Description: Based slap-bang in the middle of the the worlds largest lift-access alpine playground, TrailAddiction takes pride in introducing its guests to hundreds of kilometres of the finest natural singletrack there is. With fantastic catered accommodation to boot, it's no surprise that over 95% of guests come back for more.
REVIEWS
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Strengths: The trails. If you're prepared to step up your riding several gears, there's probably no better place to do it. They're generally steep, techy and have some pretty scary drops, but the guides don't take you anywhere you're not up to and there's no macho issues with getting off and walking the more difficult stuff. Oh, and virtually no braking bumps (unlike Les Gets/Morzine). Oh, and virtually no other riders anywhere! The guides. You can't beat 1 guide to 5 guests, they know the area pretty well... They do their best to coach you down stuff you think there's no way of riding. The food. Gordy and Sophie made the best dinners I've ever had in the Alps, summer or winter, full stop.
Weaknesses: If you're a bit timid about pushing yourself, riding steep or technical stuff, quite like riding fire road, don't fancy techy switchbacks or just want big downhill courses for your 8" rig, probably not best for you. It's a long way by car (quite a bit further than Portes de Soleil). Local bike shops aren't local and don't have a huge variety of stuff, so pack as many spares as your luggage allowance will take. The weather is probably a bit more unpredictable than the UK, pack a waterproof you don't mind trashing. If you ride a hardtail, you'll get pummelled by all the roots and rocks. If you like riding up hill, it might be better to go to Bikevillage. But you can ride up hill in the UK - use the lifts! It's a bit pricey now, especially compared to, say Jolly Good in Morzine which is little more than half the price, though you get 5 day's guiding at TA.
Overall: For my sort of riding and bike (5"-6" is perfect), this is soooo much better than Morzine/Les Gets. I've never ridden a trail anywhere near as good as Black 8 - major rush just pinning it in 1 hit. Last couple of years in PdS never improved my riding as much as this holiday did. TrailAddiction are the only guys doing this sort of holiday in this great resort and they do a really good job.
Strengths: The trails are pristine and natural. The scenery is magnificent and the guides were brilliant. This will definately be an annual pilgrimmage for me.
Weaknesses: Les Arcs is very quiet in the summer and limited restaurants and cafes. Having said that, it does also gives the holiday it a less commercialised feel.
Overall: I have never had such fun in my entire life. The riding, the company and the environment was brilliant. I will be bring reinforcements from South Africa next year.
Strengths: Vast amounts of Awesome riding. High guide ratio
Weaknesses: After a while I couldn't remember what a particular descent was like since the next seemed better. Riding intensity is hard on bikes.
Overall: Fanastic. If your bike is basic and you want to hammer you might consider hiring. Guides are essential to get the most out of the area since there are so many tracks everywhere. Get "descending" fit before you go !
Strengths: A fantastic weeks riding on the best trails i've ever ridden. I can't over emphasise how good the riding is, from technical rock and root fests to high speed singletrack blats, the place has it all, from the fun to the downright scary (like la varda). The chalet and food are amazing and Gordy and Sophie are friendly and accommodating hosts. Trail addiction have employed some great guides to lead their guests, and the friendly atmosphere put everyone at ease in minutes.. They really tailored the riding for us. When some of the group were having problems with alpine switchbacks our guide Jay gave tutorage and soon had the group railing them like 'total beasts'! I even saw one of our guides Andy, strip his own spare wheel to rebuild a guests until the early hours to keep the guy riding! I think that says it all. Thanks to Gordy and Sophie and our guides, especially Jay, Andy and Ali
Weaknesses: None from the point of the riding or trail addictions performance. However, make sure you take plenty of spares with you as the LBS is pretty limited. Having said that, TA carry spares for common mechanicals, but you might have trouble finding something like a mallet rebuild kit!
Overall: Simply the best riding i've done. Trail Addiction have got it just right, with quality guides, food and accomodation. I'm already considering a return visit!
Strengths: Trail guides not only know the area back to front, they even make some trails! Personalised guiding to suit ability and preference. Back country day riding allows you to ride barely seen trails. Outstanding evening meals to end a hard days riding. Laid back attitude but lots of riding still gets done. Chalet hosts Sophie and Gordon are great people and make the place feel like home.
Weaknesses: Nothing to complain about, only comment is pack lunch meals do need packing out with extra snacks for a hard days riding if you have a large appetite like me!
Overall: I went to Les Arcs as an alternative to usual holiday riding downhill in the alps and was not disappointed. Some trails are actually more technical than dh runs! I would recommend them to anyone. Best 2 weeks of my life.
Strengths: The Trails: ALPINE single track - not to be confused with back in the UK singletrack. Double Header and Black 8 inparticular are with out a doubt the finest trails I have ridden anywhere. The food: cooked by Gordy the legend Chef/driver/MTBer/Paraglider/Skier/film maker and magazine cover subject) Is there anything this man cant do?? The guides: friendly, organised, proffesional - all of them top draw. The guiding: Always took time to understand what we wanted to ride, rather than just being there for a summers worth of dossing. The effort: put in to knowing and finding the trail network, looking after the guests.
Weaknesses: The back country day does consist of alot of sitting in a van. I enjoyed the other trails more than the back country trails. Dont get me wrong they were totally great and would have defecated all over anything in the UK, just that I enjoyed some of the others more.
Overall: Trail Addioction bills its self as the ultimate alpine singletrack experience. There is no doubt in my mind about that. There is though an important word in there - ALPINE. This isnt the North downs, Quantocks, Lake District, Welsh or Scotish Singletrack. Its in a league all of its own. Imagine any of those places, take the fastest or steepest or trickiest most fun bit of trail, imagine it totally natural and BIGGER and I think your probably getting close to what the Trail Addiction would show you.
Strengths: Ali and the rest of the guides went out of their way to understand the kind of riding we wanted to do and did a brilliant job of tailoring the holiday to suite. The ratio of guides to guests was outstanding (normally 2 guides to 4 or 5 guests) and everyone was very laid back (without being unprofessional), it really felt like we were riding with friends rather than on a "guided holiday".
The trails around Les Arcs were phenomenal with tracks like Black 8 and Double Header being obvious highlights but for me the thing that set the holiday apart was getting out into the backcountry, with miles and miles of untouched singletrack it really felt like we were riding in genuine wilderness. If you've ever ridden off the back of Mont Chery or down Rutsville in the Portes du Soleil and wished there were more trails like that then this is probably the resort for you.
Special mention should also go to the Goatshed (the chalet.) Comfortable if not super luxurious; Gordy and Sophie were warm and welcoming hosts and Gordy's cooking was incredible. The generous portions were just what were needed after a hard day on the trails.
A final example of the lengths everyone went to to ensure we had the best possible holiday was provided by Andy the mechanic: On hearing that one of our group had pringled his front wheel during the day he came round to the chalet in the evening to offer him the use of one of his spare wheels. Unfortunately the pringled wheel was running on a Lefty hub so the two wheels were incompatible. Undeterred, Andy took apart his own spare wheel and sat there until approaching midnight rebuilding the rim onto the Lefty hub; all so that our rider could be up and riding first thing in the morning, making the most of his holiday and avoiding a time consuming trip to a bike shop. I think this says everything you need to know about the compay.
Weaknesses: If you want to shred DH courses all week then this is probably the wrong resort.
Overall: Brilliant trails, brilliant company, I can't recommend them highly enough!
(and La Varda may be the greatest trail on the planet... What a Total Beast!)
Strengths: The awesome riding - endless rocky desecents with all the drops, hairpins and roots you could rewally ever want. The guides knowledge and friendliness. The chalet, food and accommodation, great support overall from all the team.
Weaknesses: The only beer seems to be 1664
Overall: Really worthwhile and quite cheap.
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MY REVIEW
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Average Rating: 5 out of 5
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