Nickegg, fortunately Frankenbike is now up and running again.

View from the top of the chairlift at Arc 2600 this summer.

Stayed in Ste Foy Tarentaise up the valley from Bourg. Lovely singletrack along the river down to Bourg, then 'worm' and chairlifts to the top. Thoroughly recommended.

We've done a couple of holidays with TA and generally been very happy indeed. Their trail knowledge is superb – you *could* get by without a guide, but you'd waste a lot of time figuring stuff out for yourself. Add in full board and lodging and it's actually a relatively cost efficient way to guarantee a really good holiday.

I actually preferred Les Arcs to Whistler. Less stunts and airtime, sure, but there's not the whole forced "americanness" feeling, and a lot of the trails over on the northern face of the hills really reminded me of The Shore and Squamish, especially in the wet. The network of lifts also means that an awful lot more terrain is open to you without needing 4×4 uplifts which just eat into riding time.

TA do run multiple groups every day to cater for different skill levels and riding styles – all gravitationally inclined though! Trails like Lavarda, beautiful though the scenery is aren't for everybody. One rider in our group this year had a bit of a hissy fit because they simply couldn't cope with the sustained technicality of it.

Any bike with big forks (but not triples) big brakes and big tyres will be perfect. Ash one of the TA directors has just got a 5, which says it all really…

yup, with Trailaddiction, it's great.

La Varda

So anyone been to Verbier? and if so which would you choose for a weeks holiday, TA or BikeVerbier?

Whoops – La Varda

Black 8
Vernettes Chapel

A few more vids of trails in the area to download in a slightly higher res here.

(pic by cynic-al)

Verbier better than Les Arcs IMO – If you like proper steeps and nasty stuff.

Cool, need to brush up on my skills over the winter and get it booked then.

My opinion is that its really difficult to seperate Les Arcs, and Verbier (especially if you go with either of those top companies you mention). I found Verbier was nearly all extremely steep, techy and very hard on the brakes, which I happen to like a lot (but did wonder if it would be fun for anyone other than the very experienced alpine rider). Les Arcs on the other hand was "a lot" of steep and techy – right up to as hard and exposed as you could possibly ever imagine, but also had quite a few "medium" intensity trails too.

Other primary difference is that the lift access in les arcs is probably better. I.e. Bikeverbier = on average 20 min pedal to get to the top of the big descents, trailAddiction = 0 to 5 mins on avg (but they were still "secret" trails!).

The nightlife is better in Verbier town (if you like mad party nights) although Im not sure if bikeverbier are actually in verbier centre thesedays?

Tough call! Perhaps you should start a poll?!

The nightlife is better in Verbier town (if you like mad party nights)

Having been to Les Arcs twice with trailAddiction,I found that after a days riding,the last thing I wanted to do was go out partying,(too knackered!!).
Good job really,as Peisey Nancroix,where tA are based,is quieter than a quiet thing when its fast asleep…..

La Varda is a real head f*ck of a trail. The concentration required to get down it is pretty intense.

When we were in Bourg it was bouncing all week due to the French National Kayak Champs and the tour rolling through. As has been mentioned before, stop in Bourg and you've got uplifts well into the evening via the funicular and free busses. We did the high up and off the back stuff in the morning and afternoon then had a break around 4-5 ish before hitting up the trails under 1600, 1800 and in the Malgovert for a few hours as the sun set.

Peisey Nancroix is home to L'ancolie restaurant which is the nuts.

All this talking of Les Arcs in making me hungry for Tartiflette. Luckily I have some Reblochon in the fridge…..