3VTT: Summer opening weekend in the Three Valleys

Andy and I have been back in Meribel now for 3 weeks during which time we’ve caught up with friends, made some new ones, walked many kms with the dog on both sides of the Meribel valley and done a spot of mountain-biking too.

Our mountain biking efforts have all been in preparation for the opening of the ski lifts this weekend. The lifts give access to countless mtb opportunities on singletrack, doubletrack, man-built routes and natural wooded trails across the whole of the 3 valleys ski area.

To celebrate the start of summer 2011 there were 2 mountain-bike events (labelled the 3VTT) to showcase the best the 3 Valleys have to offer. Saturday saw 150 competitors launch themselves down a trail from the top of the Saulire (at 2,600m altitude) to Brides-Les-Bains (at 600m) – a 2,000m descent across a 20km route. The sun blazed and the riders flew down the marshalled route, the fastest time recorded being 27 minutes and 4 seconds! We chose to spectate rather than participate this year, saving ourselves for Sunday’s challenge.

On Sunday the whole of the 3 valleys was open for business with an 80km marshalled ‘Rando tour’ route that allows participants to take in all 3 valleys in one day. Participants can set off from any resort on the route. Our day started with 5 of our keen mountain-biking buddies at 9am at the Tougnete lift station in Meribel. From there we went up to the mid-station of the lift and warmed up with a run down to Mottaret to take the Pas Du Lac lift right to the top of the Saulire. We then proceeded to follow the Courchevel loop which begins with a fairly steep and technical section down the side of the Creux ski piste (a red run). Singletrack turned into slide-tastic stony doubletrack before entering the woods for some rocky and rooty runs.

We hit Courchevel 1650 for some elevenses at one of the refuelling stations – bread, ham, cheese, dried fruit, water, wine (this is France!) and coca-cola all available for participants.

We headed off again, re-energised and refreshed on target for Le Praz 1300 and then a bit of a climb up to La Tania (1400) where we could refuel again and take a lift up to begin the next section. At one point we biked through a herd of grass-munching cows who didn’t seem perturbed by us helmet-clad mountain-bikers charging through their pasture. Our team’s next stop was Meribel where some essential bike maintenance took place. At this point Andy and I nipped back through Meribel village to Les Allues to let our dogs out for a call of nature before rejoining our team and heading back up the Tougnete lift (this time to the top) to continue our trek. From vantage points on the lifts we’d noticed some trails off the official 80km route and couldn’t resist deviating to take in the Lac Tueda, the Ours ski run and then the singletrack down the Saulire. This run formed part of the Freebike route from the day before. We weren’t disappointed with our choice. Although we didn’t get across to the St. Martin valley we had a brilliant last couple of hours taking in our chosen routes, the Saulire singletrack providing one of the many highlights of the day.

We finished at the Taverne pub in the centre of Meribel at 5.30pm with a long-lusted after pint, inspected our dusty, slightly battered arms and legs and reflected on the excellent day we’d all had. If there was one thing we learned yesterday it was that the 3 valleys has a huge amount to offer any keen mountain-biker: lifts to take the strain out of the up-hill, countless trails and routes that include technical sections, singletrack, doubletrack, woods, open ground, streams, lakes, stunning scenery and of course some decent bars to compare notes with like-minded people.

Now the lifts are open 6 days a week until the end of August so the 3 Valleys is our oyster for the next 8 weeks....bring it on!

To find out more about mountain-biking in the 3 valleys check out the 3 Valleys website and of course for accommodation and more click through to Alpine Ethos

2010-11 Season Round-Up

Having had a few weeks to relax and reflect following our second season as Alpine Ethos we wanted to share some of what made winter 2010-11 one to remember.

The season began in promising style with snow galore from November into December and the opening of the lifts was eagerly anticipated by all. Our first day back on the slopes didn’t disappoint with foot deep powder to play in. Surely this boded well for a snow-filled season?

Our premiere neige guests revelled in the best early conditions for many years and we thoroughly enjoyed showing them around some of our favourite parts of the 3 valleys. At new year we hosted guests who’d come all the way from the middle of the Australian summer to hit the slopes with their English friends but they didn’t let the change in temperature deter them and enjoyed lots of sunny skiing.

The sun continued to shine, only interrupted by a couple of days of snowfall in mid-January which meant beautiful conditions for the early to mid-season during which we were visited by the Bristol snowboard crew, the OAPs (well, a group of 20-somethings in fancy dress) and some of the Lake District mountain rescue team amongst others.

By mid-February we started to worry that our half-term guests would struggle in the hard-pack conditions but the dancing paid off and the snow-gods delivered the night before their arrival meaning great fun was had by all during one of the busiest weeks on the slopes.

Tempted by the new technology in snowboard design we were excited to hear the first news of winter sales. Orders were made and our new snowboards (Heather: a K2 VaVaVoom and Andy: a Rossignol One) arrived and were taken out to play. The new flexible nature and rockered camber of Heather’s board meant more on-piste tricks & jumps whilst the magnatraction on Andy’s board made a real difference in the hard-pack conditions.

March was a busy month In which we played our part in the first Alpine Ethos marriage proposal, identifying a fantastic proposal location (top of the Olympic chairlift on a clear sunny day in case you wondered) and chilled and transported the requested champagne to a picnic area a few hundred metres below. In such beautiful surroundings who could decline a man on his knees in the snow? Congratulations to Rachel & Andy, we wish them all the best. Can we interest you in an Alpine honeymoon?!

We also hosted our second Snowboard Camp in conjunction with Cab9 snowboard school. Eleven guys and girls took part this year and with excellent coaching from Jono & Lee were competently riding, buttering, jibbing, riding switch, hitting boxes and kickers in style by the end of the week.

Later on in the month Heather took part in the Meribel She-Ride Freesession, an event arranged by local snowboard schools and sponsoring bars and shops. The event was designed to encourage girls into the park and despite the low cloud and rain early in the day it did just that. The girls were hitting the kickers, rails and boxes in the Meribel Moonpark in quick succession competing for the prizes the shops had offered. Everyone improved and enjoyed the day immensely making new friends and promising themselves more regular park-time in the future.

Whilst the weather warmed up in April, we tip our helmets to the Three Valleys piste teams who did an amazing job of ensuring as many runs as possible were open right through until the end of the season.

As I’m sure you can tell, we really enjoyed season 2010-11 and whilst our attentions have turned to the summer and mountain biking, we are also already thinking ahead, planning for and taking bookings for next season. We hope to see you then if not before!