Our E-Bike Enduro Stay with Lapierre in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains
Lapierre, Captain Wild and Pierre-Alain are a winning trio, no doubt about it.
It's a nice little mix of cycling enthusiasts, Sunday adventurers and an ambitious sportsman... And wham, it's an Enduro E-bike trip in the Moroccan Atlas!
And since we like to share our adventures, what could be better than a report from our latest team, straight back from a few days in the Moroccan Atlas? Come on, pour yourself a mint tea, put on your babouches and enjoy your reading!
The Lapierre x Captain Wild adventure
"One name, 3 generations, one passion" - Lapierre
For us, Lapierre is to cycling what Millet is to mountaineering... And to be able to imagine Outdoors trips with them was as much fun as achieving a nice little bunny hop on the singles we rode during our lunch break.
We've put a lot of effort into it, and we're proud to be able to count Lapierre among the iconic brands we work with.
A lot has happened at Lapierre since 1946, from the test rides in the Parc de la Colombière... (Dijon, Burgundy - the cradle of the brand). Seeing the big picture was the vision of 3 successive generations who have succeeded each other in developing the brand's image! And in terms of vision for the future, they're not bad at all!
What are Lapierre experiences?
We decided to bring the machines to Morocco, and immediately found a common ground to give brand and sport enthusiasts a holiday they won't soon forget!
The Moroccan Enduro Atlas e-bike
We're not going to tell you the story again... And we're already busy imagining our next trips with the brand. But we don't blame you: when Pierro first told us what he was up to, we wanted to know more, so you can find all the details here.
The summary is simple: 6 Lapierre electrically-assisted mountain bikes, the pioneer of mountain biking in Switzerland, local culture, the Moroccan Atlas as a playground and the Captain Wild touch as a finishing touch. That's the recipe for a successful trip.
For 5 days, the team rode the country's best singletracks and warmed up their thighs at the foot of North Africa's most beautiful mountains. But Captain Wild's made-in doesn't stop there... And for lack of good Reblochon cheese on the spot, we asked Pierre-Alain to find us the best addresses to satisfy our pedalers, as well as the best accommodations to show them off!
And to ensure total pleasure and freedom of movement, luggage was transported from one accommodation to another by car. It was hard to see them pedaling with 10kg on their backs 😉
Lapierre's advantages
Let's talk small, let's talk big. It was on Overvolt AM 500s and in Overvolt technical shirts that our Enduro team discovered the Moroccan countryside. Multi-purpose mountain bikes, for tracing beautiful downhill trajectories while concentrating on the landscape.
Pampered in Pierre-Alain's workshop by Rachid, they were ready for our cyclists in the Moroccan valleys. "The equipment was very well maintained, and the assistance was top-notch! Very responsive" - Chloé
The spotlight
That's when you realize you haven't just picked a random spot on the map. The Moroccan Atlas is the stuff of dreams! A symbol of the country, there are hundreds of km of trails and singletracks for you to explore. Mountains or deserts, there's no time to get bored: there's something for everyone. Photo proof 😉
The local Captain
Pierre-Alain and mountain biking have a long love affair! After gaining experience in road racing, he moved to Morocco in 1992, enabling all enthusiasts to discover the country with pedals under their feet. Something tells us that the "Rallye des Moniteurs" 2 years earlier had left its mark on our Captain... No doubt he'd be the right man for the job!
The consensus was unanimous, and at the end of the stay he was even pardoned by the group, who described him as "nice for a Swiss" and recommended that we thank him with a few bottles of champagne...
"P.A. was a pro right to the end, from his knowledge of the country, the terrain and the local people, to his technical skills and his ability to adapt to the group and the situation. Knowing that we were from 25 to 60 years old with all different levels, but with the same desire to have fun, share and enjoy the moment." - Chloé
Southerners in Morocco
"One name, 3 generations, one passion" - still Lapierre
We had a feeling this Lapierre deal was going to work out. From 25 to 60 years old, this was the perfect mix of people with the same passion for cycling, a family affair too... We're not going to lie, our lovely group also got together for an aperitif brought straight from the south! An unmissable part of every day. We wondered why Ali and Rachid had so much trouble getting the bags onto the roof of the car...
The ascent of happiness
The beginnings seemed rootsy," confides the team. It's true that getting your suitcases off the roof of the car to change in the middle of the desert and camels... doesn't happen every day.
As soon as they left the airport to test the bikes, they were ready for the next 4 days, and what a program it was!
From the Bergerie d'Ali to the 5-star Scarabeo Camp hotel, our 6 guests were able to see the country from every angle, as shown in these images:
"Ali's sheepfold is at an altitude of 2,000 meters, so there's no noise pollution, no light, and the view is magnificent. Not to mention Ali's brother, Nourdine, authentic and true, a good young man. A wonderful lesson in life and a return to basics."
"end up in a 5-star lodge".
All in all, they covered a total of 160km and 3400m d+ on their Overvolts... So much for seeing Morocco off the beaten track. The Captain's tips for a first trip to the country? Don't return home until a few days after the trip is over, to enjoy it to the full, and leave a few days to visit the tourist spots, of course, but also the typical Marrakech, Location at the end of the trip! What's more, Pierre Alain is on hand for all the good addresses...
In short, a first group cycling trip for them, and we can't wait to see them again on a future date 😊
Captain Wild and the bike, a long story
Our cycling holidays
We've introduced you to one of our favorite outdoor holidays, but the list goes on! At Captain Wild, there's something for everyone. Enduro, ATV, mountain bike, road, whether in France, Italy, Uzbekistan... There's something to make your mouth water. On the plus side? you've got them all at your fingertips, just click here !
The team and their bikes
At the office, even those with no more courage than a limp potato chip have resigned themselves... This summer it'll be mountain biking. We've been collecting bikes in the office for so long that we've had to introduce a few rules. It was getting complicated to concentrate with Axel constantly taunting us with his latest outings! And that's without counting on Seb, our unconditional bike trader, always ready to find the best deal.
I assure you, you could make a novel out of all the Captain's cycling stories. In fact, a second volume was published after the cliffside sofa.
But I think we can stop with this one, which says a lot about the Captain Wild spirit:
🔗 "How to climb a cliff by bike?" - Read the article
