Driving out to the Alps in 10 days for a weeks riding.

Got a rough itinerary sorted but just wondering whether anyone had any useful tips from their own experience,

e.g. things that you really should take, things to avoid ( having a massive off obviously) etc etc

Chammy creme for your kneepads.

Not being an arse – but have a search on here and there are loads of similar and useful threads 😳

French Motorway coffee sucks balls, stick to redbull.

Yes – pack your car full of bike spares / tyres etc. You will (probably) need them!

Stop at a Dick Athlons on the way to stock up on cheap kit.

Alps Road Trip

Don’t go too early on the Cols,some of them are quite long and steep.
Don’t try and keep up with the French on descents.

Chammy creme for your kneepads shorts.

Have fun 🙂

* Take all your riding clothes, spare gloves etc

* Bigger tougher tyres than you might use in the woods at home

* Spare tyre, tubes incl. one double ply tube, lots of brake pads, BB, mech hanger, derailer, and spare spokes.

* Essential tools and lubes

It sounds like a lot but we needed most of these on a recent trip to Sierra Nevada. Who wants to waste time finding and waiting for bike shops when you want to be riding?

I’m guessing that you’re only planning on taking a full-suss bike and doing downhill sections….or are you heading cross-country ? Either way, if it’s an option, take a road bike too – road riding is such a nicer experience out there than back here, that even if you’re not a roadie, it’s worth the experience….especially if you get bored or injured to the point where you’re sick of bumpy stuff and want a bit of smooth…..

Thanks for the responses so far.

Sorry just to be clear, this is a predominantly MTB trip. But we will be taking road bikes to ride a couple of Cols. (will be the first time on a road bike for me!)

Been to the Alps before on guided trips, but this is the first time driving down. Will be kipping in a van rather than 4 star luxury chalet.

Planning to do a different place everyday, so was just wondering whether there was any must have item for a week on the road (sleeping relatively rough) or invaluable piece of knowledge.

Planning on taking lot sof spares, as working on the assumption that any diversion to a bike shop could right off a whole days riding.

Might pack one of those solar showers.

Nice idea. Would suggest you try and stay in some places for a couple of days a bit more relaxing and also reduces time spent on transfers between locations. Try and do as much research on rides/routes as you can to minimize pfaff when you are out there. Don’t rely overly on the GPS for route finding in the car, make sure you check the maps.

I did a Trail Addiciton holiday to Areches then added a day in Chamonix and one in Verbier (in the summer it’s a much shorter drive from Chamonix to Verbier than in the winter). Even on summer roads the drive from Areches to Chamonix took a few hours. So plan your stops

Where do you intend riding?

Doing a mixture of road and off-road is perfect if you’re lucky to have both types of bike out there.
If you’re going to be near Annecy, let me know as I’ll happily show you some interesting road routes – I’ll be there between the 14th and 27th of July.

Take some spare reverbs just in case.

Take it easy on the fist day or so you will be tired from travelling and it will take to get in tune with the speed and conditions etc.

French autoroute tolls cost about the same as the fuel, and don’t expect to find a petrol station open when you need one.

As Jambalaya said, check on a real map the road directions if relying on GPS, I know a fellow transfer driver who tried following his GPS from Chamoix to Val d’Isere a couple summers ago, ended up on a 4×4 track round the back of Les Contamines….(though Cham to Verbier is the same summer and winter) and also double check the cost of tunnels if you’re being routed through them!

I dont care what anyone says but driving olto the alps is the best way to do it.. no airports, no weight or baggage allowances… have driven from Scotland too chamonix plenty of times for skiing. Never been in the summer tho. Toll roads are worth every penny. Fast efficient motorways means less time driving more time playing. Buy a road map as the motorway system is really easy too follow. Our 1997 roadmap is still our map of choice….

Hope this is of help.

at least 1 bottle of Laphroaig and a log burner will be essential, potentially a collapsible windbreak too, very handy in the evenings 😉

Second the windbreak and maybe a spare orange 5 just incase you brake the first one