We're off in June for the Passportes and looking for some ideas please?
i would look to start in lez gets, started in morzine this year noone wanted to finish off by going to lez gets and coming back
start as early as possible as checkin can be slow and long wasting time when you could be on the bike
it can take a lot longer if you add on the little extra riding which is more fun than the motorway routes which can link the lifts
you will punture so the thickest tyres you can afford cannot belive the amount of people with their bikes upside down
its a good day out do not lose your lift pass as you get an extra day free on it
we like the Igloo Hotel, as it's got a guest's kitchen. Right in the town too.
The lift out of Morzine is the real pinch point on the route - waited an hour in 2008 - so allow plenty of time for that. In 2009 we cycled the hill instead, which took nearly as long, and we were tired, which caused crashes - only 2 of our group of 6 completed !
+1 for pinch punctures - even with 50psi...
Les gets, hire a chalet from Owners direct web site.
I had a week in Morzine including the Passportes route and didn't get a single puncture all week, except riding back the hostel one afternoon on the main road through town....BOOM blowout. Sounded like a bloody grenade going off !
Edit - if you stay in Morzine I can recommend the Chalet Sherpa. Very bike friendly, basic but comfortable rooms, tasty wholesome food and plentiful wine. About half a km from Morzine centre.
I have been told that it's best to start somewhere other than morzine/les gets as you will be less likely to get stuck in queues. It might be worth thinking of a different resort for your base, chatal maybe?
hi this was our sixth year we've stayed in les get and morzine, morzines more of a happening place but still quiet due to the recesion.this year we stayed with alpine elements who looked after us very wll and at a good price,tyre choice for 8 of us is as always high rollers with downhill tubes,not 1 pinch flat or punture all week,we ride really hard doing over 450k over 6 days. have fun
Chatel for passportes, as you can get on a lift pretty much straight away. but as its only one day dont make your decision solely on it. If your fit and fast start the day a little bit later 9:30 ish and you will miss the giant delay on the super morzine lift. Have fun. Morzine has alot more going on than les gets, but les gets does have Bar Bush!!!! More fun than anywhere in the PDS
We hit far more queues the year we did it from Chatel than from Morzine this year, probably because we started later as bonfeild-jones suggests.
But we didn't make it all the way round after a couple of mechanicals and had to miss Les Gets out.
As to where to stay, we've been happy in an apartment.
Stayed in Les Gets at a mate of a mate's place. I like Les Gets, smaller and quieter than Morzine. But if you miss the last lift home.... not good 🙁
In Morzine we now use http://www.riders-retreat.co.uk/summer_mountain_biking.php L'Aiglon appartments. No complaints whatsoever. Morzine is more central, downhill from everywhere so missing lifts is less critical, and has lots of stuff to offer. The appartments are 5 mins walk from the town centre and are lovely and quiet. Sorted:)
Tnks all, keep the ideas coming.
8 inch rotors, maxxis minion 2.5 /2.35 dual plys, rear hanger. Start slow finish fast!
Oh, and if you start from Morzine - don't worry, the second half is much more fun than the first!
And do the optional DH bit before Champery, it's great. (Not the 4x track that everyone goes down)