Alps MTB trip 2022

[porter_jamie]

Off to Les Arc this year. i have not been for years because of covid and im gagging to go this year. @weeksy i saw your thing about cards and cash etc.

So, how to get there (chunnel, ferry) what insurances to get (helicopter off the mountain, fly you home if needed) what bike prep ought i do, what prep to the car etc.

Things i have learned, for what it is worth.

Getting there.
Go in the bus - 4up and all the bikes and stuff, no bike rack needed so not the stress at the services.
Used to take tunnel and get their recovery and medical insurance as it was only 90 odd quid for the whole busload of people. Seperate recovery is about 100 quid on its own, and i think individual mtb insurance is a similar amount. My bus is over 11 YO now so i cant get the top level of recovery. i will have to see what to do. Tunnel is expensive too.

Car
absolutely get a toll pass. you can save literally 15 mins or more per toll when it is busy. https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/
i have had one of these for years. its brilliant. they send you an itemised bill at the end of the month, small saving too.

Bulb kit, triangle, hi vis accessible from inside car, breathaliser (not sure if really needed)

emissions tag https://www.lez-france.fr/en.html you have to have this in certain areas, and even if you think you might not, you never know if you might have to drop someone off at an affected airport. doesnt cost anything really so worth getting now.

Bike
take many brake pads and a bleed kit. and a mech hanger. tubes/snot/trackpump, tyre(s) and ideally a spare bike. parts are comically expensive in the LBS there.
Dirty great big lock and chain - lots of horror stories of bikes going missing, especially in places like morzine. the so called secure garage at these places rarely is, its just an up and over garage door that wouldnt stop a drunk granny.

Kit
take plenty in case it rains, pads and a full face.

Digs
take a few 1into4 power adaptors so you can charge your phones etc.

[weeksy]

I just used Britania Rescue for UK and Euro cover last week. £60

I think we'll be using Yellow Jersey for medical insurance stuff. £60

Never ever given much thought to security i must admit, i think ours will be going inside the house.

We're also going to take our Mobi washer to get them clean before going in.

Due to the racing stuff we've got more spares, bits etc than you can possibly imagine. 2 spare sets of pedals, 2 sets of grips, 2 sets of wheels, chains, hangers etc.... The only things we don't have, well, they're likely a game changer and meaning a hire bike anyway.

the TAG thing though i do need to sort, so thanks for the link mate.

Pads we've got 2 sets each, plus spare armour, plus more spare pads, we'll be taking 6 helmets, 2 are full face, 2 are hybrid/removable and 2 XC.

[porter_jamie]

you driving down? tunnel or ferry?

[weeksy]

you driving down? tunnel or ferry?

Driving, tunnel. We stay in the local Premier Inn the night before.... (which i may have actually not booked yet now i mention it) and then on the early train. We are thinking about changing it slightly though and doing the first afternoon 150-200 miles into France then jumping off the motorway and grabbing a hotel at 10pm, then up handy, on the road and into Morzine for 1pm then easy.....

Debates debates.

[weeksy]

Just modified our booking.

So we're on the 6.20pm evening train, then shooting to Saint Quentin that evening and staying there. It means we've got a chunk less in the next morning and much easier for Morzine then, we should be there by 1-2pm. Heck, we may even get a run or 2 in that day now LOL.

[Noggin]

@porter_jamie @weeksy - let me know nearer the time when you are coming. Chamonix is about 1.5 ish hours over the mountain from here (but looks like a freaking AWESOME route on a Monster!!! ) and Les Arcs is just next door (still bloody decent bking roads )

Would be brilliant to meet up if possible - I won't MTB, far to scary for me, but would love to meet up and say hi

[porter_jamie]

you driving down? tunnel or ferry?

Driving, tunnel. We stay in the local Premier Inn the night before.... (which i may have actually not booked yet now i mention it) and then on the early train. We are thinking about changing it slightly though and doing the first afternoon 150-200 miles into France then jumping off the motorway and grabbing a hotel at 10pm, then up handy, on the road and into Morzine for 1pm then easy.....

Debates debates.

we have stopped halfway down - missus found an airbnb about 15km off the motorway which is far enough away from roving eyes - bikes in the back and all that. a mate recommended a hotel in Reims (i think) which has a secure carpark and it's cheap - i will ask him.
Stopping really does make the job a lot more civilised - stop in France if you can imo. Makes arrival day a nice cruise down the motorway, gives you time to pop into the supermarket in town rather than the resort which saves a few quid and still get to the chalet before the chalet doris goes home at 5pm.

[porter_jamie]

@porter_jamie @weeksy - let me know nearer the time when you are coming. Chamonix is about 1.5 ish hours over the mountain from here (but looks like a freaking AWESOME route on a Monster!!! ) and Les Arcs is just next door (still bloody decent bking roads )

Would be brilliant to meet up if possible - I won't MTB, far to scary for me, but would love to meet up and say hi

indeed - last week in july im hoping. the road from bourg over to italy is incredible, and at the other end is the worlds best icecream and attractive italian girls splashing about in the pool halfway up the skilift.

[Noggin]

@porter_jamie @weeksy - let me know nearer the time when you are coming. Chamonix is about 1.5 ish hours over the mountain from here (but looks like a freaking AWESOME route on a Monster!!! ) and Les Arcs is just next door (still bloody decent bking roads )

Would be brilliant to meet up if possible - I won't MTB, far to scary for me, but would love to meet up and say hi

indeed - last week in july im hoping. the road from bourg over to italy is incredible, and at the other end is the worlds best icecream and attractive italian girls splashing about in the pool halfway up the skilift.

TBF, attractive girls of any nationality don't do a lot for me (unless we are looking at and talking bikes) But I'm up for trying the worlds best ice cream

I haven't done the road into Italy (Col du Petit St Bernard) just cos I was waiting to have a bike to do it on!! LOL. I've ridden up to the top of the Col d'Iseran (above Val d'Isere) and the road down the other side looked AMAZING!!! But that was only a year into the first shoulder and I had had enough before I got to the Col, so didn't have the ability to ride down and back up!! Only small downside of living on top of a mountain, if you're tired before you leave the top of where you've gone, you've still got a mountain to ride up to get home!

I'll be here in July - not sure what I'll be working but I'm sure I'll be around and able to ride over to LA

[Flux]

Chatel for me, (hopefully, it's been cancelled twice now), will be taking the dh bike and also motorbike in the motorhome, 2 weeks, July/Aug, can't wait!
On your list you've got breathalyser which I don't believe is a requirement any longer?

[Mr Moofo]

We are in Morzine 1-4th July, staying is a hotel. Driving down - some of us taking bikes, some of us renting. I am still not sure what to do re that.
Staying in hotels nr motorways - be very careful about you bikes - thieving is common ( also at motorway service stations etc - don’t leave anything attached to the car without someone guarding it.

[porter_jamie]

When we took the bikes on a rack once, as i was taking everyones bikes, about 7 of them, the 3 on the rack were held on with about literally 50 cable ties, plus there was a motorbike chain locking the rack to the towbar frame. Remember to take side cutters, and cable ties for the journey home. We also.never left the bus alone at all until we got there

[porter_jamie]

I emailled the chalet doris in September and she confirmed a chalet in july. Just emailled her to double check and shes given it to someone else that week. Ffs.

[Noggin]

I emailled the chalet doris in September and she confirmed a chalet in july. Just emailled her to double check and shes given it to someone else that week. Ffs.

What??? The place in Les Arcs? That sux big style

If you can't find anywhere over there, I can give you contacts for some chalet places over here if that's any good (couple of the people I know run chalets in the summer as well). No idea of their availability, but can send contact details.

I've also no idea of the difference for MBT between LA and LP!!! So appreciate it might not be a useful offer!!

[porter_jamie]

I emailled the chalet doris in September and she confirmed a chalet in july. Just emailled her to double check and shes given it to someone else that week. Ffs.

What??? The place in Les Arcs? That sux big style

If you can't find anywhere over there, I can give you contacts for some chalet places over here if that's any good (couple of the people I know run chalets in the summer as well). No idea of their availability, but can send contact details.

I've also no idea of the difference for MBT between LA and LP!!! So appreciate it might not be a useful offer!!

Thanks. Which resort are you in?

[Noggin]

I emailled the chalet doris in September and she confirmed a chalet in july. Just emailled her to double check and shes given it to someone else that week. Ffs.

What??? The place in Les Arcs? That sux big style

If you can't find anywhere over there, I can give you contacts for some chalet places over here if that's any good (couple of the people I know run chalets in the summer as well). No idea of their availability, but can send contact details.

I've also no idea of the difference for MBT between LA and LP!!! So appreciate it might not be a useful offer!!

Thanks. Which resort are you in?

I'm in La Plagne, so, if the Vanoise is open, you could get across to Les Arcs too. (Not certain it will be but could possibly find out)

Both chalets are a bit between Plagne 1800 and Plagne Centre (where I live). But after the biking day, there is a free resort bus to get to and from other parts of the resort for beers!!!

[Noggin]

I have no idea of what the MBT here is like, but various friends that do it seem to love it here. If you want to know more, tell me the questions to ask and I'll ask some of the people here that MBT and let you know what they say

[weeksy]

unnamed by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

This is an older pic from Lac Vert that me and a bunch of other forum guys all met up on They were great guys and a great day out.

2018-08-20_10-03-39 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

The boy on his small bike doing small jumps... how i miss those days hahahahahaha

[weeksy]

Car
absolutely get a toll pass. you can save literally 15 mins or more per toll when it is busy. https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/
i have had one of these for years. its brilliant. they send you an itemised bill at the end of the month, small saving too.

I've honestly never seen it busy and never queued for more than minutes.. Maybe we've been lucky with timings.

Looks like it's about £20 extra for the trip, would we save that in terms of cheaper tolls getting to Morzine and back ? I know it's only £20 but not seeing much value in the £20.

[porter_jamie]

had an RS6 overtake me like i was standing still, about 3 times. just sailed past him in the express lane and 15 minutes later there he went. imo its well worth it, one less thing to worry about, especially if the doris is the one dealing with it (rhd car, lhd country))