The Alps are the perfect terrain for an excellent mountain biking holiday, but with many great resorts it can be tricky choosing the perfect location. A cycling guidebook is a useful source of information when deciding where to get on your bike, but for an extra helping hand we have put together a selection of some of the best alpine resorts for a true mountain break.
Morzine
Located in the stunning surroundings of the Savoyard Valley, Morzine has 650km of signposted trails for expert riders and beginners alike to make the most of the scenery. The resort has the largest number of ski lifts open in the summer months, with twenty four that are enabled for transporting mountain bikes, whilst also boasting ten permanent downhill runs. You can utilise single tracks, fireroads and forest trails and with lifts open until 6pm in the summer months, riders can make the most of a full day hitting the trails.
Les Gets
Making up part of the Portes du Soleil mountain region, Les Gets’ twelve downhill and six cross-country runs are all easily accessible from the village by the three main lifts. For a break from the trails, the resort has an adrenaline-pumping freestyle airbag and a free-ride slope for practising some more inventive moves. The resort is also one of the starting locations for the Passportes du Soleil MTB 80km Trek, which takes riders on a tour through the scenery of the Portes du Soleil.
Alp D’Huez
Great for bikers who want a downhill challenge, Alp D’Huez is the location of the longest downhill mountain bike race in the world, known as Mégavalanche. Riders can cycle fifteen downhill and nine cross-country runs in the beautiful surroundings of the central French Alps, with over 225km of alpine terrain accessed all summer and lifts open from late June until early September. It is also home of the 21 Swicthbacks from the famous Tour de France.
Val d’Isere
Val d’Isere is a great destination for those taking the whole family on a mountain biking holiday with its two dedicated family trails and summer lifts open from June to September. There are twenty three routes to choose from, ranging from the easier through to the faster trails with drops and jumps.
For some more facts on great mountain biking destinations, Alpine Elements have created a detailed infographic on ‘The 7 Best Mountain Biking Resorts’.
