From Road Biking to the Mountain, Morzine

Morzine is a haven for downhill bikers, it's a dream for those who love the adrenalin fuelled sport, flying down the mountains, over rocks and outcrops, hurtling through mud and across obstacles. But the full experience definitely isn't for everyone.

However....that doesn't mean you can't give it a go and enjoy it. Morzine has so much to offer for every level of cyclist, from those who want to give downhilling a go but are looking for a slightly tamer experience to those who want to risk life and limb!

I would call my self a road biker but even then, I'm pretty rubbish down hill, however when we got the bikes out of the garage and I saw the wide tyres of his mountain bike staring back at me, I felt like, living in Morzine, I had to give it a go.

I don't think I realised just how different it is! I'm used to going out for around 4 hours on the roads of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, both have their fair share of hills but compared to the Portes Du Soleil, they're pretty pathetic! Road biking is about endurance, gear management, tactics and fitness, obviously they have similarities but I found off-roading is more about strength, explosive fitness, understanding how to handle the bike and also the terrain. Oh, and having no fear of course.

The Dereche trail, which starts from the Palais Des Sport car park in Morzine, and runs down the river to Saint-Jean D'Aulps is a great track for beginners but also for more experienced riders to improve their fitness. From Morzine, the ride is down hill and much easier than the way back up. It's a wide path between Morzine and the roundabout at Montriond but once you head past that and nearer to the Carrefour at St Jean d'Aulps the path narrows and becomes much more exciting.

I'd say it's about 8km each way but there are chances the whole way along to turn back on yourself and shorten the loop. All along the path, there are little off shoots of hilly climbs that the more experienced rider can take if they feel the need to hunt for that extra bit of speed.

My first ride along the Dereche was interesting. I started out from Saint Jean meaning a steady climb all the way back into Morzine. Gears slipped all over the place, I couldn't control the wheels over the gravel at times and, dressed in my road biking gear, I certainly looked like a novice. But I have to say, I really did enjoy it. It's a different type of excitement to road biking. I always feel relatively in control on my road bike but that isn't the case on a mountain bike. I felt like you hand the control over to the bike and spend a lot of time hoping you don't come off. But I guess that's the pull.

The Dereche trail does have it's challenging parts. There's a very steep climb out of the dip of SJD and a few hairy downhill sections. I did it on a sunny day when the ground was quite dry, I've since done it in the rain though and that was a completely different experience! Different but so fun!! There's something exciting about getting absolutely covered in mud from head to toe. I found riding the trail in both conditions, a really useful opportunity to get a feel for the bike and also an understanding of what you need to do to get real control over some of the obstacles.

You do see bikers of all ability on the trail and is definitely something you can do as part of your training or with the family as a day long activity. I'd say that the little taster I've had has also given me a better understanding of why it's such a popular sport here. It's fun, unpredictable, exciting and risky but it's as risky as you want to allow it to be. Don't tell any of my road biking friends - but you do feel, in comparison, like you're being allowed to let go a bit!

I'm not saying I'll be jumping on the Pleney lift and following in the footsteps of the Avalanche cup series riders anytime soon. But I'm not saying never...

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Read more about road cycling, cycling routes, mountain biking & mountain biking trails.