MTB Holiday In The Alps - Tips Please!

fasterthanaspeedingbullet
fasterthanaspeedingbullet Posts: 268
edited June 2011 in MTB general
I'm looking at doing a long weekend (possibly a week if the mrs allows :shock: ) in the Alps next year, and was hoping for a few tips and suggestions from someone who has been before.

I spent a bit of time on the Alpine Elements website at the weekend, looking at Morzine, and it doesn't seem too expensive. Are they a good company to book with?

What's the craic with the lift passes?
It's all good fun until someone loses a bollock.

2010 Orange Crush

Comments

  • getprg
    getprg Posts: 245
    OK I 'fess up I'm a roadie but based myself last year over the mountain from Morzine and rode through it a couple of times.

    I've never seen so many mtb downhillers in one place before. Morzine looks to have the liveliest summer mtb scene I've witnessed and I've been to different ski resorts in the Alps in Summer.

    Have a look on the Morzine website for details of lift pass deals. Usually the operator will sort it all for you but it is worth checking for any special deals.

    Can't comment on the operator you mention but I'm sure you will have a blast.
  • PXR5
    PXR5 Posts: 203
    Lift pass thing is dead simple - its the same for bikers or walkers - you buy a pass either for 1 passage, 1 day or several days or whatever takes your fancy, obviously 7 x 1days passes costs more than a one week pass.

    Passes are bought at the lift or lift office just like ski passes.

    You then turn up with your bike and its loaded onto or into the cabin with you, get out at the top and have a blast down.

    Only thing to note (for the 3 valleys zone) is that not all lifts are open every day, so you need to get hold of the schedule for the week and plan a little in advance if there are certain areas you want to go, otherwise you're going to have to cycle back up or push !!
    Every time I go out, I think I'm being checked out, faceless people watching on a TV screen.....
  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    I've heard that you should take a lot of spares as everything costs a bomb out there. A tyre or 2, lots of brake pads etc
  • fasterthanaspeedingbullet
    fasterthanaspeedingbullet Posts: 268
    getonyourbike wrote:
    I've heard that you should take a lot of spares as everything costs a bomb out there. A tyre or 2, lots of brake pads etc

    I've also just found this out.

    Someone has suggested hiring bikes instead, as it may work out cheaper in the long run. After looking at the Alpine Elements website again, £129 for a Kona Stinky TL for a week doesn't seem too bad at all.
    It's all good fun until someone loses a bollock.

    2010 Orange Crush
  • milese
    milese Posts: 1,233
    Just come back from a week in Morzine with Alpine Elements.

    We stayed at Chalet Well and had a great time. The hosts, Chris and Sophie were fantastic and full of all the advice for riding out there that you could need.

    The Alpine Elements hotels in Morzine looked ok, but I'd definately recommend going to Chalet Well if you can.

    I took my misses, and so long as you dont want to ride all day every day its fine. Try and take another biker and his partner!

    Everything over there is quite pricey (5 euros a pint), but take loads of spares (tyres, tubes, pads, chain etc). You might get lucky with a hire bike, but you might get one that had been riden hard every day for the last 2 years.

    I hired a GT Force for the day to do Passports Du Soleil (40 e) and it was a bit tired. Chain snapped within 500 yards of the first lift, and a kind English guy gave me a power link to save the day.

    If you get a catered package then you dont really need to spend much whilst you are there.

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