8 years ago

La Varda, les Arc, Savoie, France

About 8 years ago I last rode this trail, and despite having been in the area lots over the past few years when travelling through with the Trans Savoie race I had not been into this area that skirts the ever beautiful Vanoise National Park. In that time I have been lucky enough to descend many thousands of metres of the best alpine singletrack around France, Switzerland and Italy.

I couldn't remember much about the la Varda trail, except that it was so good 8 years ago we did it twice within a couple of days, and that everyone in the les Arc area bangs on about it. Not wanting to sound like a trail snob because the incredibly high concentration of great natural singletrack trails in the les Arc is like nowhere else, BUT, I prefer the rural feel of Beaufort and high rugged peaks of Chamonix.

This is where I was wrong, and like 8 years ago, the la Varda trail is still as good as ever. It still deserves the photo's in magazines it has received and articles online

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What guides do between work in the peak of July

Summer is here, and after fantastic spring riding in Southern France and then all over Valais, Aosta and Haute Savoie with good friends it's been time to get back to summer guiding, taking hikers around the Tour du Mont Blanc circuit. There's much worse things to do, but with three weeks off the bike I was itching to get back on some trails. With a carefully planned week between tours I was excited and made some plans to hit up some classic lines, and some new stuff too. It's mid July now, so in Chamonix valley you have to think carefully about where to go to miss the crowds, and to avoid going on the bike ban trails (July & August). Luckily it's still easy to find quiet trails in nearby resorts, or to simply drop round the back of a hill away from the frontside lifts. It went a little like this: Day 1- La Thuile with Wayne of newly qualified French legal mountain bike guiding service Chamonixmtb.com . Enduro race venue at it's best, rough and raw.

Provence Posing

Early spring road trip with Team NL The Dutchies had work to finish before they'd start the mammoth 14 hour drive from under the sea to herb filled mountainsides. Work for us guys in the Alps is more seasonal & temporary, as it is for some Easyjet pilots which meant that the native English speakers left for 'The South' a day earlier. Digne les Bains was the rendezvous location for Saturday night but this meant going so close to Gap and Lac Serre Poncon. The lure of a trail in the Haute Alpes ( the northern most department in the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur Region ) was too much. 3 of us wild camped lake side with giddy excitement for what lay ahead. Rob & Ben knew each other from ski touring & paragliding, but had never ridden together, nor had Ben ever met team NL. Rob and I briefed him on the impending fun. In the morning, a classic was called upon to give Ben his first taste of Southern singletrack. Mont Colombus, and a few hours later aft

Servoz storm destruction

Deep in Servoz below the Fiz 75% of trail is ok. But where it is washed away is really bad. Click here for photos What rode was as good as ever for this begining/end of season trail 1hour & half pedal from Serviz village.

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