In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of mountain biking (Tennyson was a keen early mtber, award yourself 10 smug points if you got the reference), lift accessed mountain biking at that, but where?
Well here’s a list of when Chamonix’s lifts open (probably, subject to usual CdMB changes) and some other options for nearby if that’s too long to wait.
Le Tour: 14th June
Flegere: 14th June
Brevent/Planpraz: 14th June
Prarion: 14th June
Bellevue: 14th June
Tramway du Mont Blanc: 14th June
Grand Montets: 28th June
Vallorcine: 28th June
And beyond the valley:
La Thuile, 28th June : http://www.lathuile.it/homepage.asp?s=E
Portes du Mont Blanc, 5th July : http://www.combloux.com/en/activities/summer/pass.html
Tignes / Val d’Isere, 28th June (more than an hours drive, but the lifts are free again): http://www.tignes.net/en/summer-sports/free-and-unlimited-activities-252.html
Grand Massif haven’t released their dates yet, but probably 5th July: http://ete.grand-massif.com/plans-d-ete
Pila, Dates not up, but probably 21st June: http://www.pila.it/en/holidays/tariffe/tessere-a-punti/ *update Aosta-Pila lift only open weekend of 14/15 June then full area opening from 21 June.
Aosta valley shuttle riding, April: http://aostavalleyfreeride.com/freeride-bike-out-season.php
Portes du Soliel also doesn’t have dates up, but likely some lifts open from 14th June with the full area open for the Passportes on the 27th-29th June: http://en.portesdusoleil.com/summer-lifts.html *update! Les Gets is open the 2 weekends before it’s full opening on the 14th
Verbier, weekends only from 7th June, then all week from the 23rd June: http://www.verbierbikepark.ch/horaires_fr.php
La Saleve, 10th April: http://www.saleveautrement.ch/Pratique
Dorenaz, never stops: http://www.dorenaz.ch/dorenaz/transports
