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I'm not getting far trying to work out how to get from the valley to the resorts with a bike (and no car or big climb!). The tourist offices havent helped much, so trying STW!
There's a few rides I'd like to do out of Bourg St Maurice around the Montchavin / La Plagne area. I'm happy riding down to Landry or Aime (or catch the train) where I understand that there is at least one shuttle to the lifts.
But all I can find online is an old 2021 timetable showing just one bus in the morning from the lake in Aime to Plagne Bellacote at 10.30 Ideally there would be few more. The website mentions a Landry navette, but it isnt clear if it has a bike trailer.
I know there is a lift running in Champagne and several trails down that way (involving a climb out of the La Plagne area), but that's a long ride around from BSM.
Has anyone got any practical experience of how to stitch this together? I know this area is notoriously difficult logistically, but I've ridden some trails there with White Room and Bike Village that make me want to go back (especially as the funi to Arc 1600 still isnt running).
Thanks
Vanoise express runs in the summer. And then it shuttle up to montchavin
Bit of a haul getting there though. Train to bsm, funicular up to 1600. Cachette up. Ride to vanoise express.
Oh, didn't realise funicular isn't running 😔
Thanks - that's worth knowing, for some reason I thought the Vanoise Express didnt take bikes (probably cos I never had the Paradiski extension on my pass).
We're in BSM, so that isnt the problem. No funicular though, bus replacement service!
Vanoise wasn’t running last year - is this year. Cost is €15 for a one day add-on. Had this confirmed by Paisley Villandry tourism last week.
There's only that 1030 shuttle from the Plan d'eau up to the top of La Plagne (well, there's 1500 and 1730 as well....). Otherwise, funibus and Vanoise Express.
All the info is on the La Plagne website though!
Thanks guys. The Vanoise Express solves the problem. At least the question of how to get to Montchavin.
10.30 is late for a single AM shuttle that takes 50 mins.
Stevo - do you know if the Pierre Blancs lift take bikes? I've definitely used it before but the bike map doesn't list it for 2022. Thanks.
I guess my issue with the website is how to get around between the various villages without ending up with climbs and loosing time. They talk about free navettes, but not necessarily if they are bike friendly.
Luckily I've got time to spend with an IGN map and a highlighter!
Our normal drill was to descend from The Vanoise Express to Montchavin, then the Monchavin followed by Pierre Blanches lifts - both took bikes when I was there last in 2018. There was still a bit of a climb up to reach the top of White Lines or carrying on over to La Plagne bowl. Always had to plan carefully when visiting the La Plagne side as lifts didn't operate every day compared to Les Arcs.
Telesiege de Plan Bois is also highligted on my IGN map and I remember that's been used with bikes in the past.
Sorry, I don't know about this year though cos I ain't going 😔
When are you going? I'm going over on 6th August, so probably after you. Otherwise I know a couple of locals who may be able to find out..
Around 10-17 August. Maybe a little longer as we'll be in Meribel after and could still ride the area from there.
Ok cool - I'll let you know about the lifts once I'm out there then.
Did just find this though which may help..
From 03/07 to 28/08/2022
Opening hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday between 9 am and 12.15 pm and between 1.30 pm and 5.40 pm.
Pierre Blanches isn't opening this year. 3rd year in a row. Think they've quit running it in summer. It actually had the bike carriers on it 2 years ago but didn't open.
The trail in Phil's link above is pretty gash. We do ride some of it on the way between lifts.
Also, to anyone riding the area, it's pretty hard to access now anyway, but please ride White Lines very sparingly, if at all. At least ride it very late in the day, again, if at all. It's very busy with walkers these days and now has signs up discouraging bikes. Lots of bikes on it is likely to lead to a ban. We only ride it out of lift season.
Getting over to Belle Plagne area from the Montchavin lifts is a bit of a schlep (perfectly doable though if you don't mind a pedal). Probably easier to get the bus.
Cheers for that Stevo - We were going to ride it this year but we'll give it a miss now.
(Also, pretty sure you taught my wife to Snowboard a couple of years ago.. Carol-Ann!)
We're sitting having pizza in Peisey after paying €15 extension for La Plagne. MontChavin and Pierre Blanche are closed and have no bike carriers and no bus replacement so it's only Plan Bois lift that takes you to the red be and black park trails (meh) and also you can track across to Premier League.
We couldn't find non-knackering way to do White Lines.
Also, La Roche is closed too so they're isn't a great way to get from the Vanoise express to La Plagne to the new park trails in the bowl. We're going to try and take a bus up.
Vanoise Express is only open Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri.
The funicular replacement bus leaves on an awkward time table with a mixture of 15min and 1 hour gaps making the Black 8 loops a bit of a pain in the arse.
La Varda is ferme for vtt
They've worked a lot on the trails and the off piste trails are amazing (if you know where to find them!) We've been riding for 10 years here so know where everything is.
Glad I asked. Hopefully a bit more will open up by August.
La Varda is officially banned, or do you just need to make sure you stay out of the national park?
Didn't mean to make that sound so dismal. It's bloody brilliant here. No queues, hardly anyone here, we've done a leasurely 150km in 2 and a half days with few repeated trails.
I struggle to keep up with La Varda. It has been open/closed/open/closed in the last 10 years. The old justification was that the trail down to the refuge junction was "in" the paradiski area and the left hand side was the parc national. The last I heard was the Marie also banned vtt from the trail down from the goats/sheep/menacing dogs.
Didn’t mean to make that sound so dismal. It’s bloody brilliant here. No queues, hardly anyone here, we’ve done a leasurely 150km in 2 and a half days with few repeated trails.
Yeah, it sounds pure merde!
La Varda isn't banned, but it's generally best to avoid it at busy times. End of the day is the best time to ride it. It's only been closed once. Not wishing to blow my own trumpet too much, but a colleague and I had a meeting with the mayor and got it sorted. Expect arguments with walkers along the top section. It IS legit, but don't be an ar$e about it. It sure as hell isn't a "bike trail". And, again, go late in the day. It'll be more fun for all involved.
Philstone - yup, that was me! I think I set her up with my friend Corinne a year or two later as well, when I wasn't available. How's she doing?
Just going back to the original question for a moment.
So is the only bike equipped bus the one from Aime up to La Plagne at 10.30 (and the 2 or 3 in the afternoon) or are there any others running between the villages? I'm planning a day or 2 there with a mate and his young son who isn't keen on climbing.
Alternatively, how long is the contouring path from the top of the Lac Noir lift in Montchavin to Plagne Bellecote (through La Frasses)?
Alternatively, how long is the contouring path from the top of the Lac Noir lift in Montchavin to Plagne Bellecote (through La Frasses)?
I've ridden the first part of that from Plan Bois across to Les Frasses and don't remember it being terrible. I don't know about the continuing bit to Plagne Bellecote though as instead we continued on to the bottom of La Roche lift which takes you up to Aime la Plagne
Thanks everyone for all the advice.
I'm starting to think a trip to Tignes with the my mate's son would be preferable. The combination of lifts that are open doesnt seem to be ideal again this year.
Me and Miss AD will have a couple of days in the area riding off Roche de Mio and trails down towards Bozel and Moutiers.