Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone for a while. Robbert was in his comfort zone for two weeks. Bourg Saint Maurice And you can’t just go cycling every day. Right? He takes it a little differently, with a day of mountain biking. What’s more, downhill biking itself. Those are some great tips for a long holiday in this alpine paradise.
Train up
When we go to Les Arcs for a day and take the funicular up, the train is full of mountain bikers again. They all wear body protection and there are stickers on the windows saying: "No mountain biking here." fullface helmet on the handlebars. As we go up in a chairlift, I see the same mountain bikers descending down the slope. That sounds like fun to me too. I decide to just do it! In Les Arcs, I rent a Scott Mountainbike and the corresponding protective gear. I also buy a day pass for the chairlifts. The cost of a mountainbike (including helmet and protective gear) is €79. Since it’s Saturday, a day pass for the chairlifts costs only €18.
‘Have you ever cycled before?’
The bike rental company asks if I have cycled before. I answer that I regularly ride my mountain bike in the Netherlands, but that downhill riding is still unfamiliar to me. The advice: Avoid the black route; green is for children, red and blue are suitable. I cycle to the first chairlift and put my bike in the seats. Once I get to the top, I initially take the wide gravel paths down. I just stick to the Les Arcs signs and get to know the bike and downhill riding a little better. With a big grin and full of adrenaline, I get down. During the second run, I pass a blue sign with ‘downhill legend’. I doubt if I am already a legend, but it is a blue color, so I should be able to do it.
Fear as a bad advisor
Again, here is the rule: Vake is too scary. The trail down is a delightful flow trail. Saddle down and go. Turn after turn, small jumps and non-stop pedaling. In the middle I have to stop for a moment to catch my breath and let my tired calves relax. What a treat. As I enjoy the view for a moment, a father and his 10-year-old son pass by. They are clearly skilled at downhill riding, because the son has a pace I have great respect for.<br>All in all, I make the trip up the chairlift about 5 times and every time I come down with a big smile on my face. What a great experience.
Enjoying the mountains more often in the mountain sports paradise of Bourg Saint Maurice
I spent two weeks in Bourg Saint Maurice with my wife and daughter. If you like mountains, this is truly the ultimate place. I did 4 bike rides with my race bike and 3 hikes in the mountains. I also rented electric mountain bikes for a day to go out with my wife and daughter through the Tarentaise Valley. The climb with an e-mtb to Cote d’Aime was easy for them. Especially the wide smile on our daughter’s face after descending was priceless. And the downhill? I definitely want to do that again
Read also:
- Cycling around Bourg Saint Maurice – Cormet de Roselend – Rosier – Petit Saint Bernard
- Why you should start cycling from Bourg Saint Maurice – Part 1
- The 5 most beautiful climbs from La Plagne
Questions & tips
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