more online maps but maps vs ground are always iffy.

If your staying with TA they should be able to offer guiding. If not there are others who can.

For me the best bits of the area were non lift assisted and not in the resort so if you are going guided consider doing some of those things on the guided days too.
Some vids in my profile of the area

*Important note about Guiding - All of our guides are UK qualified by MIAS to the highest level of mountain bike instructor with a specific Alpine module (Level 3A). This is the ONLY UK qualification currently available that is specifically valid in an Alpine environment. However, for legislative reasons we would like customers to be aware that we are NOT French MCF Moniteurs.

not the most positive thing I've ever read, but does kinda sound like they are going to go for it anyway (possibly handy that we're skipping a mtb holiday this year)

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/all-mountain-lift-assisted-riding
If you can be arsed the guiding thing was done in this thread. With some of the local guiding companies contributing. Ask the direct question if your paying for guiding.

Eerrrmmm
I ask about this hopefully someone will come along from trail adiction

Ash from trail addiction posted his situation on page 2 of the thread I linked. Basically they have sorted theirs out.

thanks for that Mike

Not wanting to go over old ground, but simply to calm any fears of any potential trailAddiction customers or other holiday-makers coming to the alps:

We've been in constant discussion since July 2012 with the French Regulatory authorities to get the necessary paperwork, qualifications, and documentation in place. Note - there were indeed police controls in the area last year, and the police requested that we get some additional paperwork in place before our 2013 season. Even so, we were officially allowed to continue operations in the interim and no customer holidays were affected in any way. Hopefully this fact alone shows the good level of relationship we have with the local authorities.

The detail of the situation is fairly complicated (much too detailed to discuss at length here). In summary though, it is not true that there is a complete ban on anyone, without a French guiding qualification being able to guide.

Conversely, it IS indeed true that guiding is a regulated profession in France (unlike in the UK) and therefore there are significantly more hoops to jump through to be able to legally operate there. Its a specific offense to claim you are an MCF guide if you don't have a french qualification - which we don't - This is why we explicitly state this on our website just to be 100% above board on that particular point. Plus, its our little "public" dig at the system. If you want to join the MTB version of a "Ski School" that kicks around on marked pistes/runs then I would genuinely recommend MCF to anyone who asked.

For a much more adventurous holiday though, I would have to recommend our own guides instead.

In summary, all paperwork and legalities will be in place to continue as we've always done, this summer - eg. providing the best guided holidays available, anywhere. Don't take my word for it though - a quick forum search here should turn up plenty of attestations of our level of service and unrivaled guiding experience from one of 100's of satisfied customers, over the 10+ years we've been running there.

If anyone has any further questions, please email me directly and Id be happy to answer any further questions on this or any other topic related to guiding in the alps, or what trailAddiction has to offer.

Ali (trailAddiction co-founder)
ali a t trailaddiction dot com

[b]L’enseignement, l’animation et l’encadrement, contre rémunération, des activités physiques et sportives est régie par le code du sport[/b][i] You might? need Google translate to work that one out. The latest people to be caught out by the "code du sport" are the ski companies and their "hosting" services. There is a very long but pretty well informed discussion on the ski issue - which is directly relevant to the MTB issue here. http://pistehors.com/news/forums/viewthread/1432/ . It's actually not got anything to do with having French qualifications, it's got everything to do with having qualifications that are recognised by the state governing bodies. Not the local Mairie but the "Department de la Cohésion Sociale". All part of operating legally in France, as I find out to my cost! Though I was able to become recognised fairly quickly after my initial arrest.....