After a couple of years talking about
it me, Sabine and four friends finally
got things organised for a weeks
riding in the Alps. Having discussed
a number of different options we
finally decided to go to Les Arc with
TrailAddiction. The package
included a fully catered chalet and
five days of guiding, at a good price
with no single persons surcharge,
which suited our mixed group.
There looked to be a good mix trails
as their website gave details of XC,
Lift assisted singletrack
descending, Downhill, Backcountry
and a ‘Heidi’ endurance ride. Once
the holiday was booked we had to
get through the 6 month wait until
we arrived with our bikes in the
French Alps. Everything went fine
until one month before when Sabine
cracked a rib on a ride, then a week
it me, Sabine and four friends finally
got things organised for a weeks
riding in the Alps. Having discussed
a number of different options we
finally decided to go to Les Arc with
TrailAddiction. The package
included a fully catered chalet and
five days of guiding, at a good price
with no single persons surcharge,
which suited our mixed group.
There looked to be a good mix trails
as their website gave details of XC,
Lift assisted singletrack
descending, Downhill, Backcountry
and a ‘Heidi’ endurance ride. Once
the holiday was booked we had to
get through the 6 month wait until
we arrived with our bikes in the
French Alps. Everything went fine
until one month before when Sabine
cracked a rib on a ride, then a week
flattyres flat tyres mtb mountain bike
routes Trail Addiction Les Arc French
Alps Goat Shed
routes Trail Addiction Les Arc French
Alps Goat Shed
later I had a silly off that resulted in a badly bruised leg, but at least our injuries healed just in time for the
trip. Unfortunately Mark was not so lucky. On the Thursday night ride, the week we were due to fly out, his
front wheel washed out at about 30mph on a steep grassy descent. This resulted in a broken wrist, broken
collarbone, dislocated finger and a trip to A&E that lasted till 2am. Fortunately I managed to take the next
day off to give me enough time to get Mark back home and then pack all of Sabines and my stuff.
trip. Unfortunately Mark was not so lucky. On the Thursday night ride, the week we were due to fly out, his
front wheel washed out at about 30mph on a steep grassy descent. This resulted in a broken wrist, broken
collarbone, dislocated finger and a trip to A&E that lasted till 2am. Fortunately I managed to take the next
day off to give me enough time to get Mark back home and then pack all of Sabines and my stuff.
'The Goat Shed' our home for the week
| Experiencing ski lifts with bikes for the first time |
On the 8th July the five of us remaining made it to Geneva airport without
further incident. With our bikes and luggage loaded in the van we got to chill
out while being driven into the mountains accompanied by a great sound track,
thanks to the drivers eclectic MP3 collection. Two and a half hours later we
further incident. With our bikes and luggage loaded in the van we got to chill
out while being driven into the mountains accompanied by a great sound track,
thanks to the drivers eclectic MP3 collection. Two and a half hours later we
| Dave and Paul near the top of our first descent |
arrived in Moulin just outside Peisey-Nancroix. This turned out to be a proper old French Alp village,
which was a nice surprise. It was getting late when we pulled up outside ‘The Goat Shed’ so it made our
day when, not long after being given a warm welcome and shown our rooms and where to put our bikes,
we found ourselves sat down to a home cooked three course meal and free wine. After the meal all that
remained was to get the bikes assembled before some well earned sleep. There wasn’t any time to stay up
and chat as we had to be ready for the first days ride, starting at 9am the next morning, and I was dead on
my feet from the trip and the late night at A&E.
which was a nice surprise. It was getting late when we pulled up outside ‘The Goat Shed’ so it made our
day when, not long after being given a warm welcome and shown our rooms and where to put our bikes,
we found ourselves sat down to a home cooked three course meal and free wine. After the meal all that
remained was to get the bikes assembled before some well earned sleep. There wasn’t any time to stay up
and chat as we had to be ready for the first days ride, starting at 9am the next morning, and I was dead on
my feet from the trip and the late night at A&E.
After breakfast we were handed our lift passes,
pads and packed lunch, everything we needed for
the day. With two options for our first uplift it was
decided to try the new bike bus service Les Arc was
providing, only to find the trailer had been
exclusively fitted with road bike down tube clamps,
Doh!. This wasn’t a problem as plan B was to ride
2 mins down the road to the ‘Lobsterpot’ lift. A
second lift soon brought us to the top of the trails
for our first taste of Alpine riding. The morning was
spent on some sweet forest singletrack getting
used to the terrain and the altitude. I was glad of
the easier pace as any section that required
throwing the bike about or peddling soon has us
feeling unfit and gasping for air. A welcome dinner
break gave us chance to get our breaths back
| Libby riding the bottom section of Dutchs' Trail |
| Sabine on the first mornings singletrack |
before the afternoon session. The plan for the afternoon was to ride
more technical trails so there was a quick reshuffle to put us into
groups based on ability level. The highlights were our introduction to
tight switchbacks on the Dutch’s trail and the rooty blast down Black 8
to the bottom of the funicular in Bourg St Maurice. The day was
rounded off with a few more trails as we made our way to the Mont
Blanc Bar to unwind with a couple of beers, before returning to the
chalet for another great meal.
Our groups were refined again for the second day with Me, Paul &
Dave being joined by Ian and Adam to make up the most experienced
group. The speed was higher than the day before and Martin, our
guide for the day, was going to show us some of the harder riding the
more technical trails so there was a quick reshuffle to put us into
groups based on ability level. The highlights were our introduction to
tight switchbacks on the Dutch’s trail and the rooty blast down Black 8
to the bottom of the funicular in Bourg St Maurice. The day was
rounded off with a few more trails as we made our way to the Mont
Blanc Bar to unwind with a couple of beers, before returning to the
chalet for another great meal.
Our groups were refined again for the second day with Me, Paul &
Dave being joined by Ian and Adam to make up the most experienced
group. The speed was higher than the day before and Martin, our
guide for the day, was going to show us some of the harder riding the
| Libby relaxing after a tiring day |
area had to offer. One of the trails we had a go at was the Downhill track ending at Arc1600. After a
sighting run we went back up again for a fast run. This came to an abrupt halt when one of the bigger
sighting run we went back up again for a fast run. This came to an abrupt halt when one of the bigger
jumps at the top kicked my back wheel up,
had me land heavily on the front end then
spat me off the trail to the right, through a
big, pointy boulder field. I only suffered a
few cuts and bruises, thanks to the pads,
but my front brake lever had been pulled
out in the crash. Thankfully it was bodged
back together with zip ties and we were
soon on our way. We dialled ourselves in
a bit more by repeating some trails in the
afternoon before heading back to the
chalet on some new stuff. Unfortunately I
had to bail just prior to Grangehill, the last
had me land heavily on the front end then
spat me off the trail to the right, through a
big, pointy boulder field. I only suffered a
few cuts and bruises, thanks to the pads,
but my front brake lever had been pulled
out in the crash. Thankfully it was bodged
back together with zip ties and we were
soon on our way. We dialled ourselves in
a bit more by repeating some trails in the
afternoon before heading back to the
chalet on some new stuff. Unfortunately I
had to bail just prior to Grangehill, the last
| Adam on the jumps at the top of the Downhill track |
trail of the day, as the
banjo bolt on my front
calliper vibrated loose
and spat brake fluid all
over the disc. Saying
that, 2 miles descending
on steep, loose, rocky,
hairpinned firetrack
with only a back brake
wasn’t unexciting. Dave
didn’t get away scott
free either as he came
out of Grangehill with a
badly bent rear disc.
TrailAddiction’s
mechanic sorted out
Daves brake and I had
repaired mine for our
third day of riding. We
had Andy and Chris join
us from the other chalet
banjo bolt on my front
calliper vibrated loose
and spat brake fluid all
over the disc. Saying
that, 2 miles descending
on steep, loose, rocky,
hairpinned firetrack
with only a back brake
wasn’t unexciting. Dave
didn’t get away scott
free either as he came
out of Grangehill with a
badly bent rear disc.
TrailAddiction’s
mechanic sorted out
Daves brake and I had
repaired mine for our
third day of riding. We
had Andy and Chris join
us from the other chalet
| Ian and Adam starting the bottom half of the Downhill |
| Dave in a berm not looking at Mont Blanc |
| Martin, our guide, on the wooden berm |
| Boarding the funicular after Black 8 |
as Ian and Adam were of on the Backcountry day. In
morning we got to ride a new trail. ‘Secret Garden’
was made up of a number of sections, each starting
with an invisible trailhead that opened out onto a
challenging and very exposed ribbon of
singletrack, including plenty of switchbacks. In the
afternoon we ascended the mountain to ride the
Ridge Run on our way to the highest lift station,
above Arc2000, to have a go at La Varda, reputedly
the most technical trail on offer. Before the big
descent there was time chill out for a while at the
lake near the top and watch Paul fall 4 feet into the
morning we got to ride a new trail. ‘Secret Garden’
was made up of a number of sections, each starting
with an invisible trailhead that opened out onto a
challenging and very exposed ribbon of
singletrack, including plenty of switchbacks. In the
afternoon we ascended the mountain to ride the
Ridge Run on our way to the highest lift station,
above Arc2000, to have a go at La Varda, reputedly
the most technical trail on offer. Before the big
descent there was time chill out for a while at the
lake near the top and watch Paul fall 4 feet into the
| Paul on the way to Grangehill |
| Ian and Adam, woodland singletrack before Grangehill |
| At the top of a lift getting ready for another dry, dusty descent under cloudless, blue skies |
| Sabine with the everyone else from 'The Goat Shed' |
| Sabine on the Ridge Run |
water as he attempted to ride one of the huge off camber boulders. The first section of La Varda was along
thin, rocky singletrack that dropped into the right hand side of a hanging valley. It wasn’t too technical but
it was tight and the exposure on the left increased as we descended, a bit similar to Lonscale Fell.
Unfortunately on this section Dave scraped a rock and sheared the air valve off his rear shock. Because
of the bottomed out rear end he had to struggle with a very lazy head angle and 1 inch of pedal clearance
for the rest of the descent. With no bail option he had to do a lot of walking. At the end of the hanging
valley came a great view of the glaciers and peaks of the National Park.
thin, rocky singletrack that dropped into the right hand side of a hanging valley. It wasn’t too technical but
it was tight and the exposure on the left increased as we descended, a bit similar to Lonscale Fell.
Unfortunately on this section Dave scraped a rock and sheared the air valve off his rear shock. Because
of the bottomed out rear end he had to struggle with a very lazy head angle and 1 inch of pedal clearance
for the rest of the descent. With no bail option he had to do a lot of walking. At the end of the hanging
valley came a great view of the glaciers and peaks of the National Park.
| Me, Paul, Dave, Andy, Martin and Chris at the top of the lift above Arc2000 |
| Occasionally we did have to ride or push uphill. |
| Me riding the rock and not falling into the water like Paul |
