Mountain biking with kids in Les Gets: routes and bike park

Mountain biking with kids in Les Gets starts in one of two places, and only one of them needs a lift pass. The free option is the pair of pump tracks, open to any child who can ride a balance bike. For a first ride with some distance in it, the tourist office lists the Clarines loop, a green circuit of 5.7 km on wide grassy paths or forest tracks, which it calls the route for taking children or beginners. Everything inside the bike park, from the green Squirrels trail to the Mini Jump Park, needs a mountain bike lift pass, and children under five travel free on Les Gets rides and cards.

Easy bike routes in Les Gets

The tourist office lists six cross-country and enduro circuits. Only one is pitched at children; the table adds the next one up.

The Clarines loop runs along the balconies of Mont Caly, through high meadows, and ends at the hamlet of Mont Caly. The page promises no roots or rocks, suggests the rolling profile for teaching speed control, and says electric assistance is not essential but makes the ride smoother. It gives no start point and does not say whether a lift is involved; it links a map and a GPX file, so check before setting off with a small rider.

The Alpages loop passes the old pasture hamlets of Mont Chéry. The page warns that the ground can be a little stony and that hikers share the paths.

Pump tracks and balance bikes

Les Gets has two pump tracks, both free and, in the tourist office's words, open throughout the summer season. The village track is all wood, which gives grip and a softer feel, and the tourist office says it suits beginners and the youngest riders. The other is asphalt, beside the leisure centre at the Lac des Écoles, with a smoother surface.

The tourist office gives the minimum age as the point at which a child has mastered a balance bike or pedal bike, about two to three. Any wheeled kit does, including scooters and rollerblades, and village sports shops hire children's mountain bikes, BMXs and protectors by the half or full day. In wet weather it advises against the wooden modules, which can become slippery; the asphalt track is still passable.

For lessons on a balance bike, the tourist office's bike school page says sessions start from age 3. The kids' bike hire and lessons guide covers who is listed.

Family mountain biking in the Les Gets bike park

The tourist office's answer to where a first-timer should start is Les Écureuils, the Squirrels, the green trail on the Chavannes side. It describes the trail as wide, gentle and "ideal for beginners and families", and lists banked turns, root sections and bumps. It runs 4.9 km, dropping 490 m from the top of Les Chavannes to the village centre.

Two smaller areas sit on the Chavannes side:

• The beginners' area at the top station of the Chavannes Express chairlift, with modules for balance, braking, riding position, line choice and small obstacles. The tourist office's summer 2026 press kit, in French, describes a new beginners' piste there.
• The Mini Jump Park, between the Lac des Écoles and the heart of the bike park. A helmet is compulsory, and knee pads, elbow pads and a back protector are strongly recommended. There is no minimum age, but children must be able to balance on the pedals and brake; for toddlers the tourist office says the Kid Zone next door suits better.

The Kid Zone is described as a space for the youngest riders. The tourist office ties it to the pump track by the Lac des Écoles and places it next to the Mini Jump Park, and no page says whether it needs a lift pass. The same page says both pump tracks are free and that only the Jump Park needs a lift pass. Helmets are compulsory in these play areas.

The bike park beginners guide takes the trails and passes in more detail.

What needs a lift pass

For summer 2026 the lift company listed a single ride at €5.60 for a child aged 5 to 15, a six-ride card at €28.20 and a twelve-ride card at €50, the cards costing the same at any age. A Portes du Soleil bike pass for one day was €29 for a child on the web. The summer price page has the rest, and a walking pass does not carry a bike.

Mountain biking with kids: age and equipment

The tourist office's bike school page says schools generally take children from 5 or 6 for bike park outings, depending on ability, and that courses are "not necessarily for toddlers". It advises older children to be able to pedal and keep their balance on a road or flat path before they try the mountain. A classic mountain bike in good condition will do for an introductory course.

On protection, the tourist office says every hire company offers packages with full-face helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and chest protectors. It does not say whether these come in children's sizes, so ask when you book.

Season and hours

In summer 2026 the Chavannes and Nauchets chairlifts ran pre-opening weekends from 22 May to 14 June, then daily from 19 June to 13 September. The Mont Chéry gondola ran daily from 19 June to 30 August. From 4 July to 30 August the Chavannes Express ran from 9:00 to 17:30. The lift company's opening page has the current dates.