After a few days visting freinds over in Les Arcs and riding some nice trails over it was back to the Chamonix valley for the weekend. Keen to do some exploration of the valley trails, made good use of the Chamonix Bike Book and spent a day at each end of the valley. On the Saturday I rode down to Les Houches before a road climb up to Le Coupeaux and a trail named Fat Pete (as it goes through Grosses Pierres!). A cracking little woodland trail dropping down to Servoz. From here I climbed up the road to Le Mont and then upward to Lac Vert and Plaine-Joux. From here it was all downhill back to Chedde. I couldn't find the first bit of trail but quickly picked up the singletrack the next time it crossed the road. This descent proved to be a bit more techy but still nice and flowing and continuing all the way to the valley bottom and the station at Chedde to catch the hourly train back up to Cham.
The next day I was keen to explore some of the trails that I heard and read about into the Trient Valley. With the train not running this year between Chamonix and Vallorcine I made use of the replacement velo bus which runs from Chamonix to Le tour and also one to Col des Montets. Having arranged to meet Iain at Le Tour at 12, I decided I could get a sneaky quick run in from the Col de Balme to Les Jeurs. Traversing around the Tete de Balme the trail then quickly drops down to the valley bottom on awesome flowing singletrack. A "quick" spin up the road, across the border back into France caught the Vallorcine gondola and rode the downhil VTT track (which felt very rutted and manmade after all the natural trails ridden over the last few days!!) back to Le Tour. Meeting up with Iain, we headed back up to the Col de Balme this time taking the "Trient Via the Cross" track, another great piece of singletrack. Bit steeper and more techy than Les Jeurs but still flows nicely with time to enjoy the views of the Swiss Alps.
Unfortunately Iains brakes were giving up on him so after heading back to Le Tour I rode the Balcon du Nord to Argentieres and took the Grandes Montets lift. I decided to take on the 47 swlitchbacks of the Trappette Couloir... after what seems an age you finally see the valley bottom and realise you are only half way down!!! Managed to clean all but 2 of the switchbacks in one go.. so will need to go back and try that one again!
A great couple of days exploring either end of the chamonix valley and these trails alone worth the £14 for the Chamonix Bike Book.
The next day I was keen to explore some of the trails that I heard and read about into the Trient Valley. With the train not running this year between Chamonix and Vallorcine I made use of the replacement velo bus which runs from Chamonix to Le tour and also one to Col des Montets. Having arranged to meet Iain at Le Tour at 12, I decided I could get a sneaky quick run in from the Col de Balme to Les Jeurs. Traversing around the Tete de Balme the trail then quickly drops down to the valley bottom on awesome flowing singletrack. A "quick" spin up the road, across the border back into France caught the Vallorcine gondola and rode the downhil VTT track (which felt very rutted and manmade after all the natural trails ridden over the last few days!!) back to Le Tour. Meeting up with Iain, we headed back up to the Col de Balme this time taking the "Trient Via the Cross" track, another great piece of singletrack. Bit steeper and more techy than Les Jeurs but still flows nicely with time to enjoy the views of the Swiss Alps.
Unfortunately Iains brakes were giving up on him so after heading back to Le Tour I rode the Balcon du Nord to Argentieres and took the Grandes Montets lift. I decided to take on the 47 swlitchbacks of the Trappette Couloir... after what seems an age you finally see the valley bottom and realise you are only half way down!!! Managed to clean all but 2 of the switchbacks in one go.. so will need to go back and try that one again!
A great couple of days exploring either end of the chamonix valley and these trails alone worth the £14 for the Chamonix Bike Book.
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