Got an upcoming (ok, not that upcoming, but i like to plan things) 50th birthday.

I’m slightly torn between doing a 4 day trackday at Portimao on the KTM along with Mrs Weeksy on her ZX6R, but that means my little lad is left out a bit.

Option 2 is a trackday at Spa Francorchamps, i’ve been and ridden there before but Mrs Weeksy has not and it’s one of ‘them’ epic places that’s a bucket list sort of track.

Option 3 is a bit (lot) more MTB based with going ‘somewhere’ with trails..But also the ability to have some family time. Ideally a beach/pool for the wife, a few restaurants etc. Hence why i was thinking of Finale, but don’t know enough about it.

So as this is a MTB forum (in theory anyway) i thought i’d ask on the MTB side of things.

It needs sweepy swoopy bluey/red sort of trails rather than massive gaps and full on DH stuff… But uplift is pretty nice to have. Somewhere beachy/pooly for the wife to chill. Ideally we’d drive rather than fly, but i’m not completely against the flying, but i’d rather take my own bikes which is more messy a thing when doing a family trip with multiple bikes etc.

Portimao is on the way to some bloody ace mtb trails around Monchique or whatever its called. I went with the MountainBike Adventure in Faro Lagos damn my memory. The owner was a miserable **** but the guides were funny and the trails are excellent. He can find you easier trails.

Yeah we wouldn’t do both MTB and motorbike in the same trip, that would get logistically insane.

ahh OK. Trailer?

Could do but wouldn’t have space for the bike rack and the trailer on the same towbar, plus I ain’t driving to Faro 🙂

Morzine is very family friendly. Ok it isn’t by the sea but the beach at Lac Mondrian is ok. Two very good swimming pools (plus the assault course thing in the lake in Les Gets) and a river (that would’ve kept me entertained for days in my childhood). Plus a load of other stuff (ice skating, tennis, skate park, pony trekking, go ape). Restaurants aren’t bad either. On top of that the riding is great, plenty of trails for all ages and abilities and probably the best thing for mixed groups: the trails are so accessible you can easily be back in town for lunch or meet up on the mountain.

Morzine is very family friendly. Ok it isn’t by the sea but the beach at Lac Mondrian is ok. Two very good swimming pools (plus the assault course thing in the lake in Les Gets) and a river (that would’ve kept me entertained for days in my childhood). Plus a load of other stuff (ice skating, tennis, skate park, pony trekking, go ape). Restaurants aren’t bad either. On top of that the riding is great, plenty of trails for all ages and abilities and probably the best thing for mixed groups: the trails are so accessible you can easily be back in town for lunch or meet up on the mountain.

You’ll get no arguments from me… but we’ll have done the Morzine thing for the previous 4 years by then…So was thinking somewhere different. But i guess if we could fine a nice enough place then Morzine is not off the cards by a long stretch.

Ahem

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sorry-need-to-preview-a-post-ignore-me/

However I wouldn’t say it is primarily flowy. There are loads of flowy bits, but lots of gnadgery bits in between.

Can’t comment on the first two but can’t fault Finale. Loads to do and a great atmosphere. Been quite a few times. The first time was a tag on to a summer Alps trip at the end of July and although we left wanting more it was far too hot. Always been back at the end of September and its been great riding and temps and sun has been more favourable for riding. Trails are designed for most abilities but I think uplifts are a necessity.
Missed this year due to the camper gearbox failing on the way down but its already in the diary for 2020.

However I wouldn’t say it is primarily flowy. There are loads of flowy bits, but lots of gnadgery bits in between.

Don’t mind that…

Finale is really guided & van uplift only territory.

Their guiding is pretty loose though, mostly I’ve managed to fill a van with similar ability riders, but have done days there when it’s a bunch of strangers & you can get absolute pinners to other who spend most of the day walking their bike down the hill, which makes it tough for everyone.

They arnt great on flow there, there are some flow trails, but the further you get away from Nato the more rock, steeper and more technical they become. Some of the consistently hardest stuff I’ve ridden is out there. It’s a lot more natural, and less built than Morzine.

But, its unique in the town is lovely, you have a great beach & sea, and mountains behind it.

It’s also disgustingly hot in the summer. Quite a few places wont ride or guide, as its tourist time of year. Spring or autumn are bike time.

Lake Garda is pretty good. Go see Micheal in Riva at the Liteville Concept store. He’ll sort you out for uplift or even a hire bike if you don’t want to take your own. Plenty of flow trails. Loads to do on and around the Lake, food is great, bit of culture and weather is great between May-Sept.
Link here http://rebbens.com/

We stayed in Malcesine at a family run hotel with pool and best view of Lake Garda. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed that holiday and I even got 3 days riding in! Winner!