What if happiness could be found in a weekend getaway with friends in the mountains? This September, head to Bourg-Saint-Maurice–Les Arcs to extend your summer in the great outdoors.
2 days of biking and hiking in Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Les Arcs in September
What if the secret to happiness were to plan little weekend getaways with friends in the great outdoors between summer breaks? In September, dig out your bikes and hiking boots (which you packed away too quickly as school was starting), and treat yourself to a weekend in the mountains near Bourg-Saint-Maurice – Les Arcs! We promise: after reading the itinerary we’ve put together for you, you’ll (almost) be looking forward to the end of summer…
Friday: Disconnect / Reconnect
4:30 PM: Log out of Teams and Outlook, shut down your computer, and wish your beloved coworkers a great weekend. Let the weekend begin!
4:45 PM: Meet up at the train station (or the carpool area) with the group of friends you share all your outdoor adventures with
7:00 PM: Arrive in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, just in time to buy some Beaufort cheese and sausage for tonight’s aperitif before heading to your lodging. Now you’re truly reconnecting with the mountains!
Saturday morning: 3 cycling options to ride all morning
Option 1: Downhill and enduro on the last open mountain bike trails at Les Arcs
Bike Park Have you decided to plan your weekend for September 5-6 or 12-13, 2026? Perfect: two lifts (the funicular and the Cachette chairlift) will remain open, giving you one last chance to ride the bike park trails before winter.
Meet at the base of the funicular at 8:30 a.m. with your day mountain bike pass for just €14. In just 7 minutes on the funicular, reach the Cachette chairlift, which will take you to the Rock N’ Arolles DH trails (red level—advanced, 4.3 km, -550 m) and the Cachette trail (black level—expert, 3 km, -550 m), as well as the Easy Rider enduro mountain bike trail (green beginner level, 7.6 km, -550 m).
Once you’re warmed up, continue the descent via the “La 8” enduro trail to the base of the funicular (expert black level, 6.7 km, -820 m). And keep looping between the funicular and Cachette until you nail the perfect run, smooth from top to bottom.
Option 2: Active e-MTB Ride (electric-assist mountain bike)
Prefer to plan your hiking/biking weekend after September 15, once the lifts are closed? Break out the e-MTBs!
Take on the Tour de l’Aiguille Grive (advanced red level, 31.3 km, loop with -1,150 m / +1,150 m elevation gain starting from Arcs 1950) or Route 66 (advanced red level, 22.2 km, -170 m / +1,060 m elevation gain starting from Bourg-Saint-Maurice). Unless you’d prefer a more leisurely loop with half the elevation gain, around the Dôme de Vaugelaz (33 km with 520 m of elevation gain). The hardest part will be pronouncing its name correctly: it’s “Dôme de Vaujèle,” not “Dôme de Vaujeulaze”… (in Savoie, we love silent letters).
Option 3: Road bike to tackle the Petit Saint Bernard Pass or the Iseran
Pass Warm up your perfectly shaved (or not) calves on the roads leading to the region’s legendary passes:
- Col du Petit Saint Bernard: 30.4 km one way, 1,375 m of elevation gain
- Cormet de Roselend: 19.5 km one way, 1,150 m of elevation gain
- Col de l’Iseran: 51.5 km one way, 2,150 m of elevation gain (Europe’s highest road pass: 2,764 m above sea level!)
Be careful, it gets chilly up there… Bring something to keep you warm.
Didn’t come here to suffer on your bike? Opt for the great classics that are a bit less demanding (but just as beautiful) and wind their way above Bourg-Saint-Maurice: the Balcons de Tarentaise (29 km with 140 m of elevation gain: this route should be a breeze), the Versant du Soleil, or the Boucle des villages (685 m of elevation gain… it starts to get tough, but there are two short descents to help you recover before tackling the final big climb).
Practical info:
- Review best practices for traveling by train with a bike OR rent a mountain bike or e-MTB + protective gear right on-site
- Check the map of mountain bike and e-MTB trails
- Check the map of cycling routes in Haute Tarentaise
- Buy your mountain bike pass online to save 5 minutes on arrival day
Saturday afternoon: whitewater rafting
Did your friends who are fans of Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt split off this morning to hang out with those who swear by Tadej Pogacar? No problem! Put away the jerseys and cycling shorts: this afternoon, it’s wetsuits for everyone!
Hop aboard an inflatable raft (along with a whitewater expert you’ll have taken care to book in advance), and paddle until your shoulders are burning along the 18-kilometer rafting descent through the rapids of the Isère. The only requirement to participate: you must know how to swim (and not be afraid to put your head underwater). Sound good to you?
Practical info:
Sunday morning: hike (or hike & fly session for paragliders)
Two questions to ask yourself when planning your Sunday hike:
1/ Are you willing to set your alarm?
2/ Are you in good shape?
Did you answer YES to both questions? No need to hesitate: head to the wild trails of the Chapieux Valley and the Glacier Valley! Up to September 13th, a daily shuttle departing from Bourg-Saint-Maurice will take you to the hamlet of Les Chapieux, where you can catch a second shuttle to La Ville des Glaciers or Les Lanchettes. The adventure begins here, in the fabulous setting of the Aiguille des Glaciers, at the gateway to the Mont Blanc massif.
Allow 2.5 hours to reach the Robert Blanc Refuge from Les Lanchettes, and 2.5 hours to reach the Col de la Seigne from La Ville des Glaciers (a little less, of course, if you start from Les Lanchettes).
Is your thing hiking up and flying down? Paragliders who love hike & fly will enjoy climbing up to Fort de la Platte (on the 5 Lakes hiking trail) or to the top station of the Cachette chairlift (start of the Signal des Têtes trail), two particularly popular launch sites. By the way, if you’d rather just fly and not walk too much, we’d like to remind you that the Cachette chairlift is open on the weekends of September 5-6 and 12–13, 2026…
Don’t feel like setting your alarm on a Sunday morning? Are your legs refusing to tackle the elevation gain after the previous day’s exertions? Postpone your exploration of the Chapieux Valley until your next visit, and treat yourself to a leisurely Sunday stroll along the greenway that runs alongside the Isère River, all the way to the Gothard lake.
Sunday afternoon: swimming pool
Have you already checked out of your accommodation? No problem! Wash away all traces of your morning hike in the showers at the Bourg-Saint-Maurice pool! Then treat yourself to a little relaxation session in the sun, in the outdoor pools, or in the relaxation pool with its bubble benches and water jets.
Take another shower before hitting the road, so all you’ll have to do is jump into bed when you get home in a few hours. Unpack your bag? That can wait until tomorrow…
Practical info:
In September, the Bourg-Saint-Maurice aquatic center is open on weekends from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Adult admission: €6.50.
Plan your weekend in Bourg-Saint-Maurice – Les Arcs in September:
Book your accommodation at Base Camp Lodge (hotel/inn), Huttopia Campground, or any other lodging in Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Rent a bike, mountain bike, or e-mountain bike at a sports store
Check out the best restaurants for your fondue/raclette night
Don’t leave without stocking up on Beaufort cheese and other gourmet specialties
Check the schedules one last time for the pedestrian/mountain bike lifts and the shuttles between Bourg-Saint-Maurice and the Chapieux Valley
