No, this trip is for everyone.

Whether you’re a group of friends who want to ride together, or you’re on your own and want to meet some like minded people to ride with, then this trip is for you.

If you are solo then don’t be intimidated, remember we have our ‘never ride alone guarantee’; Heather will always be on hand to ride with you, or, if you’re up for it, then group rides will be happening every day.

Shared Room: Choose this option to share a room—either with a friend you're booking with or another solo rider from the collective. You can book a shared room even if you're coming solo; if someone else does the same, we'll pair you up. Booking alone doesn’t mean you need to book a single occupancy room.

Single Occupancy: This option gives you a room to yourself—perfect if you prefer your own space and don’t want to share.

No; to come on this trip you must be 18 years old+.

We are taking riders of every level for this trip, from day one beginners to the Rachel Athertons and Vali Holls of the world (although I don’t think these two will be booking with us, but who knows!).

If you’re a beginner, whether it’s day one for you on a new adventure, or you’ve been riding for a bit and are still working up to blue runs, then we would recommend getting yourself some lessons and hiring a coach for your stay. Mountain biking is a dangerous sport and there are things you need to know when riding in a bike park.

Of course, Heather will always be available for a shred, but as a beginner you’ll make the most progress, and the get the most out of your holiday, with a coach by your side.

If you are wanting to ride as part of the group then this is always an option, but the general level of riders we get are comfortable on blue and red trails, so for those looking to progress, we recommend a coach.

Since Les Gets is a lift-accessed bike park you don’t need to do an ounce of uphill pedalling if you don’t want to (apart from maybe a bit of undulation on the trails). Downhill bikes are most suited to the more technical trails, but there is so much variety it would probably be hard to bring the wrong bike.

Enduro bikes and trail bikes will be absolute fine on all the trails here, and an XC bike would be okay on the easier trails and single track routes, but we would not recommend XC bikes for the bike park flow and tech trails.

Heather has a trail bike that she brings just to give you an indication, or if you’re unsure whether yours is up to it!

The Portes du Soleil is so large that you may think you need multiple passes; thankfully, it’s a unified bike park, so one pass will grant you access to the whole area.

That’s 5 bike parks in one pass:

1. Les Gets

2. Morzine

3. Avoriaz

4. Chatel

5. Dents du Midi Region (Switzerland).

We’ll likely be staying on the French side, which is all connected*. But it’s good to know if you fancy organising a day trip!

*depending on the time of the season not all connections will be open

Whilst you can buy a Les Gets-only lift pass, it’s sold in the form of a ride credit system — for example, a 12-ride pass gives you 12 lift rides in total. This means you’d need to buy multiple passes each day, which quickly becomes less cost-effective than a full-area pass.

Plus, the Les Gets pass only covers that single bike park. It’s a fantastic area to ride, but we’ll definitely be exploring further afield too — so a full Portes du Soleil pass offers much better value and freedom.

Bikes

*NOT INCLUDED- you’ll need to bring your own bike or hire locally*

• What Type of Bike Will I Need?

Since Les Gets is a lift-accessed bike park you don’t need to do an ounce of uphill pedalling if you don’t want to (apart from maybe a bit of undulation on the trails). Downhill bikes are most suited to the more technical trails, but there is so much variety it would probably be hard to bring the wrong bike.

Enduro bikes and trail bikes will be absolute fine on all the trails here, and an XC bike would be okay on the easier trails and single track routes, but we would not recommend XC bikes for the bike park flow and tech trails.

Heather has a trail bike that she brings just to give you an indication, or if you’re unsure whether yours is up to it!

• Bike Hire

Don’t want to bring your bike? Hiring a bike in Les Gets can range from anywhere between €60 and €150 per day with a huge variety of bikes and specs on offer. There are also deals and offers that run throughout the summer, so it’s worth noting that this is a guideline price.

Morzine and Les Gets are just two of the resorts which make up the Portes du Soleil (PDS) bike park. Officially there are over 60 MTB trails in in the area, but if you ask any of the locals, there are hundreds.

There’s an abundance of trails in the area for all levels so whether your looking for flowy blues or some techy single track there is something for every level.

Our chalet. The Alpine Lodge, is centrally located with really easy access to the town and the chair lifts.

The main chair lift out of Les Gets (Le Chavannes) is approximately a 3 minute ride at a slow pace over a slight crest, on a road from the chalet.

And the village is an easy (and slow) five minute walk.

Lunch is not included in the chalet catering; but, because it’s France, there is no shortage of places to grab a totally delicious lunch.

From sandwiches, pizzas, empanadas and burgers, to fondues and sushi, Both resorts have heaps to choose from. Whether you want to come back down to town or head to a trail-side, on-mountain restaurant, there’s heaps of choice to cater to all budgets.

If you get injured in the bike park, you won’t get a refund for a lift pass that has been used. This is why you’re insurance needs to cover all the activities you’ll be partaking in.

You’ll also need to use your insurance to help with the costs of getting home in the case of an injury, or if you need to visit the medical centre in town- it’s not free, despite being absolutely fantastic!

As per our T&C’s you need have insurance in order to come on our retreats.

If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area (France is included in this, and despite Les Gets’ closest airport actually being in Switzerland, the changes will still affect us) for a short stay using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, when you arrive. You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration.

You can more information look at the government website

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-entryexit-system