Does anyone know if you can base yourself in Bourg and ride in Tignes each day? I know you can base yourself there and ride in Les Arcs but unsure if it’s possible for Tignes.

I was told there’s a good trail down to Bourg but don’t know how easy it is to find or get back.

Heading out this year and looking at all the Apline options so we can move around and avoid the bad weather. Also there’s a campsite in Bourg whereas it’s just camper vans in Tignes as far as I know.

Any help greatly appreciated.
Tom KP

I wouldn’t want to ride from Bourg to Tignes. It’s about a 30 minute drive up the valley. But yes, apparently there is an amazing ride back. I’ve never done it though – maybe this year…,

bookmarked

It’s pretty simple to ride down to Bourg- you go down the wonderboisses trail (and then the next one, I forget the name) and it takes you down into the valley, then just carry on and eventually you’re back on the road, downhill all the way. There might well be a better way. (does it get you out of bad weather? It’s all the same valley.)

No idea how you get up to Tignes in the first place though. And you wouldn’t want to ride there for a week, though we had a lovely day there, and there’s val d’isere too. But you can also ride fairly easily to the la rosiere lift from bourg and that accesses a bunch more trails.

No expert on this as I’ve always had stevo and co to drive me around in their luxurious (smelly) van. Without transport you’re going to miss out on a lot but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t have a grand time.

Don’t you just ride the first half of the Col D’Iseran and then take the D87A up to Tignes? Nice warm up to do every day 🙂

I tried a few years ago, just by continuing on from the trail that goes to Les Brevieres. It didnt work. We followed the river for a bit and then the trail disappeared possibly due to earlier floods. We ended up riding down the road.

Looking online
http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/ign_france_maps/france.shtml

and using the OCM layer, you could make your way from the top of L’Aiguille Percee, over towards Nancroix, which is then in Les Arcs lift area. I’ve ridden down to La Chenarie from top of Transarcs before, so thats rideable to Bourg.

Great link there Superfli, bookmarked.

Great link there Superfli, bookmarked.

+1 thanks

There’s a bus in winter, check the summer schedule?

+1 for the link

and

+1 for being off to Tignes/BsM this summer.

Staying in Les Brevieres, can’t wait!

If you wanted to ski back to Bourg you’d be very much dependent on good snow conditions; often for some of the season even getting back to Brev can be difficult. You’d really be relying on the bus service (unlike Les Arc where you can use the funicular).

you wouldn’t want to ride there for a week

In a week you’d barely skim the surface of Tignes, never mind the entire Espace Killy.

I’m heading down in mid June. Does anyone have any campsite recommendations? Know when the lifts open? Or have any GPX’s of the area?

Sorry for slight hijack…

@Rio assuming bikes not snow….

Rode down, a nice half day chilling, it’s a decent ride not sure I’d do it every day. Do cool bus still do some shuttles?

You can get access to all the French IGN mapping via geoportal.gouv.fr

OP personally I wouodn’t stay in BSM if the plan was to ride Tignes every day. Get a cheap self catering apartment in Tignes or probably the better idea would be explore the whole area inc Les Arcs, Ste Foy, La Plagne etc and do do that with the benefit of a car when necessary. @scottfitz who is central to QECP collective had good things to say about the riding in Tignes.

@legspin. There was a good kes arcs thread with map links amd a french website @welshfarmer linked to, have a search. Here it is (I bookmarked it) 🙂

linky

Silly me – at this time of year I link “Bourg” and “ride” with Snowboards, so ignore my post! 😳

Cheers, for the help.
I won’t be riding from Bourg -Tignes. Just wondered if it was possible and if there was some way to shuttle back. I expect we’ll just free camp at the Campervan spot at the far end of the lake like before. Only spent a few days there before and enjoyed the peace, quiet and lack of braking bumps but only rode the main Tigne and Val D’Isere tracks.

I’ve camped just at the campsite below the dam at Tignes. Bloody freezing before the sun came up over the mountains and I remember the ground being tough to get the pegs in. We stayed 1 night and quickly packed up and drove back down to BSM!

We rode from Tignes about a third of the way down the valley (good single track) & also from St Foy down to BsM (mostly fire roads) but not the middle third of the route.

Whiteroom operate all round there. Been out twice with them. For the amount of riding you can get in its well worth the cost and good to be looked after. Added on my own paupers week live in the van after they finished with me though spent most of it asleep I was so knackers.

There is a camp site n Val d’isere tents and vans, plenty of places to free camp in van too.
Buses run from Bourg to Tignes late June and Summer hol’s,( not sure if you can take bikes check first)

You can ride from Tignes to BSM but it involves a few climbs not just all down hill, couple of options on the way, you can start at Le Saut above lac chervil on the other side of the valley to Tignes or ride down from Tignes ( few options) and climb up to Le Saut or follow the route of the trans Savoie day one. Not all trails are on IGN maps

What’s the situation on campsites in the alps with turning up on the day and paying? Only staying for a few days and moving to another in late July? Likely to be full?