Just looking at getting my holiday for the summer sorted anyone been to Les Arc? If so would you recommend getting a guide? was looking at booking with trail addiction.

Been without a guide and it’s confusing
Been with a guide and rode heaps of great trails and only spent a couple of days in the Les Arcs lift area – heaps of great stuff that works with a driver and a guide – we went with the White Room.

If you are only staying for a few days, then I would say plenty to do without a guide. If you have a car, then Tignes/Val, La Rossiere/La Thuile, St Foy, 3 valleys + more are all very close by. So in a week you can cover those resorts too. If you are stuck in Les Arcs for the whole week or more, then probably get a guide. Although saying that, I went for 2 weeks in 96 and just rode trails/footpaths from an ITG map with no problem at all.

I’ve been with Bike Village and on a self catered trip with mates. We had a great time doing it our selves, but I think you’ll probably get more out of it with a guide. There’s an awful of trails and it can be tricky knowing what are the best ones to ride. If you go it alone then be prepared to spend a bit of time with a map/strava working out which of the backcountry routes to do.

Defo get a guide. The waymarked trails aren’t amazing, many of the foot paths are brilliant, but there are many trails with (very) hidden entrances and loads that don’t appear on any map at all!

It depends on you really. You could totally spend a week in the area riding nothing but waymarked trails and easy to find “secrets”, if you’ve got transport and can get to the other resorts around the area (ps, La Thuile and Pila are absolute musts). St Foy has great riding but even having ridden there a few times I couldn’t find most of it again and I definitely couldn’t understand how the uplift works… So you’ll not run out of riding. I could spend day after day at any of the resorts and still be enjoying it.

But… You could do better, with a guide. You’ll ride the best stuff, you’ll ride stuff you didn’t even know existed, and you’ll largely avoid the crap and even the average. I’ve never had to use the backup but it’s there. And it gives your week a structure and stops you wasting time. Looking at the holiday as a total package, guiding doesn’t add an awful lot but you’ll get a lot back so it’s basically a multiplier, imo.

What I’d really like to do is do a week guided then a week selfpowered, reriding routes while they were fresh, smashing out repeat runs, etc (you’ll very rarely ride the same trail twice with a guide, but sometimes I’d like to- I don’t know how many runs of double header, ace of spades, the bottom of Pila or K2 at La Thuile I could do without getting bored, but it’s a lot.)

How funny, I was going to ask the same question a couple of days ago. I’m also thinking of going with trail adsummer in the summer . It’ll be for my 50th..the wife’s offered to pay. I’ve not been before but I think a guide is the way to go. I’ve no idea in the difference cost wise.

But… You could do better, with a guide. You’ll ride the best stuff, you’ll ride stuff you didn’t even know existed, and you’ll largely avoid the crap and even the average. I’ve never had to use the backup but it’s there. And it gives your week a structure and stops you wasting time. Looking at the holiday as a total package, guiding doesn’t add an awful lot but you’ll get a lot back so it’s basically a multiplier, imo.

Much better put than I said but spot on, it’s a holiday not a mission.
Wake up, eat a delicious breakfast the chef has made you, load bikes, ride trails, get picked up in the middle of nowhere, ride more awesome trails, & repeat, have a beer, get taken back to the chalet, eat a delicious meal cooked by the chef, chill out & repeat for a week.

Nobody feels obliged to cook, no need for someone to have to drive, no slogging up a massive hill because the lift is shut, no looking at maps and then walking/carrying down what looked like a great trail then getting dirty looks from everyone else for suggesting it etc.

Oh yeah, I somehow forgot to say- White Room! Not going to say best guiding company, because i’ve not used them all but they’re exactly my idea of how it should be. I’ve been back 3 times now and it’s been brilliant every time, but differently brilliant- it’s not just a bogstandard package, its your own holiday. Absolutely mint.

Northwind I don’t know how many runs of double header, ace of spades, the bottom of Pila or K2 at La Thuile I could do without getting bored, but it’s a lot.)

I don’t think i’d ever get bored of those^^^ trails! Massive arm pump, hairpin fatigue and almost certain death would come first…….. 😉

We will have transport so by the sounds of things getting a guide for a week then exploring the surrounding areas might be the best option. trying to pick somewhere to ride is to hard. (first world problems)

You would have the option of popping over to Aosta and riding at Pila, which is worth a day or two – but best done when you’re feeling confident and up to speed – it’s steep, dusty and fast.

Really nice city and the famous descent from Pila to Aosta below is amazeballs.