A story told by Adrien Loron
The Beginning
In the summer of 2008, I embarked on my very first downhill biking adventure in Les 2 Alpes. It was a time when the resort was known as the European Mecca of mountain biking and one of the best bike parks in the world. As a young BMX racer, I was instantly captivated, and that summer every single lap on my full suspension bike was spectacular! Unfortunately, the cost was too expensive for me and I had to stick to 20" wheel races for a few more years. Then in 2013, Crankworx arrived in France and guess where it was held? Les 2 Alpes!
This represented an amazing opportunity for me to compete with the pros so I registered for the Speed & Style and Pumptrack competitions. I ended up winning my very first Pro Event at the Pumptrack Challenge and got a wild card for Crankworx Whistler. One month later, I had a consecutive win but this time on Canadian soil which opened the doors to the professional MTB world for me.
We lived amazing moments in Les 2 Alpes during those years, with 4 Crankworx stops from 2012 to 2015. However, as time passed, the pace of mountain biking activities in the resort began to slow down. As a result, the 2 Alpes Bike Park saw minimal evolution and eventually remained stagnant.
The Return
After 6 years travelling the world mountain biking, I came back to Les 2 Alpes in the summer of 2021.
I was amazed! I felt as though I was experiencing it for the first time all over again. The town, the people, the mood were welcoming and just as cool as before. While the trails remained largely unchanged, the untapped potential of this location as a premier MTB destination became clear to me. It was obvious: Les 2 Alpes had the attributes of one of the world's top biking destinations, given the right investment and expertise.
I met with SATA Group, the new managing operator of the mountain area, who also oversees l’Alpe d’Huez and La Grave — two other world-class MTB destinations just 30 minutes away. To my delight, they shared my vision and were eager to raise this area up to its full potential. With this common goal in mind, we began our collaboration in autumn 2021.
The Next Chapter
Step by step, we started from the ground up, addressing fundamental needs, building new trails, new features and new experiences for the Bike Park. Very quickly, we forged a strong partnership with the local team, exchanging insights and expertise that has led to significant improvements. Already, the landscape has changed to include five new trails, totalling approximately 20 kilometres, along with 130 berms and 90 jumps. The MTB activities continue to expand, with a new MTB school, new events, and additional shops.
Some people still think of les 2 Alpes as having a tired-looking Bike Park that lacks maintenance and new trails. But let me tell you, this couldn't be farther away from the truth!
Les 2 Alpes is far from an abandoned Bikepark. Something fresh to ride is growing up from the ground every autumn and spring and it’s growing fast! Big bowls, sick jumps for all levels and new flows are popping up in this epic scenery and it’s only the beginning.
Since 2021, SATA Group and the municipality have been investing in renovating the lifts with, in December 2024, the opening of the new Jandri cable car which will replace the existing gondola promising enhanced accessibility, taking you from the resort (1650m) to the top (3200m) in only 17 minutes (versus 40 today). And if that’s not enough, an exhilarating descent from the resort to the valley offers an extra 700 meters of elevation drop.
The Project
This video project is a special one for me. Waking up at 5am to catch amazing sunrises on an epic ridge, opening new trails that have never been ridden before and shredding the park til sunset. It made me realise how lucky I am to be back enjoying this place 10 years later. How cool it is to be developing the Bike Park while also representing such a unique place as an ambassador. Through these images, we hope to transmit just what it’s like here, and trust me, this place is huge and it offers endless options for riding.
I just signed for 2 more years with the 2 Alpes Tourism Office and SATA Group meaning there are plenty of projects on the way for 2024 and 2025.
So, here’s my message to you: don't miss out—come up and visit us this summer. Wherever you come from in the world, if you like big mountain biking, I promise you, it’s worth the trip.