Make the most of the Med
PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE
1 Get your GCSE textbooks back out and learn a bit of the lingo. ‘Left’, ‘right’, ‘up’, ‘down’, ‘beer’, ‘ice cream’, ‘hello’ and ‘thanks’ should get you most of the way! 2 Take a leaf out of the locals’ book and chill. You may be used to instant replies to your inquiries but life is a little more laidback in the sun. 3 Pack your sun cream, even in winter. The highway down to the Côte d’Azur isn’t called the Autoroute du Soleil (Motorway of the Sun) for nothing! 4 Take your swimmers. Nothing beats a dip in the Med after a day’s shredding. 5 Work out what you want from your trip. If it’s shuttle riding, then research uplift operators/holiday packages. Some of the resorts are well served, while others require more self-reliance.
GETTING THERE
Travelling to the Ligurian Coast (the Italian bit) or Côte d’Azur (French) is most commonly done by flying to Nice. From here, even Finale can be reached in a couple of hours, via a train from the airport or a hire car (check it’s valid to drive into Italy). Most motorways in France and Italy have tolls, so don’t forget some change or your credit/debit card. There’s also the option to fly to Genoa, in north-west Italy, if those flights work better for you. Be aware that working out train timetables can be tricky in Italy, as the various operators don’t always talk to each other very well.
TOOLS FOR THE JOB
Most modern MTBs should be up to the task, but if you’ve got the option, plump for a longish-travel enduro bike. The hills are big and rocky, so 140-160mm of squish is of real benefit. While there are uplift services, you’ll still be required to do a bit of climbing, so a bike that’s not scared of the odd hill is best. Wide rims and beefy tyres will help shrug o the hits, especially when run tubeless to avoid snakebites. Knee pads are almost obligatory, and if you wear elbow or back protection at bike parks, take that too. Full-face helmets can be a bit sweaty but a convertible lid is a good option, or at least an open-face with extra coverage. Go for goggles if you like the enduro look!