GABRIEL NICOLINI / MONTCLAR-DE-COMMINGES
Freedom, the great outdoors, fun and discovery – these are the words that come to mind when you discover the work of Gabriel Nicolini, manager of AMAROK RIDE.
A former member of the special forces and then of industry, he welcomes us to his home in Monclar-de-Comminges.
Nestling in the heart of the beautiful hills that open the gates to the Ariège Pyrenees Natural Park, the property offers self-catering accommodation and group accommodation, as well as being a starting point for discovery hikes… What makes AMAROK RIDE so original is that we’re not talking about classic hikes, no, this time you’ll be travelling on an Electric Moutain scooter.
Electric Moutain scooter ? KESAKO? Quite simply, it’s a motorised scooter designed for use in the mountains. Unlike a mountain bike, you don’t need any special skills to use it, as your body position is much more balanced than on a mountain bike. Gabriel reminds us of its ease of use, which is one of its main assets – it’s so simple to handle. He assures us that anyone can get to grips with a scooter in 10 minutes and quickly get the feel for it. Another advantage of going to Amarok is that you can bring the whole family, because the TTT (all-terrain scooter) is safe and stable with its two fairly large wheels and disc brakes for easy stopping.
Gabriel discovered the concept when he was living in Miami in 2000. Aware of the potential of the Electric Mountain Ride, he started out as a distributor, promoting online sales in 2009, before opening a physical shop in Savoie in 2016, this time selling only French brands! It’s fair to say that he made the right choice, because today he heads up 3 AMAROK ‘centres’ in Montclar-de-Commines, Savoie and the Pyrénées Orientales, 3 centres that meet their public every season.
What’s more, Gabriel is keen to involve this public in respecting the environment and the areas they will be visiting on their hikes. Maintaining the balance of an existing ecosystem is one of the main concerns of this nature lover. That’s another reason why he chose the TTTs: their silent engines, range (40 to 70 km) and ease of use on the trails make them an excellent companion for nature walks with no carbon or harmful footprint.
Gabriel is also involved in maintaining the trails he uses in his spare time. Just as concerned about preserving our heritage, he is also involved in restoration projects so that everyone can continue to discover our local treasures. He knows the area like the back of his hand, so don’t hesitate to contact him to organise a supervised nature outing!
