MTB BEDS VS COVID-19

Though these measures have nothing to do with us, we think it's worth sharing the latest updates and our thoughts.

The Border

The France / UK border, and all French borders from the European Union are closed. We will update this page when they are due to re-open.

• All persons (including UK nationals and residents) arriving in the UK from outside the common travel area must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of departure to the UK. For further information please visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england.
• To protect your health and others’, everyone must complete an online passenger locator form before arrival in the United Kingdom.
• All arrivals must quarantine for 10 days unless exempt. If you have travelled through a red list country in the last 10 days, you must have a valid managed quarantine facility booked prior to departure. For information please visit: www.gov.uk/travel-quarantine-and-testing. Check the list of exempt countries immediately before travel and the list of work-related exemptions if travelling for work.
• Everyone is required to take a coronavirus test on days 2 and 8 of their quarantine. You must have this booked prior to departure. For information please visit: www.gov.uk/travel-quarantine-and-testing.
• It is a legal requirement that you wear a face covering on public transport in the UK.
• If you quarantine in England, you may opt into Test to Release. For further information please visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-test-to-release-for-international-travel.

Flying

Airlines, in the case of our route, EasyJet, Swiss and BA are running a reduced flight schedule throughout June and July. It is currently not possible to book flights on Saturdays in June and July through EasyJet, they have listed all flights as sold out, meaning they are currently still scheduling the flight, but might cancel.

It stands to reason that this reduced schedule is in reaction to the Governments actions, and a more robust time table will be reinstated as soon as the quarantine policy is lifted.

Driving / Tunnel

The EuroTunnel is open. You can get onto a train, that are now departing hourly, get off the train, and drive through France to Morzine. There will be no checks in France, unless you are doing something you shouldn’t, like speeding.

Quarantine

Yes, as long as the UK Government has it’s mandatory quarantine in place, France will have it’s voluntary quarantine policy. The difference is in the UK  you are supposedly to be checked on and fined if you do not self isolate, in France there will be no checks or fines. As soon as the UK lift their policy, France will lift there’s. They have always stated it is reciprocal. There is plenty of rumour and talk of these restrictions being lifted even before June 29th and certainly by them.

FCO Advice

The current advice is not to travel unless necessary. This is indefinite advice. As it as been for the pandemic, this can be lifted at anytime, tomorrow, the end of June or 2040. We don’t know. It would seem common sense that it will be lifted country by country, as travel corridors, or air bridges, excluding arrivals from certain countries quarantining are opened.

All clients will be provided with a link to the French Covid Safe Application. This track and trace app is easy to use and in no way effects your privacy, it alerts you if there is a danger of contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with Covid-19, provided they also have the app. Clients are under no obligation to use it.

STOPCOVID APP

Skiidy Gonzales, our transfer partner has confirmed their operations for summer 2020, we have been working with them on a program to ensure as minimal disruption and wait times at the airport as possible.

You will be able to get a transfer from Geneva Airport to Morzine, either booked through us with Skiidy Gonzales or as part of your Riders Week Package. We can have up to 8 clients in a large Renault Master and 6 clients in a Renault Traffic. This is based upon all clients going to the same location. If they are not, this reduces numbers. We will be grouping clients based upon the property they have booked. Therefore if you are travelling to Chalet Chapelle, you maybe sharing with another group, that are also travelling to Chalet Chapelle. This will ensure the least amount of time spent at the airport as possible. If you are not comfortable sharing with anyone else, we will still guarantee your transfer at no extra cost for groups of 2 and over, but increased wait times will apply. As a single traveller if you wish to have a private transfer a fee will apply.

• No passengers can sit next to the driver
• Driver will be separated from passengers by plexi glass screen
• Clients will need to load their own luggage (unless in cases of reduced mobility)
• Clients will need to clean their hands with alcohol gel (provided by Skiidy Gonzales) on entry to vehicle
• All clients will need to wear masks for the duration of the journey (Clients will need to bring these)
• Enhanced daily cleaning procedures
• Virucidal and bactericidal products on high contact areas (handles, glass, buttons etc)

Check in / Check Out

• Check out is at 9h (previously 10h)
• Check in is from 17h (previously 15h or as soon as we can be ready)

We have increased the time to make accommodations ready for clients, this is to ensure our new cleaning protocols can be fully adhered to.

Dining Areas

• Maximum of 10 guests per table
• Tables will be spaced out according to Government guidelines
• Clients may need to book with staff a time slot for breakfast and dinner, this will depend on the number of guests on each given week, a higher number of smaller groups mean we may need stagger times to ensure we can keep distancing measures realistic.
• Hand gels will be available

Breakfast

• Breakfast times maybe be staggered
• We will not be serving a continental buffet. 
• Each group will have their own selection of pastries, fruit salad, yoghurts and cereals. We will provide the tea & coffee. Eggs are going nowhere, poachies are still on!

Dinner

• Dinner times maybe staggered
• We will be serving the same great 2 course dinner we have become extremely proud of

Common & Lounge Areas

• These will be separated as much as possible to give groups of 2 - 10 people places to chill. Extra tables, chairs and lounges have been purchased to allow for this.
• These areas will be disinfected 4 times a day.
• It will be up to the individual to ensure they have left an area clean of rubbish where staff may not be available to clean directly after them. We ask for client cooperation on this kind of thing, and for clients to please make staff aware if there are common areas that may need cleaning or are being abused so they can fix any issue.
• Sprays will be available
• Hand gels will be available

Rooms

• Beds will be arranged with a 1 metre distance between them, even when rooms are shared with members of the same group.
• Staff will not be cleaning rooms this year, they will perform a daily security check to make sure windows and doors are closed.
• If clients require their room cleaning, or restocked, they should inform staff who will be happy to help.
• There will be one pillow provided and no extra blankets or throws. These are available on request but we will be rotating these week by week to ensure they can be fully disinfected, as an extra precaution

We will of course be increasing our cleaning schedules, though we have always had cleaning checklists and programs to ensure good hygiene, these will be enhanced. Each cleaning team will be given a portable steam cleaner.

Our linen supplier has also increased their procedures also washing at higher temperatures. They deliver the linen per property and per room with plastic wrapping.

Each property and room will be issued a cleaning kit for that room only. This means no cross contamination but also means should clients wish, they can clean their room or property.

Daily Cleaning - These procedures will be accrued out pre & post dinner services 4 x per day and apply to our catered properties. Self catered properties can request mid week cleans at their request, for a charge.

• Door handles
• Surfaces such as kitchen sides and coffee tables
• Light switches
• Remote controls
• Window handles
• Cabinet doors and handles
• Tea Urns
• All dining chairs
• All lounge chairs
• All communal Toilets
• All communal Taps
• Tools
• Bike stands
• Bike wash
• Bike storage entrance and exits

Changeover - The increased cleaning time we have allowed this season gives more time to enure the job is thoroughly completed, and that senior staff can perform pre-arrival checks. 

There will be a cleaning team, and a make up and prep team. This will ensure the team making up your property or room enter a disinfected space with clean clothing and linen, this will minimise or eliminate cross contamination. We will ask you to strip your beds and bag them up with your towels.

Changeover Cleaning - Extra measures that will be taken particular note of. This will be on a laminated check sheet in your property, signed and dated. It’s bit naff, a bit Road Chef, but we think it helps accountability. 

• Keys & alarms
• Door handles
• Surfaces such as kitchen sides and coffee tables
• Light switches
• Remote controls
• Electrical items such as hairdryers and thermostats
• Oven, washing machine, dishwasher handles and controls
• Window handles
• Window sills, and frames
• Cabinet doors and handles
• Tea Urns / Kettles
• Pots, pans, plates, glassware and cutlery will be run through a cycle in the dishwasher
• All dining chairs
• All lounge chairs
• Toilets
• Taps
• Shower curtains, shower doors and screens
• Garage doors, controls
• Tools
• Bike stands
• Bike wash
• Bike storage entrance and exits

Staff PPE & Hygiene Measures

• If there is any risk a staff member has symptoms of Covid-19, they will be sent home and required to self isolate. We are leaving a staff room free for only this measure.
• All staff will wear a mask or visor for service times
• Staff will not be required to wear gloves, infact advised against it, as these encourage the spread of germs, hands are easily cleaned. They will be required to wash them after any contact with a disinfected area or every 30 minutes.

Client PPE & Hygiene Measures

• Clients will not be required to wear a mask at the property, however we will ask that you have one with you. We will be providing a limited supply of disposable masks in your room.
• We will be placing disinfectant and cloths in all communal areas for clients to use if they wish
• We will be providing hand gels in dispensers across the property, primarily at the entrance ways, dining and communal areas
• We will ask that all clients maintain their hand hygiene, especially before breakfast and dinner services (You should be doing this already you dirty buggers)
• All clients will be required to shower and change from riding gear before services (you smell, even if you don’t think you do, Dave and Emily don’t want to smell you at dinner, It’s also dirty, you dirty bugger)
• If there is any risk a client has symptoms of Covid-19, they will be required to self isolate. We are leaving a room free all season in Chalet Chapelle exclusively for this measure until further action can be taken.

It has been confirmed these can be opened. On top of your daily chemical and cleaning checks, it is mandatory to book a time slot in the hot tub. Time slots will be for 30 minutes only, with 15 minutes between use so staff can clean surfaces and check chemical balances. If there are no further bookings clients can stay in there longer. Clients must make staff aware when they have finished.

• These facilities will only be available when staff members are present.
• Maximum 4 people in a hot tub at once
• Maximum 2 people in a sauna at once

The usual rules for food and drink apply.

Swag bags will still be available 

There will be no physical property or resort guides available, they will be emailed to each client individually, this will contain information on wifi passwords, contact numbers, Day Trips, Bike Hire and where you can find our partners in town. Clients will be asked to email resort@mtbbeds.com with INFO - (INSERT PROPERTY NAME), and we will reply with your information.

Workshop

• All bikes must be given to the mechanic clean for work to be carried out, a charge will apply if they are not
• All bikes will be disinfected before returning the client
• The workshop will be exclusively for the use of the mechanic. We cannot lend any tools out from the workshop
• There will be Park Tools work stands and tools available in outside areas
• There will be pumps available at outside areas
• Disinfectant spray will be available outside for you to clean equipment if staff are not available
• All jobs can be logged with our mechanic on a WhatsApp message directly to him, let him know the issue and where the bike is and he will be able to assist, with as much contact as you are comfortable with

Bike Hire

Bike hire from MTB Beds will still be available. 

• Bikes will be washed and disinfected before every rental. As normal they will need to be returned clean
• Bikes will still need to be returned every 2 days for their check up.
• Helmets, pads and shoes are still available with every hire, they will be fully washed and disinfected between use, as normal, we will up the temperature of each wash.

We will still be offering a limited Day Trip Service. These rules only apply to July at this stage. August is to be confirmed.

• Bookings are limited to six people of the same group
• Bookings are limited to four people of different groups, this may increase costs dependent on location

Social distancing measures will be in place across Morzine this summer, however, having seen them in operation for the first two weeks of June, we can confirm little has changed from the town you know and love.

• Every bar and every restaurant will be open in Morzine this summer, no exceptions we know of, with a maximum of 10 people per table, table service only and masks should be worn when not seated, this is up to the individual bar or restaurant to enforce.
• The 10 people rule also applies to public gatherings, meaning 20 people hanging out together at Lake Montriond would be dispersed, 2 groups of ten would be ok
• Official French guidelines ask that you adhere to 1m social distance from other people
• Every bike shop is open as usual, no exceptions we know of
• The outdoor pool is open
• You do not need to wear a mask in public
• Some shops may require you to wear a mask for entry, some will insist you do not
• Most shops, bars and restaurants will take cash payments, a small amount will ask you to pay by card
• All non-essential business are, will be and have been permitted to open

We’ve been keeping everyone as updated as possible on the lift situation in each resort. By the 4th July, every lift will be open as normal in the Portes du Soleil. Pleney, Super Morzine, Les Gets, Chatel & Champery / Morgins will be open from the 27th June. 

Closing dates are not 100% confirmed but at least Pleney / Les Gets intend to open until 20th September.

Yes, there are social distancing measures on the lifts. In Les Gets, the only lift currently open, measures in place are;

• Barriers to separate queues into organised line 1m apart at least (this actually makes the lift queue quicker)
• Lift operators wear masks
• You are required to wear a mask in the ligt queue and while getting on and off the lift
• There are some ‘dangerous’ features closed off, but by 4th July every resort intends to have every run and feature open.
• There has been a huge amount of work on the trail network this year, a new track on Pleney, new jumps and trails all over Les Gets, Champery / Morgins up to it’s usual insanely high standards and Chatel definitely up to some new tricks. Check out our interview with Super Morzine shaper Neil Sharp here; https://www.mtbbeds.com/meet-shaper