Beginner mountain biking in Samoëns: lessons, lifts and passes

Beginners in Samoëns should start on the flat riverside routes or with a lesson from the Septi'Bike school, and leave the lift-served trails until they can ride rough ground. Septi'Bike lists private and group lessons for beginners and advanced riders, with the instructor and bike included. The council calls the downhill trails technical enduro routes for experienced riders. A Samoëns lift day pass for bikers cost €21 in summer 2026.

Mountain bike lessons in Samoëns

Septi'Bike is at 730 route du Grand Massif, the same address as the Xtreme Glisses hire shop, beside the Grand Massif Express gondola. The lesson listing describes its instructors as state-qualified ("diplômé d'État MCF"). Its listings cover:

• private lessons and group sessions, with groups of up to 12 formed by level during the outing
• lessons for beginners and advanced riders, and downhill courses open to all levels
• guided rides on mountain bikes and electric bikes, including family rides

The lesson listing describes an all-inclusive offer of instructor and bike. No listing gives a minimum age. The downhill course page has no price, and the private-lesson prices on the other page date from a June 2025 update, so they are not repeated here. The 2026 dates differ between pages: 23 March to 27 October on some, 1 April to 8 November on others, while a separate school listing says early May to late October. Booking is required, and the listing gives a phone number for calls from 15:00 to 19:00. Contact the school for the current dates and prices.

When you ride with a Septi'Bike instructor, the school lists free protective gear (helmet, stone guard and knee pads) with a discounted downhill bike hire. The listing does not say whether helmets come with ordinary lessons. In France a helmet is compulsory for any child under 12.

The tourist office also lists guided mountain bike rides from the Jaime Sport shop on the avenue du Fer-à-Cheval, from 12 April to 2 November 2026, for groups of up to 12. The listing does not state levels, ages or prices.

Mountain bike lift pass in Samoëns

The Grand Massif sells a day pass for each lift group. These are the summer 2026 prices for ages 8 to 74:

A summer season pass for all lifts cost €180. Children under eight ride free, with proof of age, at ticket offices only. The tourist office's own summer page gives different age bands for some bike passes, so confirm your child's pass at the ticket office.

In 2026 the Grand Massif Express ran from 27 June to 30 August and the Chariande Express from 4 July to 30 August. The Grand Massif Express ticket office was listed as open from 9:00 to 17:30. The lift company's pages do not say how bikes are carried on the Samoëns lifts, so ask when you buy. The summer guide covers the lifts for walkers.

What a first-timer should expect

The trails served by the lifts are the demanding part of Samoëns. The council says their difficulty comes from roots, rocks, camber and steep slopes, and that riders should pick a route to match their level. Its page says the black trails Le Châble and the Abbadée Noire stay closed "this season". Using a closed trail or a freeride route is at the rider's own risk.

Some sections are shared with walkers, who have priority. The council's rules for riders are to stay on marked trails and not cut corners, follow the signs and direction of travel, set your speed to the terrain and weather, and take your rubbish home.

For somewhere to learn before the lifts, the tourist office lists easy valley routes of 2.3 to 9 km, none with more than 50 m of stated climbing, covered in the family mountain biking guide. The Grand Massif says the enduro trails at Morillon are signposted for all levels, from easy to more technical loops, and that the bike park at Les Carroz has green trails. If you would rather not pedal, the bike hire guide lists the e-bike shops.