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Chamonix & Mountain Biking
| When is it best to come mountain biking? |
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Weather permitting, June, September and up to the end of October are good months to mountain bike as trails are quieter and the temperature a bit more ambient. Too early in June or too late in October and a number of the higher passes maybe covered in snow and are therefore unsafe to traverse. The lifts serving the valley tend to open during the second week of June and close mid-September. If you're not fond of the uphill or long ascents, you should consider the busy summer months of July and August; when the summer lift system is fully functioning. However this is high season where prices are high and trails extremely busy. There are also restrictions placed on certain trails and tracks during these months. Whenever you choose please remember to respect others users of the mountain, especially walkers, and control your speed of descent... |
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| What types of Mountain Bikes are available? |
The decision on whether to go Full Suspension or Hardtail is a difficult one....
A full suspension (FS) bike is one with both front and rear suspension that is effective at absorbing many bumps thus providing better performance and smoother ride. A hardtail refers to a bike with no rear suspension. Suspension forks may be added to the front of the bike but its back post is rigid. There are numerous makes and models of both types available to the potential buyer so when deciding on which type of bike is best, it is important to consider the following: - Your budget !!
- The type of riding you and your bike will be undertaking; and
- The typical terrain and angle you will be riding.
In general, hardtail bikes tend to require less maintenance and perform better on steep uphill climbs and sprints to the finish line, whereas full suspension mountain bikes are much more comfortable and arguably have more control over the rough stuff. Sadly, along with an increase comfort, FS bikes increase in price quite significantly.
Whether to go full suspension or hardtail is one which can create a lot of healthy debate amongst the mountain biking community. Inexperienced or beginner riders may prefer to start with a hardtail complete with front, lockable suspension; progressing to a full suspension bike after they have got a feel for their preferred type of riding. Although a full suspension bike will give you more options to adjust to suit the terrain, it can be more energy intensive on the uphill as unless you have a ‘lock out’ facility on the rear suspension as energy can be lost through ‘suspension bobbing' as you climb. Furthermore, you could potentially have more moving parts to repair should anything go wrong. On the positive side, it is worth remembering though you can make a full suspension bike ‘lock out’ so the experience is like riding a hard tail, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to make a hard-tail ride like a full suspension bike! |
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last updated 10-Apr-2008 |
| What sort of bike do I need for Chamonix? |
Different areas within Chamonix are suited to different types of mountain bikes so if you’re an experienced rider then you’ll undoubtedly be bringing your own mountain bike with you and you'll already know your preferred terrain. However, if this is your first mountain biking experience and you’re not familiar with the lingo or sure between a cross country (XC), trail, freestyle or downhill bike; or whether to take the hardtail or full suspension option, then here’s a few thoughts for you to consider:
These days different bikes are designed built for different terrains and uses. Cross country bikes offer only a small amount of suspension movement. Whilst they can handle most trails they are not as effective on the rocks and roots that come with rugged terrain as seen in Chamonix. "All Mountain" Bikes are generally heavier than their XC relatives, and provide more suspension travel at the front and possibly rear. They are generally designed to ascend and descent the mountains, integrating some of the cross country bike’s climbing attributes with the strengths of a downhill/freeride bike. Freestyle bikes are heavy and designed for hardcore abuse by the rider. They’re most suited to riders who enjoy big drops, rough terrain and park jumps so they therefore have a significant degree of suspension travel. Downhill bikes are the biggest of the ‘bad boy’ bikes out there. Designed for the experienced and highly technical downhill rider, they are generally the heaviest of full suspension (FS) bikes and are capable of high speeds whilst absorbing most obstacles (within reason!) thrown at them. They are most definitely not good for ascending Alpine trails – that’s what the lifts are for! |
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last updated 10-Apr-2008 |
| Packing your bike to fly |
There are a few options available in transporting your bike. Hard bike boxes tend to cost in the region of £300 and like a hard case suitcase it will minimise the risk of damage occurring to the your bike. A soft bike bag is the cheaper option, costing around £100. Whilst this will provide your bike with a little more padded protection it is not as reliable as the hard box. On our recent trip from the UK to Geneva, we transported our bike in its original cardboard box, protected the key areas with bubble wrap and cardboard and it arrived safely and undamaged. Most airlines stipulate the following:- Bikes should be contained within a protective box or appropriate bike bag;
- Only one bike should be carried per box/bag, and no other items (except protective padding) should be included within the box/bag;
- Handlebars and pedals must be fixed sideways against the frame or removed; and
- Tyres should be deflated slightly to reduce the risk of damage.
If you are transporting your bike, you should also check out your travel insurance arrangements. A lot of travel insurance companies will not cover your expensive mountain bike without an additional excess payment, and a lot of airlines will not be held responsible for any damage sustained whilst the bike is in their care. Check out your household insurance policy to see whether it can be covered as 'contents away from home'. There may be a slight surcharge for this option, but it's potentially better than having to fork out for a new bit of suspension, or a brand new bike!! We travelled using this option, paying an additional £50 to Direct Line for our £1000 bike. This option offered us up to 60 days European coverage which is plenty for a week's break or month touring the Alps.
| Chamonet's Top Tip: In addition to bubble wrap, purchase some pipe lagging and zip ties from a DIY store to put around the frame of the bike for protection during transportation. In addition, if you don't have your original cardboard bike box, ask your local bike shop for one. By choice we would always use the manufacturer’s box and have adopted this approach on many flights without damage to our bike. However, it is worth noting that the most frequently damaged part of a bike is the rear gear hanger. Remove the rear gear mechanism and tie wrap loosely to the frame to avoid this scenario. This applies almost equally to disc brake rotors if your bike sports them. Take them off, likewise pedals, its only a five minute job and will prevent you engaging in a fruitless search for an obscure part in resort. Further information on getting to Chamonix can be found in our Resort FAQs - Travel and transport section |
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last updated 10-Apr-2008 |
| Getting your Sporting Equipment to Chamonix |
There are numerous options for getting your sports equipment to resort, be it flying, train or coach. Most travel companies have their own individual policy terms and conditions depending on the type of sporting equipment you are transporting. Here's a snap shot of the different transport options and a guide to their restrictions:
Several airlines from around Europe will get you to the Alps without too heavy a hit on the old purse strings, check here for further airline information. Low-cost carriers such as Easyjet or Flybe regularly fly between Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and the UK. You then have a number of options to get you from the airport to your resort, all of which are explained further in the following sections.
A review of airlines terms and conditions in relation to sports equipment baggage indicates that it is highly likely that you will be subjected to a standard charge for taking your sporting equipment on board. Leisure 'Equipment' that will require additional handling can include bikes, golf clubs, parachutes, mountaineering equipment or skis/snowboards. If you like your skis, it is imperative that you pack them in a ski or board bag for protection! Most airlines will still take your skis if they are not in a ski bag; just don’t be surprised at the condition they arrive in at the other end of your flight. A ski or snowboard bag can also be packed with soft items (ski trousers, jumpers etc) around your skis or board to give them added protection. Just be careful if the equipment is covered in storage wax.
Recently we decided to test the airlines by taking our mountain bike over from the UK to Geneva. ; bmibaby; Aer Lingus; and KLM indicated that there was an average additional charge of between £15 (€22.50) and £25 (€36) to take your mountain bike, one-way. However, having recently travelled from the UK to Geneva with our mountain bikes on a low cost carrier we feel the need to clarify this minor detail as we ended up getting stung at check in for 'excess baggage'!! Having duly paid the £15 for bike carriage, and with our luggage weighing in at about 20kgs, we were informed that even though we'd paid to take the bike on board, the combined weight permitted for all luggage was 32kgs. Anything over and above that would be subjected to 'excess baggage' charges. Full suspension bikes although light are generally not below 12kgs so our excess baggage payment ended up costing us another £35! Our bike was carried in its original cardboard box so who knows what the charges would have been had it been transported in a plastic case! Interestingly though we had to get a connecting flight from Belfast to Geneva on the same day, not wanting to pay another £35 we cleverly selected our check-in staff, a few cheeky smiles and bit of banter all proved to be a winner, no excess baggage charges, so we guess that's the random lottery that is excess baggage charges and check-in staff! The more conventional airlines such as British Airways its code share partner Swiss airlines permit free transport of bikes providing they fit within the free baggage allowance, and are packed in a hard shelled container.
Airport Transfer companies - If you choose to take a mountain biking holiday most holiday firms will collect you from the airport where the hours drive from the airport is included within your holiday price. However, should you choose to book your transfer independently most airport transfer companies will still permit you to take your mountain bike in the vehicle provided you give advance warning at the time of booking.
By Car or Hire car from the airport - If you prefer the use of your own car you can drive down the autoroutes to Chamonix. It’s approximately an 8-10 hour drive (895kms/550 miles) from Calais and will cost around €70 in road tolls. Check out Viamichelin for exact route information. The most convenient way to travel with skis is a roof "coffin" style box that will carry several pairs of skis/boards, boots and poles. A roof rack is also a handy alternative and can be retned from many ski shops. If using a roof rack, try to cover the bindings over to prevent them getting covered in grit and salt. Roof boxes and roof racks should be lockable and therefore fairly secure from thiefs.
By Train - If you choose to take a train all the way to your ski resort it may involve a couple of changes and cost slightly more than a cheap flight. Eurostar recommends using its registered luggage service for your bike if you’re travelling from London, Paris, Brussels or Lille and charges approximately £20 for carriage of your bike. If travelling by France's national rail system check here for further train and route timetables.
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last updated 4-Jun-2008 |
| Mountain Rescue within the Chamonix Valley |
In and around the Mont Blanc massif, mountain rescue operations are carried out by the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute-Montagne (PGHM) of Chamonix. This unit is supported by the Compagnie des Guides, the Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme and the Ecole Militaire de Haute-Montagne and they have a number of helicopters based in resort all year round.
Useful telephone numbers
| Company | Telephone Number | Weather in English
Tourist Office
Compagnie des Guides
Maison de la Montagne
Reserve des Aiguilles Rouges
Mountain Rescue (PGHM)
Hospital
Pompiers
International Rescue | 0892 70 03 30
+33 (0)4 50 53 00 24
+33 (0)4 50 53 00 88
+33 (0)4 50 53 22 57
+33 (0)4 50 54 02 24
+33 (0)4 50 53 16 89
+33 (0)4 50 53 84 00
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112 (This isn’t the Thunderbirds!) |
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last updated 25-Jul-2008 |
| Mountain Biking Code of Conduct |
It is important to remember that the trails around the Chamonix valley are used by many. Allegedly... during August a mountain bike policeman patrols around Chamonix and Bois du Bouchet to ensure that bikers are not riding on specific trails reserved for exclusive pedestrian use. Before setting out, you should check with the Tourist Office that your chosen route has no restrictions.
The following 6 mountain biking rules were introduced by the International Mountain Biking Association, and should be understood and followed by every mountain biker before venturing out.
| 1. | Ride on open trails only. The mountainside and it’s environment is precious, ensure your cycling is environmentally sound and socially responsible. | 2. | Leave no trace. Stay on existing trails and don’t create new ones, so no cutting off switchbacks! | 3. | Control your bicycle. Where safety notices are displayed, take note and follow them ! | 4. | Always let your fellow riders know you’re around Many trails are also used by hillwalkers who have priority over mountain bikers. In Chamonix there are trails which are off limits at certain times of the year so it’s best to check this out before you venture out. | 5. | Never scare or intimidate the local wildlife. Remember to leave gates as you found them. | 6. | Plan ahead. Check out your equipment before setting of to ensure it’s in good repair, taking puncture repair and basic tool kits with you. Carry necessary supplies including food and waterproofs. Always wear a helmet and appropriate safety gear for the terrain you’re about to tackle. |
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last updated 10-Apr-2008 |
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