Try something different

If you've been following the snow conditions in the Alps this winter then you'll be aware that, until this last week at least, fresh snow fall has been somewhat lacking. With big dumps of snow in the lead in to the season pre-Christmas, once the new year settled in, the sun decided to come out... And stay out.

Certainly no lack of snow at the Grand Montets

On our most recent trip to Argentiere, we were a little nervous that the much coveted ski trip wouldn't be quite the same. After all, we do like our powder and the off piste. However, as it turned out, we ended up enjoying some of the best family skiing we've done, albeit lacking the steep and the deep.

How do ski conditions compare to the design of your skis?

Although the pistes were 'firm', they were also fast, and a dream to let loose on. It wasn't long before we got to thinking much more about our skis and the way they worked. And the natural progression followed...

Hard and fast - the Hearse piste at the Grand Montets

... I wonder what it would be like on some different skis..., these different skis are the absolute business, I can really blast the piste on these unlike my own..., I wonder what some top end performance skis would be like..., these performance skis are the absolute business, I must have a pair, etc...

Work those edges!

And so on it went. We had a blast and very soon I'll be several hundred Euros poorer, but have a big grin on my face. So the moral of the tail is that while no snow is definitely not good, different snow might just be the key to a whole new chapter of skiing.

Dynastar's youngest Factory Test Pilot

Head across to Sanglard Sports and hire some skis with 15% discount when you mention StayInChamonix, or better still, book online using our preferential rates. You can also ask Sanglard Sports for a voucher for the Dynastar Test Centre, based up at Lognan on the Grand Montets. With this, and for free, you can take any of their range of skis for a test ride for a couple of hours. (But remember, it'll cost you when you fall in love with them and have to buy a pair afterwards!)

And, by the way, plenty of new snow this week!

All change in Argentiere

Some welcome improvements to the village of Argentiere are under way at the moment. First is the complete refurbishment of the village 'square', outside the Mairie and the Office Bar.

The Mairie, Argentiere.

Although in the centre of the village and effectively being the focal point, the open area was always a bit lacking, dominated by a cash point lobby and a defunct chalet office.

New steps replace the defunct chalet office.

But no more! These buildings have been cleared, new steps added, and a more organised open communal space created.

But does anyone know if there's going to be a replacement cash point?!

Elsewhere, the road junction to the Grand Montets car park is being rebuilt. Again, hopefully this will improve the busy junction and perhaps set the tone for more improvements planned for the Grand Montets car park and lifts in the next few years.

Argentiere in 1925

My! How times have changed! Came across this post card recently, and going by the postmark on the reverse it appears to date from around 1925.

My hero!

I think the photo says it all. I don't do hero worship. Just like I don't do all the celebrity culture bit either. Well, not normally. But meeting Glen Plake is different.

Family Daynes (minus shy Sam) meet My Hero.

Actually, its not the first time we met. I was quite taken aback at a local ice hockey match; Chamonix taking on Megeve I think it was, last October, when I realised that Glenn was sat further along the same row. Too shy to go up and say hello.

No one has really asked what took us to Chamonix. Obvious I guess. But if anyone did then the full answer would have to include watching Greg Stump's movies in my 'formative' years. The Blizzard of Aahhhs (still got it on my iPhone!), License to Thrill and Groove Requiem in the key of ski. Then dashing across Europe to for a week in Chamonix, flinging ourselves off anything vaguely steep and dangerous, and wishing I had the nerve to go for the full pink mohican.

What a sad man I am!

Le Grand Bornand

There’s an old Chinese proverb that goes along the lines of “simply printing a mountain bike route map does not a mountain bike mecca make”. Or at least if there isn’t one, there should be. And the good folk of Le Grand Bornand in the Aravis Region should take note.

Camping L'escale, LGB

Uplift!

Moving on from Annecy, a trip back through the Aravis seemed like a good idea; a good scenic route on the way back to Argentiere, with plenty to see and do along the way. Finding some good biking was high on the list of priorities, as was a good camp site with a pool, hence we landed in Le Grand Bornand for a few days.

Jodie with the Col de la Columbiere in her sights

Some of the better "green" sections above Chinaillon

We reported to the tourist office, bought the VTT map, and set off up the gondola to tackle a green route. Don’t get me wrong, it was pleasant enough. Contouring round above Chinaillon and towards the Col de la Columbiere and then back down towards the village again. However, I think we bikers have been spoilt with dedicated and even purpose built trails. We’re just not used to large portions of a green route taking in the tarmac road.

Sam & Jodie on the descent from Le Lachat

Undeterred, we also had a go at a blue route. The first problem was that to get to the start of the blue we had to descend a red, from the top of Le Lachat chair lift. No flowing single track here. The red route follows the access track to the top of the piste, and is little more than a vehicle track covered in loose gravel. Fairly daunting for Sam and Jodie, but no fun for me either. Lovely views, though!
And the blue? With one very short exception, the blue route is a winding road which leads up from LGB through the hillside farms. I was expecting a little more in the way of singletrack, or at least some more ‘off road’.

So, not a high score for the quality of the mountain bike trails in LGB based on this experience. But this was a mere blip on an otherwise unblemished record. The camp site is very pleasant and conveniently close to the village. The pool is both indoor and outdoor, and a great spot to catch some rays at the end of the afternoon.

And the village itself is a lovely spot. Focussed around a very attractive square with plenty of useful shops – bakeries, bars and a Casino mini market. By the river you’ll find lots of leisure activities, from mini golf and beach volleyball to archery and a fitness trail. Close by at the Maison de Patrimonie is a newly constructed bike skills area.


And at the patinoire the kids were playing rollerblade hockey. – the day before they’d been shooting , in the style of the winter biathlon discipline. Unsurprising to hear that if the Winter Olympics bid by Annecy for 2018 is successful, the Nordic Combined events will be held in LGB.

Spot the ball! (It's blue!)

Obligatory end of ride ice cream...

Chances are we’ll be back for another visit some time soon.

Back to Lake Annecy

It wasn’t in the plan, but with a sudden drop in the temperatures the lure of lower altitudes had a certain appeal. I can’t say that I’ve ever been a fan of ‘hot’ temperatures, but I have kind of got used to seeing a big yellow thing in the sky and not having to carry a rucksack full of fleeces and Gore-Tex.

The Annecy - Albertville bike track. The M1 of bike tracks!

So, a return to our favourite camp site at De La Ravoire on the shores of Lake Annecy was the call on the day. Fortunately, they had a pitch for 3 nights and our luck was in.



It’s a top spot. Great facilities, good atmosphere, plenty of friendly people and very welcoming owners. Sam & Jodie would have been happy just riding their bikes round the site, swimming and sliding down the waterslide (Sam’s still not old enough to use ride solo in Fort William, but has free reign on this one – a happy little chappy!) and playing footie and badminton with the rest of the children. Dragging them away to go and see the sights wasn’t too easy and we didn’t try too hard.


Three nights away from the vertical world of the Chamonix valley well spent

A day on the bike

A cracking day on the mountain bikes today. All the more satisfying for finding something that Jodie and Sam could really get stuck into and enjoy. With so much “gradient” in the Chamonix valley, it’s easy to satisfy body armour clad, long travel gravity junkies but slightly harder to find something that even the littlest braking fingers can cope with.

Jodie with Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Valley beyond.

Sam on the French/Swiss border, ready for the 1000m back to Argentiere.

But not before a spot of lunch - and a twister.

Leaving the van on the Col des Montets, we took the VTT trail down to Le Buet and on to Vallorcine. This section is just great, Excellent trail, brilliant scenery and a gradual gradient. Once at Vallorcine we jumped aboard the gondola for a bit of uplift. The top of the uplift isn’t quite the top of the hill, and there’s a short (and unpopular) ride to the Col Des Possettes. And then a sweeping downhill on a broad but still quite challenging track to the top of the gondola from Le Tour and the 4 man chairlift to the Col De Balme.

Jodie at the start of the long descent.

Leaving the top of the chairlift, it’s a short and relatively flat ride to the refuge on the col – the perfect spot for a bit of lunch, with your toes dangling over the Swiss border. After lunch it was downhill all the way. First back to the Col des Possettes and then the Le Tour Gondola again. Kids whooping with delight!By now little braking fingers were in need of a rest, so we hopped into the gondola for the descent to Le Tour. Fingers rested, we then the off road again. Down by the river to Le Moulin and then taking the back way into Argentiere. And ice creams at the Rencard.

Nearly there - approaching Le Moulin

There was still the small question of getting the van back from the col, and I came up with the perfect route to go an tackle while the kids hit the pool. Road ride back to Le Tour. Gondola and chairlift back to the Col de Balme. Over to the Catogne descent on the narrowest of trails and on to Trient – all 1014m of it! Oh, yes!


By the time I hit the road climb back from Switzerland to the top of the col, through Chaletard, Vallorcine and Le Buet, my ass was getting a bit sore and my legs a little tired. But that’s what I call a day of mountain biking!