Afternoon all. I've had a search around on here and can't seem to find much info. I used to ride Cham a bit up to 2004 as I lived in Morzine at the time. But this summer will be my first time back since the ban on using walking paths. So can anyone suggest some decent riding to be had in the valley? Time is tight as it's a family holiday and we are only there for 4 days. I don't really want to waste hours climbing so lift access is preferred. I can take either my Kona Operator DH bike or Santa Cruz Blur TR trail bike (which is overbuilt to take a dh standard beating)
What do you know guys and girls?!
There are bikes specific trails at Le Tour and Les Houches. I've only ridden the ones at Le Tour, which are absolutely fantastic, and could keep me occupied for most of a day.
There is also an absolutely superb trail from the top of the Argentieres lift which is marked on the maps and is not banned to bike during July and August. It's one of the best trails I've ever ridden, but it spits you out 30 minutes below where you started, so you have to pedal back up the road. I tried taking the train and they wouldn't let us on with our bikes.
The Chamonix Bike Book details which trails you can ride during the bike ban. If you've time buy it now or get it once you are there. My copy is sat on my desk at work in front of me along with the IGN maps 8)
[url= http://www.thechamonixbikebook.com/the-book/ ]Bike Book link[/url]
FYI it's 45 mins by car to Les Chables/Verbier
Blur I'd say
Le tour is good and Vallorcine DH track is also close by.
Stay in morzine, having just spent 5 days riding the muck and fire roads of the Chamonix 'bike trails' i can tell you you'd have more fun at home.
😡
Here is the 2104 Cham VTT map:
According to the key, a red and black dotted trail is a DH (but not a full black DH like Vallorcine, which can be accesses after a bit of a ride from top of LeTour lifts ) - and there's one marked all the way from the top of Brevent down to Planpraz then Les Nants.
Le Tour should be OK, rocky DH trail (lift access). [Lift Charamillon, then Les Autannes]
Les Houches has a new DH from the Prarion bubble lift. Bit of road at the bottom from Maison Neuve back to Prarion, please obey no VTT signs. The old DH from Belleve lift and "bike park" is gone I'm told.
Looks like the Flegere/Index trail is a thing of the past. Its not on the new map. Too costly to maintain I guess.
Levancher - from Lognan. Lift is Grant Montets mid station I think. Looks like that is the "Grand Balcon Nord" in parts.
Off myself this weekend, lucky me.
Here's another useful link: http://www.chamonix.com/lifts,88,en.html
This is useful but out of date as Flegere/Index seems closed: http://www.chamonix.net/sites/default/files/Attachments/vtt_guide_en.pdf
HIH
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Hughs way/pipeline les Houches - Le Fayet
col de tricot...best trail in Chamonix IMHO
trient also great.
Loriaz - vallorcine
As mudfish said, the trails on the 2014pdf will be fine and are all legal. But.....
Don't bother with the marked trail off the Brevent lifts, it's just a fireroad all the way down. The selection of trails off the Flegere gondola and Index telepherique were closed in 2012 due to the cost of maintaining. You can still take bikes up the Flegere lift, but not the index chair. The old trail is pretty beaten up and not really worth it.
Les Houches & the Vallorcine side of Le Tour are out of the Chamonix commune, so not subject to the bike ban (though instead have their own restrictions) and also are much quieter so there's less chance of issues (EXCEPT the Aig Posettes trail, please, please don't ride it unless it's v early or v late, lots of local friction there)
As ever Freeridenick speaks the truth (though Bellevue lift - Nid d'Aigle into Col du Tricot, tram back, GR5 to Les Houches is the best trail....)
Lots of stuff on [url= http://www.chamonixbikeblog.com/ ]http://www.chamonixbikeblog.com/[/url] click on the "bike ban" tag for more ideas
It's a long ride back from Trient...
Hey ferrousandy
how did it go? you been yet?
we just got back from a week in Les Houches and had a great time, we were not put off by a bit of wading through mud towards the bottom of the new Prarion DH trail. The top part is good enough to make up for it - and theres a fire road diversion once you work it out. Enjoyed a couple of varied trips down to StGervais too, some fire roads but Alpine fun all the same. The Thermal park switchbacks above LaFayette are a good skills test (for me anyway). Tramway Du Mont Blanc Tramway is a fun way to get back up to the top of Bellevue.
Le Tour is good and stays drier for more DH style runs. Tacky rubber and strong hands needed, it's a bit rock infested.