The Trail

Could it be the best trail in the world? It’s top 10 for sure. An amazing ridgeline, flowing high mountain singletrack, technical sections, ridiculous views, loam, rocks, cow shit, 2000m of descending (that isn’t a typo), roll into it off a lift, you roll out of it into an Aosta bar. It’s the full Alpine mountain biking experience in one descent.

A good trail can be judged by a lack of photos, and the scant offering below says it all really. There may also have been a ‘technical’ issue by the GoPro operator. Anyway, just go ride it.

This one can be combined with Col Tsa Setze to provide a lift served backcountry double header. Allow a full day if doing both routes.

The Ascent

The problem with a 2000m descent, is the 2000m ascent. But luckily for us, the lifts of Pila bike park do the heavy lifting – Aosta Pila gondola, Chamolé chairlift, Couis 1 chairlift. The appropriately named ‘Flow Trail’ linking Chamolé and Couis 1 is excellent. The 200m of ascending comes from two short climbs during the descent. The first, a short push/carry on the ridgeline just after the Col de la Pierre. The second, a traversing pedal on singletrack from Champchenille.

NB: The Couis 1 chairlift traditionally has a shorter season that the rest of the lifts so check dates. If it is closed, you can still get to the same start point via a 550m 4×4 track climb directly under the lift.

The Descent

Off the lift and straight into the famous Pila ridge line, it’s a mixture of steep and not-so-steep singletrack, rocky sections and a fair amount of exposure, but anything you don’t like the look of is fairly easy to walk. But what a place to ride a bike! A short climb up to the Pointe de la Pierre, and then it’s flat out down the ridge overlooking the entire Aosta valley. More super fast singletrack through the pastures, and then into the trees at Champchenille. It can be tricky to find the traversing singletrack around here, the cattle do a good job of destroying everything, but keep your eyes open and you’ll pick it up. After the short climb, it’s straight into a brilliant section of classic loam and flow in the mélèze. From Chaz Liautaysaz, the trail completely changes in character to more physical terrain. Much more rocky, still fast, and the majority of riding is in a shallow gully which is seriously fun. There are some tricky rock gardens too. The kind of terrain where the faster you go, the easier it gets. And this theme continues until the end of the trail, where you will undoubtedly have to break out a crowbar to pry your hands off the bars, and the smile off your face. Beer time.

Variations

Pila village direct – in case of snow, closed lifts etc, you can traverse to the middle of the descent directly from Pila village. Pick up the 4×4 track which traverses to Chaz Liautaysaz via Alpe Grimondet.

Couis 1 chairlift closed – If this top lift is closed, you can climb the 4×4 track directly under the Couis 1 chairlift (+550m). Pretty steep but absolutely worth it.