GR5 south from L Geneva

[boxelder]

A few of us looking to 'credit card' tour this in September. XC/trail full sus bikes, looking for the good descents, but not shy of HaB.
I know a few on here know it, so:
Anything you definitely wouldn't want to miss out?
Any bits you deffo would miss out?
Outstanding huts/gites etc?
Other gen?

I know ChrisE knows it well and have read reports etc and once we have a rough plan, I'll try to check against his knowledge.
Any input appreciated.

[gairym]

I've ridden bits and pieces over the years and so by no means particularly knowledgeable but the bits I've done have all been proper mountain biking (as opposed to easy gravel bike friendly trails) - do with that what you will.....

(To clarify, I was on a 100mm steal hardtail 29er, frequently loaded with bikepacking kit and am happy with tech riding and enjoyed it very much)

[boxelder]

Cheers @gairym - that's what we're after, so all good. If there are alternatives that avoid needless suffering and offer up more 'downcountry smiles' then that's what we're after. Our usual riding is the English Lakes, so carry up/rocky down is all good. We've enjoyed TDMB, Grand Raid, Haute Route etc in the past and I may yet be taking a semi-loaded steel hardtail. Happy to ride up miles of gravel access road too, but if there are singletrack variations, then that's welcome too. Not averse to ski lift laziness....... there are many hours going into researching the best route, and happy to share the benefits of this.

[jameso]

Did it in 2012, memory faded in places but there's a lot of hard HAB and technical climbing. We probably rode 60% GR5 and the rest was following VTT pistes and alternative routes close to the GR5 that were easier on a bike, esp a loaded bike. Some absolutely brilliant riding on the GR5 and the general area though. Basically it's really hard at first, gets better then is really rocky and loose in the S.
Look up the recent Shimano vids with Rob Warner on the GR5
Happy to compare notes or comment on any route plans. We did it with paper maps but I can remember most of the trails and picked them out on rwgps a while back.ChrisE sent us some info at the time and TransProvence Ash helped with some tips.

[boxelder]

Thanks James, may well be in touch.