Do you want to do something different than skiing or snowboarding for a day during your winter holiday? Go for an adventure by bike! Even during the winter the French Alps is still great for cycling. Mountain biking is pre-eminently a summer sport but it is also being practiced more and more on the slopes between mid-December and March. The tires have deep profiles and powerful hydraulic brake discs, all other aspects of the snow mountain bike are the same as its summer equivalent. Mountain bikers can practice their favorite sport during the winter and the summer.
Downhill MTB in the Alpine snow
In various villages in the area, such as La Chapelle d'Abondance or Les Gets, you can rent mountain bikes suitable for the snow for around € 45, which includes a guide and the necessary equipment. These special bikes are called fatbikes due to their extra thick tires which ensure that you won’t sink into the snow. You can either go cycling in the valley or first go up into the mountain. The bikes fit in the lift and will drop you off at the very top of the mountain. It is advised to go mountain biking under the guidance of a specialized guide who take small groups up and through the mountains. The sport , like many sports, comes with risks but a good guide knows the dangers. You’ll discuss the route together with the guide and will be given the latest directions. Squeeze both handbrakes at the same time when braking and sit on the back of the saddle so that most of the weight is on the rear wheel. The rear wheel will regularly slip away, but the trick is to correct this and carry on.️
