Sunset Ride in Albiez: riding down the pistes on an e-mountain bike at sunset

On Thursdays, late in the afternoon, a small group takes the last chairlift of the day with electric mountain bikes, then rides back down the Albiez pistes at sunset, facing the Aiguilles d'Arves. This is the Sunset Ride des Aiguilles, an outing led by a Mustang Sports instructor that ends with a Savoyard aperitif. The resort presents it as an activity unique to Albiez.

How the outing works

• The warm-up: you collect the electric mountain bike and the protective gear, and the instructor takes the group on a first short ride to get used to the bike.
• The climb: the group takes the last chairlift of the day to the top, around 5 pm.
• The descent: back down the pistes by bike, just as the sun sets behind the peaks, still with the instructor.
• The aperitif: the outing ends around 6:30 pm with a Savoyard aperitif.

Allow 2 hours 30 in all. The group is small: 3 people minimum for the outing to go ahead, 6 at most.

Who it is for

The activity is open from age 13, with a minimum height of 1.30 m. No skiing level is required: this makes it one of the few outings of the winter where an experienced skier and a friend who does not ski ride down the same pistes together.

It suits:

• families with teenagers, for whom the ski week is starting to look like the one before;
• groups of friends who want a different evening in the middle of the week;
• the non-skiers in your party, who finally get to see the ski area from the top;
• summer mountain bikers, curious to ride on snow.

The reseller that sells it lists two contraindications: heart problems and pregnancy. For children under 13, look instead at the Mollard sledging run or the Albiez C'Show on Tuesday evenings during the school holidays.

The lift pass: the point not to forget

The climb is by ski lift, and the lift pass is not included in the price. If you are skiing that day, yours is enough. Otherwise, there is a pedestrian pass: it is sold at the lift ticket offices, in the Mollard as in the Chef-lieu. Ask Mustang when you book whether you need one for your outing.

What to bring

• Ski clothing: jacket, trousers, a hat under the helmet. At 5 pm in winter, the temperature drops quickly once the sun has gone behind the ridges.
• Warm, waterproof shoes that grip the pedals: ask Mustang what works best.
• A deposit for the bike is required on the spot (€500 according to the reseller): bring a bank card.

The helmet, protective gear and bike are provided. The reseller also mentions gloves and a bib; if you have your own ski gloves, bring them anyway.

Where to meet

Albiez has two sectors, almost two small villages linked by the ski area: the Mollard, where the apartment is, and the Chef-lieu, 2 km away. Each has its own chairlift — les Échaux in the Mollard, le Loup in the Chef-lieu — and Mustang has a shop on each side: Mustang 1650 (Skiset) right at the foot of the slopes in the Mollard, near the apartment, and Mustang 1550 (Skimium) in the Chef-lieu, near place Opinel. Both shops run the same outings.

The meeting point and the chairlift used are not published, and they may change from one outing to the next. Ask for them when you book, as well as the exact time: the tourist office listing says 4 pm, the reseller a 4:30 pm meeting time. If the departure is from the Mollard, you can walk there from the apartment.

Book before Thursday

Six places per outing, a single outing per week: during a school-holiday week, Thursday fills up fast. The simplest is to book at the same time as your ski equipment, before you leave: Mustang also hires out skis, in both its shops.

Like all outdoor activities, the outing depends on the weather, and the tourist office states that times are not guaranteed. The programme may change: if in doubt, call Mustang or the tourist office on +33 4 79 59 30 48.

See also: mountain biking, BMX and scooters in Albiez in summer, hiring skis in Albiez, snowmobiling and igloo evenings and the winter page.