Morzine Luxury Chalets

If you’re staying in the centre of Morzine, it’s a wonderful resort for strolling, and you’ll find it easy to get around. If you’re staying further away, there’s an excellent network of buses across the valley, with some services running late into the evening. There’s also a petit train linking the Super Morzine lift, the Pleney lift and the swimming pool.

Travelling by car

It’s unlikely you’ll need a car in Morzine, but if you want to drive there are lots of car parks in town. The last hour involves navigating some tight mountain bends, so only attempt it if you’re a confident driver.

Travelling by train

Morzine doesn’t have a train station nearby, but you could go to Cluses or Thonon-Les-Bains and take a bus from there.

Airports

The best airport to fly into is Geneva. This has the biggest choice of international flights is close to the resort. Flying to other airports wouldn’t make a lot of sense, but you could also compare flights to Lyon, Milan Malpensa, Basel, and Turin.

Geneva (GVA) – 74km
By car –  1 hour 2 minutes
By bus – 1 hour 30 minutes

Private transfer

There is a range of transfer options into Morzine from Geneva, including shuttle buses, private cars, and heli-transfers.

Apres-ski in Morzine is famous for being lively, varied, and open well after dark. It’s the ideal resort for families and large groups, with lots to keep the night owls occupied and many quieter spots if you want to be back in your Morzine accommodation by midnight.

There’s no need to take off your ski boots. You’ll find lots to distract you on your way home from the piste.

•   Parties on the piste in Morzine may be limited, but you can always ski over to the legendary Folie Douce in Avoriaz to get your fix. Expect the usual Folie thrills of live musicians, DJs, and cabaret dancers.
•   Step straight off the slope and straight into Le Tremplin. This popular apres bar gets the party started every day from 4 pm.
•   Relax on the heated terrace of Coup de Coeur as you work your way through the extensive wine menu.

Ready to hit the town? Whether you’re looking for a quiet aperitif or the liveliest spot in town, there are venues in Morzine to suit every taste.

•   La Chaudanne restaurant has a beautiful wine bar nestled in a vaulted cave.
•   If beer is more your thing, head over to the Bec Jaune. The craft brewery makes their beers on-site and also serves unusual cocktails and organic wine.
•   Bar Robinson is the oldest bar in Morzine. While it’s very casual, it’s famous for serving a strong lager known as Mutzig on tap.
•   Get a classic Irish pub experience at Dixie Bar. Live entertainment and a cheery atmosphere cement this place as a Morzine favourite.

If you’re not ready to head back to your Morzine luxury chalet, party animals won’t be disappointed.

•   If you’re heading to Club l’Opera, chances are you’re already out too late to make the first lifts. This typical French discotheque will have you up way past your bedtime.
•   The Tibetan Café mixes Asian décor with rock music and live sports. The pace picks up with live bands in the late afternoon before bringing out the DJs until 2 am.
•   The Cavern Bar is popular for its happy hours, live sports, and cheesy tunes. With fancy dress, band performances, and one too many shots, you can expect the mood to get progressively livelier until the 2 am closing time.
•   Whether you’re into acid jazz or drum and bass, you’ll find Morzine’s more eclectic music scene at Café Chaud.

With 650km of piste and accessible backcountry, it’s impossible to get bored in Morzine. The variety offered in the world’s largest international ski area is unparalleled. So, whether you want to tear up the black runs or are clipping on your skis for the first time, you’re signing up for a week of endless action.

The ski area

The Portes du Soleil ski area sprawls across the France-Switzerland border, offering 12 different resorts to hop between. Everything is covered under one lift pass, so you have no excuse not to get the miles in. These are some of the resorts you will probably stop in during your stay:

•   Avoriaz offers high altitudes and some more difficult piste.
•   Les Gets and Morzine are great for all levels and have pretty tree-lined slopes.
•   Chatel has stunning long runs and offers some trickier terrain.

Boarders

Morzine is an excellent choice for snowboarders, with wide pistes, epic freeriding, and some of the best freestyle parks in the Alps. If you’re just starting out, there’s a huge choice of gentle terrain, so you can still feel like you had a chance to explore the mountains. Intermediates will have the majority of the Portes du Soleil at their fingertips and pistes are meticulously maintained. Meanwhile, advanced riders will find some hair-raising runs and a vast backcountry to explore.

There are at least 11 freestyle parks and 4 boardercross courses across the Portes du Soleil. Take in the glorious views from Les Gets or check out the huge snow park in Avoriaz.

Beginners

The Portes du Soleil is a fantastic place to learn to ski, with many gentle pistes to help you progress. It’s also worth noting that Morzine’s low altitude makes it an ideal choice for young children. The most convenient from Morzine, and the base for most of the resort’s ski schools, is at the top of the Pleney lift.

There’s also a great network of blues and greens in Les Gets. This is an ideal option on bad weather days, with most of the slopes below the tree line. Kids will love the Native American-themed snow park packed with fun decorations, obstacles, and photo ops. Whichever spot you choose, you’re in a great position to progress after you’ve mastered your turns.Our recommended ski schools:

•   Progression Ski and Snowboard School are a mid-size company with an excellent reputation throughout the region. They have private and group lessons for children, adults, and teenagers, and also offer touring and heli-ski days.
•   Mint Snowboarding have an all-British or fluent-level English team of instructors. They offer snowboard and freestyle lessons for all ages.
•   Ski Beyond is a British school based across the Portes du Soleil. Not only will they perfect your technique, they transform your mindset so that your skiing level can reach new heights.

Intermediates

Intermediate skiers have endless options in the Portes du Soleil, whether you’re looking for laid-back cruising or something to get your legs burning. Get your confidence up in Pleney and Les Gets. Then, challenge yourself on the tricky reds in Chatel or embrace the empty slopes on Mont Chery. Coup du Monde and Chamossiere have plenty to challenge you, including some blacks that are suitable for confident intermediates.

For the ultimate adventure, why not take on the Portes du Soleil Circuit? It’ll take you in a huge loop, showing off the best of the ski area in one day. You’ll need to be comfortable on blue and red runs, and fit enough to ski for 6+ hours. Set your alarms early so you don’t have to rush.

Advanced

You’ll find several blacks to satisfy expert skiers, including the infamous Swiss wall. This 1km descent is not for the faint-hearted, with inclines up to 76%, immense moguls, and changeable conditions. To tackle this run you’ll need to bring every ounce of skill and leave every drop of fear at the lift.

Avoriaz is packed with challenging pistes. Check out Combe du Machon if you’re looking for steep and mogulled or Coupe du Mondu if you prefer steep and icy. Avoriaz is also home to some incredible lift-served off-piste. However, we recommend hiring a guide to get the best backcountry experience in this immense ski area.

Don’t be fooled by Morzine’s height. While it may sit at only 1,000m, it has many factors working in its favor. As well as efficient lift links to Avoriaz at 2,466m, the whole area has its own microclimate, encouraging snowy conditions throughout the season. The underlying terrain here is pastureland, meaning slopes cling onto snowfall for much longer.

December
December is a lively time in Morzine, packed with opening parties and festive celebrations.
Average snowfall: 68cm
Snow days: 4

January
January is the quietest month of the season, which equals more space on the slopes. Since the kids are all back at school, the town is still lively with mostly adult visitors.
Average snowfall: 141cm
Snow days: 8

February
Morzine is very busy in February, but this means that there are lots of fun events happening in town.
Average snowfall: 94cm
Snow days: 7

March
March is the best month for apres-ski in Morzine, with long sunny days and plenty of snow still on the ground.
Average snowfall: 80cm
Snow days: 7