Is DH in Chamonix any good?

PB Forum :: Downhill
Is DH in Chamonix any good?
  • Previous Page
  • Next Page
Author Message
flag tomydh
O+
Posted: Mar 21, 2009 at 9:07 Quote
Hey, Im thinkin of spending some time in chamonix this summer, could anybody tell me How good it is for pure DH.. im not so into peddling up hill on my glory.?? cheers for ur comments
flag doc69
Posted: Apr 29, 2009 at 9:25 Quote
Dude,i have a flat there,and according to Zero G bike shop in Chamonix main street, that seemingly they have closed all the single track in the Valley for one year to see if the hill can recover for years of bikes hammering the hill.There is a bike park,and im sure there is a few dh runs there, but try and find Zero G bike shop on the web the have a page on the bike park.
flag tomydh
O+
Posted: Jun 7, 2009 at 17:09 Quote
cheers for that m8
flag Chamaica
Posted: Jun 9, 2009 at 14:27 Quote
Short answer, NO.

I have a flat there as well and I have lived there for many years all year around. There are good trails but you share them with hikers and they have right of way. You are only alowed 5 bikes in total on the train up the valley where the "dh track" is, but to be truthful the track isn't really that good.

If you go there you will soon find out that you need to bring your own tools since the mechanics at zero g and legend are, hmmm, happy amateurs. Legend is a lot nicer than zero though and cheaper for parts.

Only reason to go there is to meet friends, get drunk or go alpine climbing. Or in the winter if you are a good skier/boarder and want the steepest most exposed mountains in the world with a lift. That's it. Period. For the weekend warrior skier types it's a waste of money and time, sorry. But if you are good, it's heaven.

If you have other questions about the valley or anything to do with cham, give me a PM.
flag Themaninthenorth
Posted: Jun 9, 2009 at 15:21 Quote
Short answer yes!
I've been riding Chamonix most summers for the last 6 years.
Lots of amazing lift assisted riding the length of the valley from the lifts at Brevent, Flegere, Le Tour, Argentiere, or further down the valley at Les Houches, you just need to know where to find it Wink . You either need a guide, or someone with local knowledge to get the best out of the area.
Most of the riding is as said, on shared trails, but if you have someone show you around there is riding on trails that the walkers rarely get to.
Chamonix is very good, the riding is very technical compared to the Morzine/Les Gets style of riding.
In Chamonix some of the best riding is on "cheeky" trails so ride accordingly, its also a place best suited to an all mountain type bike rather than a pure DH bike.
flag Chamaica
Posted: Jun 9, 2009 at 16:08 Quote
Themaninthenorth: We probably know each other so don't take this the wrong way but,
You must be kidding, the riding is at most ok. Cham is where I started riding and until I started riding other places I thought it was good. But it's not. I have lived there for 8 years all year around and I spent most of my winters there before that so I think I know the place pretty well. A biking holiday there without a car is useless since you have restrictions of maximum bikes on the train and the track is up in vallorcine and that is pretty far up the valley, not a place to pedal to. Les Houches is ok but it's at the other end of the valley and the same applies. Flegere/Brevent is subpar but easier to get to. Merlet is good but you need a car to shuttle you.

I have enough local knowledge but localism aside, the riding just isn't good enough to warrant an expensive holiday since you can get a lot better for less in other places. Skipasses are more expensive than everywhere else so that doesn't make up for the flaws.

if you want to go to the alps for riding, look into Crans-Montana, Pila, Chatel etc. Or if you want properly good and fun tracks, Åre and Gesunda in Sweden kicks Chamonix's behind anyday.
flag Themaninthenorth
Posted: Jun 10, 2009 at 1:35 Quote
Are you serious about the lack of good riding in Chamonix or are you trying to keep the trails to yourself??? If you are serious about the lack of riding then you really need to get out there and discover some of the real riding Chamonix has to offer!!!
Do you know of Sick trail, 47 switchbacks, Lavancher secret bowl, Holy trail leading to the wicked descent from the animal park etc????
I'm not saying its better than Morzine/Les Gets etc, they all differ in there own way, offer differing types of riding and all have plus and negative points.
A week can easily be spent in Chamonix and you won't touch on all riding that can be had. Its also no more expensive a destination than anywhere else in the Alps unless you want it to be.
The train really isn't an issue. We've had a group of 8 of us on the same train in high season with no issues. Like wise, if you're riding the top of the valley, you only need to get the train up, then at the end of the day, blast back down to Chamonix on the trails (if you know where they are!). Same if you go down to Les Houches, you can take the lifts to the very top of Brevent, then do the mental descent off the top (Holy trail) all the way there, then train it back up (9 of us once on this train with no issues).
You really don't need a car for the Chamonix valley unless you're a lazy bastard!

Chamaica wrote:
Åre and Gesunda in Sweden kicks Chamonix's behind anyday.

Åre is ok for what it is, but no way does it compare to one the resorts in the Alps, Gesunda is good for a day maybe 2, then it becomes a bit boring and repetitive due to its size and not exactly extensive trail network.
flag doc69
Posted: Jun 10, 2009 at 1:37 Quote
oh well, I like it and i can't wait to get back there this summer!
flag Chamaica
Posted: Jun 10, 2009 at 15:02 Quote
About it being expensive, I was talking about lift-tickets. How much is the season pass for summer this year? 350,00 €? don't remember the exact figures since i've always had Gens de pays but it's crazy. Les Gets was 55€ for the summer and 120€ for the whole of portes du soleil 2 years ago. Probably about the same still. We always had season passes there and went there for the week-ends when we lived in cham.

Probably the only track I haven't ridden in the valley is the DH track in vallorcine and that's just because I left cham just when they were finishing it to live in Les Gets for the summer.

The only thing I'm saying is that other places are better for biking. But if you decide to go there you will have lots of fun and meet lots of nice people.

Speaking of Åre, I was riding the Shimano trail last weekend and it is the best track I've ridden so far. Probably change my mind when I get to Whistler in a few weeks though.
flag downhilldan94
Posted: Jul 15, 2010 at 2:10 Quote
anybody riding there next week? I persuaded my parents to stop there on a family holiday but I'll be riding on my own and I dont rearly want to incase I crash.
  • Previous Page
  • Next Page

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.017200
Mobile Version of Website