Euro Trip

chrismkiv

I am thinking of organising a trip with some mates over the summer - probably a week maybe two but would like to go somewhere outside the UK (just to be a little different)

Can anyone recommend anywhere? It must have enough trails/near by trails to last a whole two weeks near enough! Have heard a lot about the Lake Garda...

Also (a bit further away & not quite europe) I have a mate in Turkey - is there any good riding there?

Anonymous

What kind of riding are you looking for?

chrismkiv

Mixed really but mainly XC and some free ride to get an idea of skills we all went up to Afan and CwmCarn over easter and everyone was capable of doing that. More technical bits are great for those of us having more experiance!

butcher of bakersfield

Never been, but surely there's got to be some great riding in turkey, with the benefit that it'll be like nothing you've ridden before..

chrismkiv

butcher of bakersfield wrote:

Never been, but surely there's got to be some great riding in turkey, with the benefit that it'll be like nothing you've ridden before..

...yeah very true and would cut down on costs if we could manage to stay at her place! Only downside is that we'd have to fly, do you have any experience of taking bikes on planes? maybe better to hire?

Anonymous

Well, portes du soleil (morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz and Chatel) in the French Alps hosts some fantastic DH tracks, with proper gondolas. There's also a few bikeparks there to try out your skills, and some proper lung bursting XC routes.

Definitely one to shortlist.

chrismkiv

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Well, portes du soleil (morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz and Chatel) in the French Alps hosts some fantastic DH tracks, with proper gondolas. There's also a few bikeparks there to try out your skills, and some proper lung bursting XC routes.

Definitely one to shortlist.

Shortlisted!

doug@basqueMTB.com

There's quite a bit of information on Turkey on the web. I've never mountain biked there and you could struggle to find enough riding just through web research.

http://www.singletracks.com/turkey-bike-trails_70.html
http://www.istanbulshotels.com/tours/ca ... adocia.htm

If you do go to Turkey make sure you post back on here with some photos will you please!

Taking bikes on planes is really easy. I have a how-to for packing them if you're interested. If you have decent bikes in the UK it's FAR better than hiring them. That will be especially true if you decide to go to Turkey where I am sure the hire bikes won't be very good!

Richie63

I'm off to morzine area around the 17/18th july .Shareing a Villa which I don't think is full.
I'm going to be driving down and could fit one in

---

Interested?

bomberesque

+1 for Morzine. A bit busy ... but that's because it's good. You are at the whim of summer mountains weather but that's the mountains for you. Definitely enough trails, courses, chutes and pubs to keep you busy for a week or 3, you can ride over into Switzerland using the lifts they have on offer! There are campsites in Morzine, if you're into that but book if you plan to go over the passports weekend as it gets *very* busy

Otherwise, I liked the Pyrenees. older rock, so less straight up straight down than the alps and more relaxed overall. Less developed (so less uplift available, not many bike shops) than the alps also, but IME the trails there are actually better due to the nature of the landscape. there's marked trails in just about every town in the area (and probably right across France), just pitch up at teh local tourist office and get a map

or, if you have the cash (1300 Euro iirc), the trans Provence looks like a lot of fun later in the year

Stoo61

Went on a Euro Trip last year and going this year but not on the bike. However, the best country in the world outside of Scotland for many many reasons is SLOVENIA. Julian Alps. Going again this year to Lake Bohinj, Lake Bled last year.

If you dont fancy going with the crowds, there is MTB guided tours and sure there is plenty to do.

paul.skibum

I have heard good thins about Slovenia and Pyrenees both - also the Central Massif in France is supposed to have some great trails. A lot of the ski resorts in the French Alps now cater for MTB's so not just Morzine.


Also the Austrian Lakes (Salkamersgut - spelling?) is beautiful and supposed to be spotted with great riding.

Fogliettaz

Lake Garda is excellent for riding, scenery and food. It also has the added bonus of being far cheaper than France.

chrismkiv

doug@basqueMTB.com wrote:

I have a how-to for packing them if you're interested.

I'd be interested to see this - even if we do end up going by car. Cheers!

Richie63 wrote:

I'm off to morzine area around the 17/18th july .Shareing a Villa which I don't think is full.
I'm going to be driving down and could fit one in

---

Will have to look at work commitments - how many spaces are free in the Villa? Possibly 2 maybe 4 of us...

doug@basqueMTB.com wrote:

If you do go to Turkey make sure you post back on here with some photos will you please!

Yeah defiantly will do! Although having read this thread its probably more likely we'll go to Morzine area as per recommendations

Fogliettaz wrote:

Lake Garda is excellent for riding, scenery and food.

Lake Garda could be a do-er and has the added bonus that we could take some windsurfing kit for days where riding seems like too much of a 'pain in the ass'

sara flowmtb

If you come by car and come to this area (Morzine) then you could get in riding in lots of different places. You could for example spend a week here, head off to Chamoinx for a bit, through the tunnel for Italian resorts like Pila, La Thuile, Cervinia. You also mention lake Garda, plus there's Finale Ligure, Molini di Trioria - the list is endless! Or further south in France to Provence and Pyrenees. Or the other french lift assisted resorts - les arcs, tignes etc etc etc.

VTOPO are re-releasing their English guide to the Portes du Soleil (I'm working on getting all the english right now!) so that's a definite to pick up to help you find trails here - we'll have them for sale in Torico Morzine and they're working on getting some english distribution too. PLus the tourist office has some free guides and trail maps (downloadable online) to give you a bit of an idea of trails.

We're about 8-9 hours drive from Calais, some of those other resorts mentioned are 1-3 hours from us. So its easy to include a few places.

And here's our how-to pack: http://www.findyourflow.org/blog/2009/1 ... your-bike/
Doug post yours too - the more the better!

P-Jay

If you're more into the Trail Centre / AM / XC style stuff Chamonix is meant to be the place to be!

Richie63

chrismkiv
There are a few places left I think your party size shouldn't be a problem

leave it with me for a day or so and I'll get the numbers to you and give you a clearer piucture

Richie

bikeface73

Check out the Les Arcs area in France. It links into La Plagne and is close to loads of other spots. I've just booked to stay with www.themountainbikechalet.com in a village called Peisey. It's catered and there is guiding available if you want it.

Can't ruddy wait, woohoo!

chrismkiv

Richie63 wrote:

chrismkiv
There are a few places left I think your party size shouldn't be a problem

leave it with me for a day or so and I'll get the numbers to you and give you a clearer piucture

Richie

Richie, Nice one - cheers!

bikeface73 wrote:

Check out the Les Arcs area in France. It links into La Plagne and is close to loads of other spots. I've just booked to stay with www.themountainbikechalet.com in a village called Peisey. It's catered and there is guiding available if you want it.

Can't ruddy wait, woohoo!

That place looks awesome - enjoy your stay (i'm sure you will!)

Anonymous

0.o thought this was gonna be about the film

doug@basqueMTB.com

Sorry, just checked this thread again. Here's the bike packing thing. Excuse the living room pics in the background :-) I maybe overpack my bike but it's better to spend 10 minutes more and not be worrying I think. Also, when you've got the cranks out it's a great time to grease your bottom bracket.

Bike Packing for Flying

I've also put a bit in about the airline carrying regulations. They were correct at the time I wrote the guide (a few months ago) but they can change so it's worth double checking.

chrismkiv

doug@basqueMTB.com wrote:

Sorry, just checked this thread again. Here's the bike packing thing. Excuse the living room pics in the background :-) I maybe overpack my bike but it's better to spend 10 minutes more and not be worrying I think. Also, when you've got the cranks out it's a great time to grease your bottom bracket.

Bike Packing for Flying

I've also put a bit in about the airline carrying regulations. They were correct at the time I wrote the guide (a few months ago) but they can change so it's worth double checking.

Cheers!

Richie63

Chrismkiv
Just sent a PM about the trip plenty of room for your party