La douce France, with its many Cols is well known from the Tour de France And Gran Fondos like Marmotte is a very popular cycling destination from the Netherlands. Many of these famous climbs are located in the French Alps. It is well known that it is a paradise for mountain bikers. But can you also get good access to the mountain bike in Courchevel? With the many ski areas in this region, there is certainly no shortage of lifts. To find out, we spent a few days with the MTB in Courchevel.
Photos and text: Ella van der Veer
In the middle of class 3 Vallees
Courchevel is located in Les 3 Vallees, along with Meribel And Val Thorens is one of the largest ski areas in the world. But make no mistake, this region is also worth a visit in the summer. Especially for cycling, or as a combination with an outdoor-oriented family holiday. It is located on the edge of the Parc National de Vanoise, and besides beautiful cols and a downhill/enduro mountain bike park, there are also plenty of options for beautiful walks or relaxing on a mountain lake.
But we’re here to cycle. Perhaps you still remember the decisive moment in the 2023 Tour de France, where Jonas Vingegaard rode past Tadej Pogačar at the Col de la Loze and actually won the Tour here. This col is the connection between Courchevel and Meribel, so it’s right at your feet if you stay in Courchevel. We couldn’t miss it, of course, and we climbed the col from Courchevel 1850; that’s how you quickly get to the upper part where there are no cars. This is a paved shotter trail, so it’s a bit bumpy and very steep in some places, on both sides of the col. You cycle here between the snow-capped peaks and lifts, which is logical for such an area.
The mighty Mont Blanc
However, if you look a little further than this, you can slowly see the top of Mont Blanc rising above the mountain ridge that lies there. It’s an impressive view, so you can enjoy it from the top for a while and it more than makes up for the difficult climb. Which of course is also a good alternative to starting the descent at the bottom and then cycling up via the Meribel side. That way you’ll still have a nice descent at the end instead of a long climb. The upper part is part of a larger project to connect Les 3 Vallees to each other for cyclists as well. A cycling path to Val Thorens has been on the agenda for a long time, but unfortunately no agreement has yet been reached with the landowners here. Hopefully this will happen soon, because this would make this destination even more beautiful for cyclists!
Of course, Col de La Loze is not the only mythical col in the area: the Madeleine and the Petit Saint Bernard can also be reached from Courchevel.
Courchevel on the MTB – the lift opens
We are here on the mountain bike, before the lifts open. These will open at the same time as the start of the French summer holiday, this year on July 6th. If you take the lifts, plan your route carefully per day, especially if you go further into the area. Many of the lifts are open, but not every day. This is clearly indicated on the VTT map of the area, which you can get in many places. The mountain bike routes are well marked; outside these indicated routes it is not allowed to cycle. For the downhill enthusiasts there are 25 trails, in addition there are 24 marked enduro routes and 22 routes for the E-bike. There is also a special E-bike park, as part of the bikepark, where you can test your skills. Are you a beginner mountain biker? No problem! The area features several well-maintained blue lines with smooth curves, and there are several pumptracks in the area to practice turns. It’s also great for children to get acquainted with the sport. All the info about mountain biking and the routes in Les 3 Vallees can be found here: https://www.les3vallees.com/en/activities/mtb-and-emtb .
Beautiful routes in the region – detailed and well-marked
Two very different trails that we would like to highlight: first of all, route E4, a red enduro trail that is officially located in the valley of Meribel. From Courchevel, you take the Verdons and Vizelle lifts, all the way to the top of the area. This is where the route starts, with you having to overcome almost 2500 meters of elevation gain. Downwards, of course. Up there, it is rocky and quite technical, but you soon continue your journey over all kinds of well-groomed blue and red downhill lines with fun features and jumps, where you can also go around them. The panorama is impressive, with views of the high Alpine peaks. Once you pass the bomb crater border, the trails become more natural with roots and rocks. Eventually, you reach Brides-Les-Bains, where you can still tackle some black downhill lines under the Olympe 1 lift. To return to Courchevel, you can take a free bus shuttle (including MTB).
Beautiful route over the Col de la Platte
If you are more of an XC/E-bike rider, VAE1 is a wonderful route. From Courchevel, you start right away with a long climb to Col de la Platte. This is mainly over steep ski slopes, between the lifts, but it is more than worth it. Above, you have breathtaking views of, among other things, the Petit Mont Blanc and the surrounding massif. Behind the col, there is a fairly simple descent over a singletrack, after which you quickly switch to a double track. You cycle along the edges of the National Park, and you can clearly see this. I think we have never seen so many marmots on the way, and we also saw a fox. So many wildlife, then!
Even charging
After a short descent you reach Refuge de Grand Plan, where you can charge your e-bike or simply stop for a snack. After this, the spectacle really begins as you pass through the Vallee des Avals, a welcome change where you won’t see any snow cannons or ski slopes, but you’ll feel like you’re a world away from civilization. Continuing along a double track full of vines, you make your way down. A recommended stop is at Lac de la Rosiere, for which you’ll have to detour a little bit, but it’s a beautiful mountain lake with a wooden boardwalk running around it.
Logistics and other activities
Courchevel itself consists of several villages, Le Praz, 1650 and 1850, with the latter two indicating the altitude. Almost a high-altitude resort if you stay here! In the summer, most activities and shops in the first two are therefore one of the best options for staying during this period. There is no shortage of accommodation; there are beds for 38,000 people distributed across the three villages.
Practical
A 3-day lift pass with MTB costs 58 EUR per person, which is very reasonable for the large area you can explore with it. The other prices for different lengths/options can be found here: https://www.les3vallees.com/en/skipass. In the summer season, you’ll find several small-scale bike rental shops in Courchevel, in case you need repairs or you don’t have your own bike with you. It’s also not unimportant that there are 8 bike washes in the area. Still, it’s nice when your bike is covered in dust or mud.
Courchevel is also organizing the ‘The Cyling event’ from 16-18 August 2024. An event that brings together all types of cyclists with live music, a barbecue, multiple test events and of course allowing many fellow cyclists to go to the bike park or conquer the cols. More information about this event can be found here. here.
More than just bicycles
Cycling is not the only thing you can do in the area. If you head to the valley, you will find the beautiful Gorges de Ballandaz in Planay. You can reach this gorge with a walk of about half an hour. If you stay on the mountain, AquaMotion is a must. This pool is fun for children, but even the wellness enthusiast will find something to their liking here with multiple saunas and hot tubs. On a rainy recovery day like this one, we took full advantage of it to relax for a while. In the complex you can also climb indoors and surf. Of course, you can also undertake other outdoor activities in this area; many hiking trails, there are two via ferratas, canyoning, and there are ski jumping hills that are also used in the summer, including for a summer world cup. A complete overview of all activities can be found here: https://courchevel.com/en/activites/activites-ete
Courchevel MTB hotspot in the summer
Our conclusion is that Courchevel is definitely worth a visit in the summer too! It offers many opportunities for the road bike and mountain bike and is also an excellent base for an outdoor holiday with the family.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.