Les Arcs boosts offering for mountain bikers and cyclists this summer

This summer the French Alpine resort of Les Arcs - Bourg Saint Maurice has boosted its offering for mountain bikers and cyclists, with earlier lift openings, mountain bike trails for all levels and more cycling events.

For mountain bikers, Les Arcs continues to cement its reputation as one of the best French alpine resorts for riders, offering 149 km of marked trails and 10 lifts for all disciplines – Downhill, Enduro, Cross Country and E-Mountain Bike. The Bike Park is vast and varied, offering trails starting at 2600m down to 800m of altitude. From open, high-altitude descents, to long single-track through the forests, it is a true mountain biker’s paradise. This summer certain lifts will open early, from 17th June, for access to the mountain bike trails, with the full Bike Park opening from 8th July to 2 September 2023.

For beginners, there is the chance to try Downhill and Enduro biking safely on three green trails across the resort. They can then progress rapidly to the blue trails that connect the four sections of the Bike Park. For more experienced riders, there are eight Downhill trails, including the long, unique descent on the black ‘8’ Downhill trail, which starts in the forest of Arc 1600 and offers an 8km descent to the bottom of Bourg St Maurice, after which riders can take the funicular back to Arc 1600, taking just seven minutes. This summer (5th-8th July) will see Les Arcs host the French Mountain Bike Downhill Championships, again an indication of the quality of riding on offer in the resort.

For road cyclists, Bourg Saint Maurice is a superb base for a cycling holiday, with access to three mythical mountain passes – the Col de l'Iseran, Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard and Cormet de Roselend. Names which will resonate with all road cycling enthusiasts. There are also options for more mellow road biking, including the bike path which runs from Bourg Saint Maurice to Aime, stretching 12km passing through forests and via Le Gothard lake.

For cycling fans and spectators, the 19th of July sees Bourg Saint Maurice welcome the Tour de France, when it passes through the town after the riders have tackled the Cormet de Roselend. Visitors can once again expect a festival atmosphere for this famous and prestigious event.

For something a bit different on two wheels, the Nocturne des Ruelles, which takes place on 4th August in Bourg Saint Maurice, is an urban relay mountain bike race where teams of two (men, women & mixed) ride a course through the winding streets ofBourg Saint Maurice which is full of surprises. The teams do a maximum number of circuits on a 1 km loop for 1 hour.

More details about all the summer activities and events for 2023 are available on www.lesarcs.com