I’m off to Seez start of August can see Les Arcs is just on my doorstep, was only gonna take the road bike but now thinking of road & MTB.
Just looking for advice on the trails there, do I need a map (got edge 800) are there trials suitable for 29 HT (Lurcher) anything else appreciated
Thnx

If you’re used to the 29er it’ll be fine. I’d hire a full suss MTB for the days you want to ride MTB, they have “piste maps” which are great trails without going “back country”. Trails from Les Arcs to Bourg are ace as a starter (Red 7?).

Rode my steel HT 29er there last summer and will be taking it back this summer.

When I look at the map of the area it seems Seez is just road the corner from Bourg

The Alps trails are steeper, rougher, rockier, rootier and longer than pretty much anything you are likely to ride in the UK. The balance is always between riding an Alps suitable bike vs riding what you are used to. I’ve never ridden a 29 hardtail but I would be renting a FS if you are only riding MTB a few days as it wouldn’t seem worth the bother of taking a bike out there which really isn’t particularly suitable.

Heading out there with 4 kids also 6-12yrs old all very adventurous. Looking at things to do seem Les Arcs has boundless outdoor activities anybody with tips or recommends do’s don’t’s etc ?

Tignes is not to far away either and lift was free there 2 summers back…LOTS of fun, had some big inflatable thing on the lake (where you sit on and someone jumps on the other end to fire you miles in the air).

Les Arcs black 8 is awesome very technical decent and LONG! certain to shake the bones a wee bit!

We stayed in Bourg St Maurice and rode to funicular to go up to Les Arcs 1600, Tignes maybe 30 mins away in the car, worth it for me, can get lifts to go up either side of mountain and trails for everyone.

Enjoy

Tignes is the place for kids/family’s a lot of activities are free as well as the lifts, the bike trails there are ok for free but not the alpine trails people seek in the alps, there is a ski lift above Seez that goes to La Rosiere has a few trails down which I have ridden/walked on a CX bike but but would be awesome on a 29er HT.
Sainte Foy tarentaise has some good trails which are perfect for a HT I would say but others would say you need a full suspension also a uplift service there too.

Thanx everybody this is all good. This might sound a bit daft, as never ridden off road in alps, but can u ride up any of these trails as I do like a but of climbing ?

Some you can but most fire roads/ landrover tracks are best for climbing as you need to know which trails are rideable and local knowledge is best as a lot are to steep,I have hiked most to find out which I can pedal up first.
Print some maps of before you go or buy a IGN map for les arcs la plagne 3532ET.
http://m.geoportail.fr/#

That geoportail is great is there anyway I can upload the maps onto a garmin 800 ?

I’m old school and use maps so could not help you with that one.

carbonfiend – if you’re into riding up before you ride down, avoid the resort areas. You’ll get more peace on the ups and find better, less-worn trails on the downs. Head up to Saint Germain, Le Mont, Les Echines, etc.

For lift accessed singletrack, Les Arcs, la Rosiere and Sainte Foy (4×4 uplift) all have great trails.

ahsf – for me, Sainte Foy is actually the area where it’s nicest to have a full-sus. The trails are less steep and have more flow, so you tend to ride faster, which means the teeth get rattled more on a hard-tail!

Thanx chaps got plenty go with also seen on a separate thread there are trails at Tignes also & looks like loads of do with kids on top. So could easily do some riding there on top of family stuff – win win 🙂

@carbon it’s work checking in at tourist office for a VTT map, I’ve found in other resorts / areas there are marked trails where you are expected to ride up (on Tarmac or fireroad) – the French seem to like that madness !

Les Arcs black 8 is awesome very technical decent and LONG! certain to shake the bones a wee bit!

Not as good/long as it was 2 years ago 🙁 rode it last week and was a bit disappointed. They’ve taken long sections of it out and it’s definitely not as gnarly

Les Arcs black 8 is awesome very technical decent and LONG!

Think I’m one of the few who doesn’t really like Black 8. Never thought it was that technical, just a bit repetitive and rubbishy. Or it’s just me!?

We did loads of the Black 8 variations which are better. Old experience but the stuff not in les arcs is a lot better.

Yeah, didn’t want to be argumentative before, but Black 8 was never very technical and has also been badly affected by the nearby engineering works, resulting in lot of pretty lame new sections.