Helpful Info

Morzine has everything you could want from boutique shops to huge supermarkets, restaurants to suit every budget, Bars, Cafes and Clubs of every description, Chocolate shops, Honey shops, a Pottery, Delicatessens galore, Souvenir shops a wine merchant, you name it, it’s all here.

We have spent numerous weeks over the past 10 years in the Portes du Soleil, and know the area pretty well. However, it is a Vast ski area with a capital V.

We are still discovering new runs and restaurants all the time.………..Obviously we have our favourites, and we may well just share some of our secret spots with you!

But it is not only Winter:
The summers here are gorgeous and YES the lifts are open, and this summer because Les Gets is hosting The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Finals the lifts are open for a total 13 weeks. That’s nearly as long as the Winter!

Not all the lifts are open but a good selection along with a good selection of Mountain Restaurants. So, mountain bike, road bike, motor bike, walk, hike, swim, raft, climb, horse riding, canyoning, paragliding, or just reading a book and enjoying a glass of something cool, Morzine is without a doubt a place for a summer holiday.

Catering options:
Home delivered frozen ready meals from Bon Appetit.
Home delivered fresh meals Chalet Kitchen

Ski and boot hire:
We use All mountain rental in Montriond for all your hire needs delivered to your door, just book on line before you arrive and enjoy a 10%discount. Jamie is the owner here and is very knowledgeable about all the equipment as are his staff. If you need a boot fitting or having trouble with uncomfortable feet then Toma is their ‘Boot Guru’. Book up an appointment and see the best Boot fitter in town.

Alternatively pop into Sport 2000 Ardent Sports in Montriond and see Manu and his team for an excellent level of service and equipment. Here you will enjoy 30% off normal walk in hire rates and be presented with an array of good kit, along with clothing and anything you may need for a day on the slopes. This shop has a very good range of Ski touring equipment if you fancy a bit of Randonnée. They also have a shop at the bottom of the Ardent Bubble where you can leave skis overnight and get any problems sorted during the day should they arise.

Plenty of other shops in Morzine to choose from for ski hire should you wish to explore.

Weather:
Link to snow-forecast.com

Getting there:
Fly to Geneva
Hire car, transfer company, taxi to resort in 1hour 15 minutes.

For hire cars I suggest the Swiss side for convenience of pick up and dropping off but usually more expensive. In The winter Check your car has chains and winter tyres. French cars are often on summer tyres.

Transfer companies:
There are many of these based in Morzine costing from as little as 35 euros per person each way.

Most do on line booking.
Skiidygonzales 0033450373685
Powdercab.com
Alpybus.com 0033485800039
Jamtransfers.com
Getaway Vans 0033640322184
Taxi:
Activ Taxi 0033609404223

Useful Numbers:
Bureau des Guides 0033450759665
ESF 0033450791313
Other ski schools
New Generation 0033479010318
BASS 0033450747859
Office du Tourisme 0033450747272
Ice hockey link for fixtures
Local Team Morzine-Avoriaz ‘Les Pingouins’
A great night out, and a must see for anyone not been to a live game before. Soooooo….. fast!
hockey-morzine.com

Ski touring/Off piste skiing

This has a few other names, the French call it Randonnées, us Brits call it Ski touring, the Americans call it Backcountry skiing. The choice is yours.

I mention it because it is a growing sport. All the thrills of Alpine (lift catching) skiing but meanwhile earning every turn on the way down! Oh, and your lunch!!

There are many ways to get into this sport, but don’t be put off by all the jargon and kit that is associated with it.

I only started doing it 3 seasons ago and promptly got awful blisters going up a piste and was thinking why??

Now I am going on 4 days tours not touching a lift at all.
You don’t have to be fit to start with, you will go your own pace. There is a saying amongst cyclist it never gets easier you just get faster, and the same adage applies to this sport.

Things you need to know :
Getting started. Going up the piste is not illegal (but slightly frowned upon) and it is your responsibility to avoid people coming down towards you, so watch out and concentrate and ideally go to a dedicated trail away from the lift areas to get some practice in.

Or get out before the lifts open rip up a piste and be the 1 st one down, fresh tracks all the way! It Is more than likely you will be doing this activity off piste. Check your insurance cover! Some insurers do not cover off piste and some do when you are with a certified guide. So, a Guide is a good idea. I use the Bureau to Guides in Morzine and Avoriaz.

So, you are off piste so best to do it with a friend or two, and make sure you are carrying safety equipment. Transponder, shovel, probe and a mobile phone.

A back pack is essential, not only for the safety gear, but you will need water and snacks for sure. You may start off with 5 layers and half way up the hill you will be down to a base layer, no hat, no gloves and the sweat will be pouring off you and your back pack will be full of the clothing you left the chalet wearing an hour earlier!

I could go on for quite a bit on this subject but please give it a go and help save the planet! There is a whole new world out there once you are prepared to go up under your own steam. Tons to do in the PDS region and a whole myriad of options once you jump your car for 1-2 hours. Think Chamonix and Mont Blanc for starters.

Don’t be put off by all the talk of safety gear, its most likely you will only ever need your shovel for building a jump!

Mix it up with some lifts as well and your day on the hill will be epic for sure. For example, go up the Super Morzine Bubble car, put your skins on and hike to Avoriaz, then skins off and ski down to the Goat village for lunch with friends.

We are happy to advise you on this activity, but why not ask the experts Jamie at All Mountain Rental and Manu at Sport2000 Ardent Sport.

Restaurants in Town :

Restaurants on the Slopes :

  • Vaffieu(Top of Pleney): 04 50 79 09 43
  • Paika(les Gets) https://www.restaurant-lapaika.com/  04.50.92.85.22 BBQ grill
  • Chez Nannon(Nyon)  04 50 79 21 15
  • Folie Deuce(Avoriaz) Lively after 3pm. https://www.lafoliedouce.com/ 04 50 74 01 30
  • Chevrelles (Mont Caly) Drive in the summer, walk from Mont Chery, No lifts nearby,04 50 79 85 40

Bars :

  • Crepu, Good sports style bar 06 70 50 91 96
  • Laury’s, Prohibition style cool bar for late night drinks and music
  • Coupe de Coeur, central place to hook up: 04 50 79 13 91
  • Tremplin, Apres ski bottom of Pleney https://www.hotel-tremplin.com/ :04.50.79.12.31

Many more available these are just some of our favourites.