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Got a few days booked in Les Gets in August this year as part of a road trip.
Hoping to take my 9yr old daughter on a few trails - she's confident enough on blues and some red stuff at home and rides a Vitus 24+ (rigid, big tyres, no suspension 😬 ) I appreciate that the trail gradings probably don't compare, hence I'm after some experienced advice and common sense!
I'm thinking we'd do greens only, but is even this too ambitious? We've never done lift assisted so I'm not practiced at loading bikes onto the chairs or anything. We'll not be taking any risks and just want a good experience really, see some heights and sites!
Is this a stupid idea at this age? Or shall we just crack on and go for it!
Hoping that I'll also get a day to ride by myself, again I've never been riding anywhere like this, so from Les Gets do I just crack on and explore the blues and reds, plan a bit of a route beforehand and follow my nose round the trails!? I'm not looking for off piste as it's all new to me so happy to stick with waymarked stuff, plus I'm not looking to do anything too bonkers, but a big day out would be good to make the most of it.
This was the boy when he was 10... he LOVED it.
Went for the first time last year with a 12yo and an 18yo. You”ll be fine, she’ll love you more for some front suspension but rears optional as my 12yo was ripping it up on a hard tail ;o). Les Get has lots of fun options for Greens and Blues.
took my 8 year old (was 7 at the time) for a week in morzine last year. We did lots of other things than just riding, but we hit some trails and she really enjoyed it. Not sure on the Les Gets side, but morzine side there are some nice flowy greens. And she managed a blue or two.
There is always someone at the lifts to help younger riders with the bikes, so dont worry about that.
The only risk i would say is the 'gnar doodes' that sometimes use the greens to link the trails, so on occasion you may get one or two flying past, or the pressure of a few 'bros' behind you. Just pull over when safe or make them wait.... its all good.
Should be a great experience!
me following
The greens should be perfect - mine rode there on rigid bikes years ago. Stop often as they'll be on the brakes and getting sore hands.
Only real problem is that you'll have to keep going back every summer and they will start to really resent riding uphill at home!
And as said previously; watch out for faster riders...I tend to be the backmarker and let riders behind know there are children ahead.
Edit: the best skill for using lifts is for the kid to be able to pull the bike up onto the back wheel and manoeuvre it around - leaning the bike back towards you or stopping the back wheel and pushing the front wheel infront - which is how you put the bike on the wheelhooks on the lifts. Get them to practise pulling the bike up and that's the main trick needed - the lifties will come and help if needed though.
You'll be fine. Abigale was 6 when we went the first time with her elder sister. They had a right blast chasing each other
She has been back alot more than we have
This is great, glad to hear I'm not being totally daft! Was hoping to try the blue at Nevis range next week as a practice but I don't think the lift is on when we'll be there.
More tales of happy kids welcome, but what about me then? Just consult the trail map, jump on the lift and go for it, or find a recommended route?
I'm going to box off a full day for me and daughter to ride, a full day to myself, then if time allows squeeze in a couple of hours here or there. We've got 5 days there before we move on.
I took my then 9yo last year, Les Gets is perfect as quieter and has dedicated kids and skills area to help build confidence.
He was riding a 24" Nukeproof at home with front suspension and was ok at local trails ..
As others have said, make sure to let her know stop often and take her time, and she will be perfectly fine. The trails are longer than they are used to --
I sprung for a Full suspension on two half days (He was cooked after half a day) - It really helped his confidence and endurance.
We ended up sessioning the main Chevannes blue at the end - Almost everyone was courteous - just pull over in the right places and take lots of scooby snacks.
Back again this year for some more adventures
This is great, glad to hear I'm not being totally daft! Was hoping to try the blue at Nevis range next week as a practice but I don't think the lift is on when we'll be there.
It's (edit - the blue trail has) been closed for a long while now. I believe they've been doing a load of work on it so things may have changed (fingers crossed) but the Blue Doon as it was when I last rode it is not a great introduction to Morzine/Les Gets runs. It's just not that good - plenty of opportunity to ride off big drops at the side of the trail and not really that rewarding until you get into the woods at the bottom.
There is so much more variety in Morzine/Les Gets! Better built, easier options for youngsters.
If you're exploring Scotland (or live somewhere in range of it), Tarland Trails is probably the best one to go and play at. Lots of flowy, jumpy trails to build confidence.
I went last year and took my younger lad with me for the first time although he joined us in Alp D'huez and les Deux Alpes rather than Morzine but its all the same really.
He was 9 last year and on a 26" full sus Vitus and he had the best time. As others have said just don't push your daughter into doing stuff and expect her to get tired very quickly. I let my lad do whatever he wanted and stop when he had had enough which was perfect as I could then head off and find the bigger lad to do the black trails with. If she's into biking its a hell of an experience for her at that age that she wont forget.
If you're exploring Scotland (or live somewhere in range of it), Tarland Trails is probably the best one to go and play at. Lots of flowy, jumpy trails to build confidence.
I'll put it on the list for future, next week we're stopping at glentress, on to fort bill, then nessie hunting at loch Ness. I'm hoping to get to Cairngorm MTB park for a day, but think tarland probably a stretch too far this time!
Checked Nevis range, gondola not running the day we're there, and it does say blue Doon isn't open yet, but we'll check out the other blue trails instead.
We need to go to Sammies chippy as well, like Joe Barnes does in a couple of his videos 🤣
You'll be absolutely fine. The greens on the Morzine / Avoriaz side are more uniformly graded than the ones in Les Gets if they find it difficult over there. Some of the features on the blues are not necessarily "blue" but there's always a chicken run. First time we were there the kids were 3, 5 & 8. The 3 year old was on a MacRide & I couldn't get her off the thing, by the end of the week it was a case of: "Stand up Zoe, there's a jump!". Second time they were 2 years older and all on their own bikes. They managed everything.
Great thing about the whole area is that there's plenty to do if they don't want to ride.
100% it’ll be fine. We are more XC bias and went with son 8, and daughter 11 on 24” and 26” front suspension hardtails and all good. Give them some time to get used to the set up as it can be a lot going on compared to a day MTBing in the UK.
Their arms and hands will give up before anything else. So don’t overestimate how many runs a day you can do. (might well only be one or two if a longer more XC one)
As has been said; take snacks, take breaks and staff on lifts were super helpful with getting kids bikes on whilst you did your own on and got then them on. Like all trails, some riders are dicks but 99% were great when catching us etc.
We took a tow rope to drag them from Morzine to Les Gets and on some of the other routes we did. Traversing from Les Gets across to Morzine and then down is great.
Also loads of other non-bike things to do; hike, pool, lake etc which luckily Her Ladyship covered one afternoon, leaving me free to get some fast(er) runs in and then meet them at the bar.
All in, kids loved it.
You’ll be fine.
Les Écureuils is a lovely DH green through the trees in Les Gets. My two did it at about 8 and I still love it now.
The main Chavannes run has been sanitised a little and is now a blue not red - but I did it with the older one riding at 8 and the younger one on a LOCT bike seat.
I echo all the above comments but would add that depending on what the kids are used to they might find that they pick up a lot of speed very quickly; just saying.
We took ours there from the age of 7. Both of them loved it.
The GR5 run down from Pointe de Mossette was a bit of a favourite as were many other sections of the Passportes du Soleil route. Just take it gently and ignore the guys dressed in pyjamas. They can wait.
We're there for the last two weeks of August if you fancy a bit of company on a ride.
Another question for my old thread ... What's the waymarking like? If I do some of the longer trails I can see on the bike park map (tour du golf etc) by myself, is it well signposted? Or am I likely to get lost!
Like I've said before, as it's my first time, on the days I get it by myself I'm happy sticking with signposted official stuff for now, if I go again then I'll be more prepared for exploration!
Generally pretty good yeah. But at the end of the day, you start at the top of 'something' and you can see a town at the bottom, so you basically point it towards a town and you're not a million miles off.
Back in the day we did the old transition back to Morzine from Les Gets and ended up in some stream and then on some road with endless hairpins, we were slightly lost, but only in a context that we were not on the right trail, we still got to where we wanted 😀
Echo the above, whole area is brilliant for kids riding. Just keep an eye on the weather which can change quickly - even mellow trails are long and rough in places; getting caught in a sudden hail storm with your 9 year old and a good distance between you and home is no fun, I have found in the past!