We're planning a point to point trip from Moutiers to Briancon in the summer - making use of as much uplift / ski lifts as possible (staying at refuges etc). We've hit a bit of a stumbling block when we get to Les Menuires as the Pointe de la Masse lift doesn't allow bikes (at least the summer biking website says it's excluded from the VTT pass as it's not equipped for bikes) and we want to descend from the Pointe de la Masse down to .
Has anyone with local knowledge have any suggestions (e.g. any uplift companies likely to be able to drive up the ski roads with us + bikes)? Or other ways to get into the Maurienne Valley (St Michel de Maurienne specificially (tho if we ended up further up the road it'd not be the end of the world).
I was there last summer on a point-to-point trip. Alas the lift is/was closed to bikes, as its a brand new lift. Our only option was to ride up to 2200m and turn off to follow our route, which was tough going, especially when we should of been enjoying the Lac Noir & Crintallia descent from the top instead.
You're looking at 2-3hrs to climb the 1000m to the top from Les Menuires.
Ah that's what I was worried about 🙁 Do you recall what the climb was like? Rideable (i.e. on ski roads) all the way or hike a bike?
It's all rideable, there's fireroad tracks for vehicles all the way to the top. It's just one of those endless low gear grinds that aren't very enjoyable, unless you're a sadist. Doubly annoying when you see the lift running overhead.
It’s all rideable, there’s fireroad tracks for vehicles all the way to the top. It’s just one of those endless low gear grinds that aren’t very enjoyable, unless you’re a sadist. Doubly annoying when you see the lift running overhead.
Ok thanks for that. Sounds awful! Hopefully we'll come up with a better option, but nothing is leaping out at me! Hire a guy on an ebike to tow us up lol
