Going on an adventure, exploring new trails, feeling the adrenaline rush at every turn... This is exactly what our team experienced during our recent outing in the Aosta Valley. Two days of exploring by bike, with Aosta as a starting point, and a night spent in a secluded cabin in the heart of The valley. Accompanied by a passionate guide, we cycled through picturesque trails, discovered breathtaking landscapes and shared unforgettable moments.
Monday evening, 18 p.m., the Backside team meets in front of the shop, the store will be closed for two days. We do the last check-ups, we load the bikes on the bike rack, the bags in the TrailTaxi bus from Jarno and we set off for a short hour and a half drive. As soon as we arrive in Aosta, we head to the restaurant, obviously offering Italian specialties.
After a first night's rest at the hotel, our journey begins in the rain. Despite the lack of sun, the motivation of the troops is present. Lorenzo from The Place and passionate local expert will be our guide for both days. He presented us with the trails of the day and without a doubt, we were on our way to discover all that. Our morning was dedicated to discovering the trails of Aosta. Between the autumn-colored forests and the panoramic viewpoints, each pedal stroke gave us more pleasure. Our guide, sharing his expertise, led us along winding paths, introducing us to technical trails that tested our mountain biking skills and gave us an unforgettable experience, combining the excitement of rapid descent with the rest breaks during shuttle climbs.
The second part of the day focused on the climb to the Champillon refuge at an altitude of 2465m where we would spend the night. We didn't have to wait too long, to avoid pedaling as night fell. 400m of elevation gain had to be made before being able to enjoy a cup of tea around the fireplace. The boys, having favored the descent over the ascent, sweated profusely with their muscle bikes. The other half of the group, with their E-Bike, found this climb to be child's play. The good supper prepared by the cabin keepers was still well deserved by everyone. The snow was also among us and the view was breathtaking.
Wednesday and the last day, fatigue was felt a little, but the motivation was still there to cover the last trails proposed by Lorenzo. Once we have descended 400m in altitude, we board the shuttle which takes us a little further into the valley, in the Etroubles region. Everyone enjoys the last moments on their bike and goes down the trails towards Aosta at full speed. The ground is wet from the rain and covered with leaves fallen from the trees, you have to be on the lookout to avoid slipping. Everything goes wonderfully and our trip ends with a good, well-deserved beer on the terrace of The Place.
Then it’s already time to return to Verbier. Jarno comes to pick us up with his bus. The bags are in the trunk, the bikes are hooked to the back and we're off to return to Verbier. Despite a few falls, the Aosta Valley offered us much more than a bike ride - it offered us a real adventure.
