[Closed] The Alps, Summer 2014 - Where are you going and why?

We're thinking somewhere in the Morzine region but looking for long weekend rather than a full week (Family holiday to consider afterwards)

Can anyone suggest somewhere in Morzine region which does 4 night stays?

Like the look of the white room but probably looks too structured.

Hey trickydisco - if there's a few of you, you can have your own guide and do whatever you like! We're pretty chilled. Otherwise, drop-in/out of guiding as you like - some people like to just go and hit laps of the bike park / DH track some days.

I would be interested i long weekend options too. I have been to Morzine for the passed good few years and have had a truly amazing time. Yes it can be seen as bike parky etc etc, but guaranteed you will have a great time. Paris in February and sun holiday with the other half are threatening any Alps based trips this year..... BUT im not ruling out a mtb trip in Morzine and a road bike trip in the alps just yet.... Just need to find a way to keep the better half sweet. Jeezo, Paris could be expensive!!!! 😯 😐 8)

Alpe d'huez for the Megavalanche, biggest mountain riding ive done is welsh trail centers so totally unprepared for what lies ahead.Buying a van and driving over, going for 8 nights so will get plenty of riding in. if all goes well then it could become an annual trip.

Where am I going.....Val-d''Isere /Tignes
Why....Because I have use of an apartment free 😀
All the excuse I needed

@Tricky- structured probably isn't the right word for White Room (and I'm sure for other quality tour operators)- I've been twice and had 2 pretty different weeks, they have plans and they know what works and doesn't work but it's totally tailored for the riders. Our group asked for something different on one day, Stevo went off and figured it out and made it happen... We had riders dropping in and out of the days too, proved impossible to get some people out of the cafe at the foot of the lift 😉 It's your holiday, not a boot camp 🙂

I'm part of another group going to The White Room between 5th to 12th July! Four of us going, two on Orange 5's, and two on On One 456's.

The best riding in Les Arcs is on the numerous and scenic footpaths - go for it!

How easy is it to find decent trails in Les Arcs without a guide?

Anyone have a ballpark price figure for a long weekend with bike hire? Will sleep anywhere

I'm heading to Saalbach/Hinterglemm for the 2nd year in a row at the end of July.

Making sure I stay in the village this time so I get the free lift pass (Joker card).

I'm not a DH rider (longest travel bike I have is 120mm) but some of the Bike Park stuff is great for me and gives me a different type of riding to the normal XC stuff.

Weather was mixed last summer so didn't get a chance to do the longer trails when I was there but planning to do them this time. (Hackelberg trail etc)

Going to do the PDS this year. Went to Les Arcs last year, but have decided to pop down to the Passportes, and do 2 days riding, take the Mrs, and make a bit of a holiday of it.

Whistler for the main holiday this year 😀 might do a long weekend in alpe d'huez, see if the mood takes.

grum - Member
The best riding in Les Arcs is on the numerous and scenic footpaths - go for it!
How easy is it to find decent trails in Les Arcs without a guide?

Personally, I'd say tough. I've been twice with TA in 09 & 10. We rode some excellent trails that I couldn't find again. With a good TOPO map (and maybe some gps routes shared on any mtb sites) you could hunt some of the trails out, but that makes for fractured & frustrating rides. Following a guide seamlessly from trail to trail from mountain top to valley floor is the only way to do it.

There are marked trails at Les Arcs, but 2 days would be more than enough on those when theres so much more hidden stuff out there. A good guide not only knows the trails, they will tailor the riding to your abilities, know how (and where you are) to get you off the mountain if it all goes wrong. They'll know good lunch spots and which trails ride well weather dependent. As our guides got our measure, they would take us to certain features to ride (or fall off) and harder trails to test us, which was right up our street (or trail).

After Chatel/PDS last year spent mainly in the bike parks and a couple of days so-so guided riding, we're returning to Trail Addicition, Destination X for BC guided riding.

If you've only got a week in the Alps you want to wring out every drop of good riding you can. Guided riding does that.

Hopefully back to Bike Village again. Great time last year, but hopefully no trips to the local Hospital this time.

@ andermt
Hackelberg is one of the best "freeride" trails at Saalbach, IMO.... more natural, not much built up stuff... be careful in the lower half as the trail disappears off the side of the fireroad. it is easy to miss. if you miss it you'll stay on the FR but end up at the same spot.

not sure if they have finished the new trail on the Zweierkogel.

No Alps for us this year - all funds are being sucked up by legal costs in a house dispute 👿

Regarding worrying about the structure of Whiteroom: You can do as much or as little as you like - perfect hosts that ask what you want to do. Sorting us out with Pila last year was the icing on the cake. Ace holidays.

[b]Bushwhacked[/b]
Can anyone suggest somewhere in Morzine region which does 4 night stays?

I have also stayed in small hotel called Teton in of Morzine near the bridge, simple pretty cheap and had bike wash and secure storage. Found it on booking.com

Not the alps, but the alpujarras. Weather and hyper tech trails.

grum - Member

How easy is it to find decent trails in Les Arcs without a guide?

Decent trails- dead easy. There's a decent map, pretty good waymarking. The best trails? Not easy. You could get directions to specific trails like La Varda easily enough but it'd still be a pain to link it all up. (and even then, it'd be good to have local knowledge to tell you things like "If you **** up the next switchback and fall of the edge, you'll die")

But within the resort I could have a lovely time for days just battering out the marked trails. Maybe only tempered with the fact that I could be having a better time with a guide.

Anyone else started to "fettle" their 2014 alps bike yet? No, just me?? 😉

Fettle? Nope.

Shop for? Oh yes! 😀

grum - Member
How easy is it to find decent trails in Les Arcs without a guide?

...depends how much work you want to do? La Varda and Double Header (and variations) were easy enough to find with some help from STW and a IGN maps. I dont need to be warned about potential death spots, but some help linking it all together would have been good.

There's lots of online resources, depends on how self sufficient you want to be, and the value you place on a guide and riding in a group. I like a bit of both - spending time trying to clear parts of a trail can be fun alone, but after ride fun can be good with a group (and sometimes a bit of peer pressure goes a long way!).

maxtorque - Member
Anyone else started to "fettle" their 2014 alps bike yet? No, just me??

Define fettle, does shopping for new forks, pedals and bars count?

Thanks torihada and NW - differing opinions there!

I'd be tempted to get a guide for a couple of days but I'm not sure I'd want a whole week of it really.

Bushwhacked - We stayed in Riders Retreat in Morzine for a long weekend. Highly recommended. Also try their sister property in Les Gets, The Boomerang for B&B, with a great bar/restaurant attached.

mrhoppy

maxtorque
Anyone else started to "fettle" their 2014 alps bike yet? No, just me??

Define fettle, does shopping for new forks, pedals and bars count?

Certainly does! I've done bars and stem already, doing an 1.5deg angleset, and considering forks, and a 1x11 drivetrain............

So as far I can figure, everyone going the white rooms 5-12 th July is on here! Should make for some interesting forum conversations.

(Note to self, only positive input until then!)

Where's everyone flying from/ driving?

Oh I'm part of Andymc06 group.

Where's everyone flying from/ driving?

I have friends in Lausanne (free accommodation) and I was wondering if it would be a suitable place to base from to access trails via public transport?

Creedy/Godzilla, four of us are driving from Staffordshire. We are all newbie Alps riders, have you guys been before?

No. First time for all of our group. Really looking forward to it. We're cheating and flying. Mainly due to us lot being spread all over! Not heard a bad thing about white rooms and Stevo seems pretty sound on here and was great with sorting our booking.

Hey Alpin.

Do you mean at the Zwolferkogel lift?
If so it's the Z-line and it's done as far as I know, really mint, fast open bits, rocky bits, nice little gap jumps, 2 mahoosive wallrides.
As you said, Hackleberg is great, killer push up in full armour with the DH bike though, last did it mid summer and had to push up the nipper's bike too at the same time.
Stop in the restaurant at the start next time and check out the free wifi name, had us chuckling.
I'll be back out there more of this summer.

Been a few times but not with WR, I'll be very surprised if your not planning your next adventure before you get on the plane home.

Hey frosty125,
It depends the type of riding you want to do and how much you want to travel by train. Trains are always on time and bike friendly you can be in the mountain in 90 mins. From lausanne you coul also take a boat across the lake and ride in france.

Campervan with family going round France. No major mtb plans but will search Strava when it looks promising and see what I can find

Another one for The White Room here.. August for me!

@frosty - be aware you have to buy 2 tickets to take your bike on the train, one for you one for the bike. There is some riding up above Montreux accessed via Mountain railway, I've hiked up there and seen bikers (email me in for map) Roche de Naye. You can get the train to Les Chables at the bottom of Verbier. I am sure there is decent xc / trail riding from the door into the hills around the town. Ive ridden xc on the French side after getting the boat accross the lake, nice day out but riding itself is ordinary. I've also taken the train up to St Cerge above Nyon amd ridden down, ok not stellar. To be honest if you try and access the riding by train everyday it woukd be cheaper to book accommodation in a resort plus all the time it's going to take. If you can rent a car when you are there I would do it.

Have a google of "Swiss mobile" all the maps are online.

There's lots of online resources, depends on how self sufficient you want to be, and the value you place on a guide and riding in a group. I like a bit of both - spending time trying to clear parts of a trail can be fun alone, but after ride fun can be good with a group (and sometimes a bit of peer pressure goes a long way!).

Missed this before. Thanks, that's a good point about the peer pressure thing! 🙂

Looking at driving out to Les Arcs in July for a week, can anyone provide a rough idea of fuel and toll costs for a return trip in a van please?

Savage62, Google 'viamichelin'. It tells you how much in fuel it'll cost and any tolls.

KateD - many thanks, will take a look

Calais to Les Arcs and back will cost you 3 tanks of diesel, tolls are approx €75 each way. I do this trip 3-4 times a year in various diesel cars, fill up in Calais, refuel again in Albertville on the way there and on the way back, fill up again in Calais, all at supermarket prices.

http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/

Can anyone share any details on La Clusaz? I can see which lifts are open in summer - if I get an IGN map will I be able to string some routes together? I know what to look for on a map...

Can't see a decent campsite there though 😥

No Alps for me.... April is Spain - Sierra de maria and sierra espuna followed by Calpe, Alcaniz area and Caspe... then Pyrenees in May/June Biesca on Spanish side and through tunnel to Francais and a week or so around Aspin, Tourmalet and the like 😀 before heading North for some gentle riding around the Loire region and onward for the Grand (Yorkshire) Depart.

For people planning to drive..

I decided to head through Lux and avoid the tolls last year.

It added 3 hours on but I avoided €75+ in tolls for the van and fuel is dirt cheap in Lux so swings and roundabouts if you're in no mad rush.

Anybody have any experience of the Valle D'Allos area?

Any suitable campsites in the alps ? Thinking of taking the van rather than staying in a chalet.

Week in Les arcs in the goat shed. Just bought a pitch frame (off the classifieds) Pondering a coil shock to give it more gnar

if taking a van just park up at night and move on in the morning.... showers in the river or if feeling plush in the local swimming pool.

that's how i do it when shuttling luggage around.

cheap, too.

Got the bike

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/13041362475/ ]A different kind of alloy[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr

Got the accommodation
http://www.leboomerang.com

Got the tickets
http://www.passportesdusoleil.com/passportes-2014-registration.html

Bravery, skill, spare liver etc not yet obtained 🙂

oh and my mate has a new one of these to drive us down there in

[img] [/img]

Short of him adding a drinks trolley, hard to see how that journey could be improved!

Off to Les Arcs at the end of June for the Trail Addiction backcountry week. Why? Because I haven't been there before and because it sounds like a good week with some great riding. Simples.

Loads nunuboogie.

I usually do 2 or 3 nights in the vaan then 1 in a hotel but didn't bother last year. Stumbled on a campsite every time I had to shower.

Hotels are a bit of a waste if you're rolling in late and tired and out early.

Great thanks billysugger, thought there would be but google maps didn't display many.

Where are you thinking of heading?

I went with White Room last year. For all of you going this year, I hate you all!

Trans Savoie.

Short of him adding a drinks trolley, hard to see how that journey could be improved!

Assuming its a 2 seater bench in the front, expect epic levels of uncomfortableness unless you're a midget,

And hope to god there isn't 3 of you in there.

Although in not exactly looking forward to the drive down this year in a car, it's not filling me with dread from doing it in a T5, like the last 4 years.

12 hours across the UK and France is not a pleasant in a van.

White Room booked! 😀

White room for me. Driving over with Mrs Marin, mate flying over,then a weeks climbing in Italy. White room mainly due to posts on here.

White Room = justifiably awesome and amazeballs week of riding 😉

Bike Verbier booked again.
Amazing trails that I love, and new ones thrown in.

Going to the area around Alpe d'Huez for a week. In a minibus from the Isle of Wight.

Am basically among a number of guinea pigs for a couple of mates who have set up a company doing supported bike tours. They're arranging accommodation and hiring guides for an all-in price.

Fingers crossed. 😐

Unsure of where to go, intially thinking about Les Gets/Morzine but now thinking more Les Arcs as we prefer out on the mountrain riding with bike park/marked trails to complement this. Does this sound like the right move to the Alps hardcore?

Can anyone supply any trail maps in the back country around Les Arcs?

Might be a bit late, but in answer to Billy - Val d allos is closed for restructuring this year.

Wanted to go to TWR again this year,had an amazing week last year but theres only one space left(two of us) on the only week i can do. O well back to the drawing board unless Stevo can quickly Knock up an Anexe and extend the dining table:D

Unsure of where to go, intially thinking about Les Gets/Morzine but now thinking more Les Arcs as we prefer out on the mountrain riding with bike park/marked trails to complement this. Does this sound like the right move to the Alps hardcore?
Can anyone supply any trail maps in the back country around Les Arcs?

I've ridden the BC stuff at Les Arcs twice: guided. I returned solo and tried to find some of the trails again: it was tough. Buy yourself some IGN 1:25000 maps and try and figure out the trails. Unless you're an experienced orienteer it'll be fragmented riding, unless you enjoy that sort of adventure.

At Alpe d'huez, Vall d'allos & Font Romeau (Pyrenees) I got VTT maps from the tourist office and then mapped the routes using memory map (I bought IGN 1:25k mapping) & loaded onto a garmin etrex. With a paper map & gps it's possible to ride unguided trails, just needs a bit of research.

Off to the Megavalanche for me again this year, with a stop for an afternoon of riding in Annecy on the way. Really looking forward to it again.

Re Les Arcs trails, you can find some info here on old threads. You can access the IGN maps online via a search for geoportal.goiv.fr or similar. In my opinion the best way is to take a guided holiday, when you add up all the benefits (often inc van uplifts) they are good value.

jambalaya - Member
In my opinion the best way is to take a guided holiday, when you add up all the benefits (often inc van uplifts) they are good value.

Jambalaya is spot on. After 2 guided trips with TA in Les Arcs and BBB in Whistler, we had a semi-guided holiday in Chatel last year which was a bit crap as the guiding wasn't up to par. We're returning to TA for Dest. X. If you've only got a week you don't want to spend half your time trying to find the good stuff (and without local knowledge you'll never find the 'secret' trails).

Don't forget Tignes-Val d'Isere if you like the area. 5 FREE lifts linking the 2 resorts and some pretty good trail and 'off-piste' riding (and I'm no expert!).
Val's not the ghost town you expect during July-August and there's some pretty good accommodation to be had.
PM me if anyone's around. I'm there and welcome riding buddies.

Has anyone ever though of going to the Alps to do any proper riding, ie not just going up lifts for a week? You could even enjoy the mountains and be on your own for a bit, have some adventure.

.............just a thought.....

C

So what is 'proper riding' - in your opinion?

If you want to go somewhere for a week and cram in as much descending as you can, you go to the alps and use the lifts. That's the point of it to most of us contributing to this thread.

just a thought.

Better leave the thinking to those more capable in future, it's not your strong point.

Has anyone ever though of going to the Alps to do any proper riding, ie not just going up lifts for a week?

To be honest in a place like this I think you would struggle without them!

Torihada, jambalaya and mixmaster, thanks for the info. Would normally go guided with TA or TWR but we are travelling Tuesday to Tuesday and they all offer a Saturday to Saturday service. Still we will hire a guide for 1-2 days and use him for the more secret trails. Just wondering what the other more well known trails there are? Also quite fancy a day in Tignes so thats another day gone.

ChrisE - quality troll comment. People go to the Alps to experience things we can't in the UK.

Livigno for the dreilander tour plus a 2/3 days of lift assisted\park riding.

[img] [/img]

Has anyone ever though of going to the Alps to do any proper riding, ie not just going up lifts for a week?

Do you mean bike park ski lifts? Or being driven up as far as you can go and then riding all day in 'backcountry' as White Room do. Option two is what I do. Sometimes the lift is thrown in to get us to where we need to go. But I don't do just the ski lifts and parks for a week, nowt wrong with that, just not my thing. Want to do and see all this:

[img] [/img]

cblair246 - Member

Just wondering what the other more well known trails there are? Also quite fancy a day in Tignes so thats another day gone.

One of the most famous trails at Les Arcs is La Varda. A beautiful ride, great technical descending, which will take 2 - 3 hrs. But its exposed in places and isolated, so something you'd not want to ride alone. If you're happy riding something like the Rangers Path, Snowdon you'd like it: