Your guide to Morzine Ski Resort in France

(1000m - 2350m)

★★★★	Beginner
★★★★★	Intermediate
★★★★	Advanced
★★★★	Off-Piste
★★★★	Snowboarding
★★★	Snow Reliability
★★★★★	Extent
★★★★	Apres-Ski
★★★	Mountain Restaurants
★★★	Scenery
★★★★	Village Charm
★★★	Non-Skiers

Ski Lifts	49
Resort Altitude	1000m
Pistes	120kms
Ski Range	1000m – 2350m
Green Runs	5
Blue Runs	23
Red Runs	27
Black Runs	9

Local Lift Pass	€163
Area Lift Pass	Off peak €191, peak €225
Transfer Time	Geneva 1hr 30mins
Transfer Day	Saturday
Tourist Board	Website
Weather	View detailed snow forecast for Morzine at: snow-forecast.com Snow Report
Webcam	Webcam
Piste Map	Piste Map

The Slopes

From the village a gondola takes you up the slopes of Le Pleney. Here there are a number of long blue and red runs that can be enjoyed by everyone, with some of the runs heading directly back down to the village.

From Le Pleney Morzine’s next sector, Nyon – Chamossiere can be accessed. Here the runs are generally more challenging and intermediates, especially those who are a bit more adventurous will get the most from skiing here. The runs are also at 2000m so it is likely you will find the best snow here.

From Nyon – Chamossiere a chair lift takes you up to the top of the Les Chavannes sector. Here there is a mixture of slopes to suit all abilities and they run down to the village of Les Gets. From Les Gets the Mont Chery sector is accessed and is mainly comprised of long red runs and some decent black runs.

Back in the village of Morzine the Super Morzine gondola takes you up to Avoriaz which gives you direct access to the rest of the Portes du Soleil circuit. From Avoriaz you can then ski on to Chatel and Champery.

For complete beginners there are nursery slopes located in Morzine. From there beginners can then progress on to the blue slopes of Le Pleney.

Apres-Ski

Morzine is a busy town and popular with the British market, there is a wide range of nightlife and apres ski - more than you'll be able to discover in one week.

One of the most popular bars in Morzine is Le Dixie Bar - it has live music most evenings and has 3 bars to choose from, each from a different country - an Irish bar serving Beamish and Guinness, a Spanish bar serving tapas and San Miguel and an English bar with pool tables and plasma screens showing football and rugby.

There are other bars in town that also show sport on big screens - Bar Robinson which also has live music and serves the local lager Mutzig, The Cavern which is British run and The Crepu. Le Garage is also British run and has live music and DJs, The Coyote has arcade games if your tastes turn to that and there are also two nightclubs - L’Opera and Le Paradis du Laury's.

For something a little more refined then try Roger’s wine bar or Le Boudha Café which has a cosy Asian themed environment or La Théière du Berger which has a delicious range of warm teas and hand-made cakes, yum!

Eating Out

Like Morzine’s apres ski, there are more places to eat out than you will be able to discover in just one week, many hotels have excellent restaurants and there are a huge number of local venues to try serving a wide range of different cuisine - everything from traditional Savoyard specialities to curries, pizzas and burgers.

Notable hotels include The Airelles and The Dahu, The Rhodos Hotel serves gastro pub food and has a bit of a younger feel to it, whereas L'Atelier restaurant in the hotel Samoyede serves a mix of traditional and modern cuisine.

For more of a unique local experience then there are a couple of delicatessen / restaurant combinations - venues that sell food in their shop during the day and then serve meals in the evening until late. Le Pique-Feu is one such place and has a cosy dining room serving their produce in the evening, Numero Dix is another and their menu is more of a mix of a deli cafe and gastro pub.

For something a little different then try The Farmhouse which is the oldest building in Morzine, and offers a more communal dining experience - guests sit around a giant table and all eat together, they offer a range of international cuisine but you do need to book in advance. Another great restaurant is within the Chalet Philibert serving local cuisine with a gastronomic twist, it is also mentioned in the Michelin guide so well worth a visit.

Fancy something a little, or a lot, spicy? Then Le Maharaja is the place to go offering delicious curries to warm you up. The Tyrolean serves steaks and grilled meats, Le Café Chaud does a great value Savoyard menu and La Chamade serves up gourmet sophisticated French cuisine but you do need to book in advance.

For something lighter (and cheaper) then Le Clin D'Oeil and L’Etale do pizzas, Burger Place obviously does burgers, and for something sweeter, try Café Tyrolia for afternoon tea which includes a huge range of coffees, teas and of course cakes.

Other Activities

There’s plenty to do in Morzine for those not wanting to ski or board. Sticking with the outdoors theme you can try ice climbing, glacier walking or even ice diving in Lake Montriond, brrrrrrr. There is a dedicated toboggan area at the foot of the Crusaz chairlift, you can also try snow mobiling, dog sledding and snow shoeing.

Helicopter tours are on offer along with heli skiing - but you are taken over the border to neighbouring Italy or Switzerland as heli skiing is not allowed in France.

For something less strenuous there are a couple of cinemas, bowling alleys and visits to a local cheese factory. There are also plenty of shops where you can pick up goodies along with local cheeses and meats at the local market.

If pampering is your thing then there are two spas to tempt you - Un Cocon au Pays des Flocons with a spa and steam rooms, rain forest showers and a range of treatments, and Spa Massage du Monde, with beauty treatments and massages that will ease your tired muscles.

Ski School

There are a number of ski schools offering tuition in Morzine, the local French ski school - the ESF is one such school and offers lessons in downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, telemark, snowshoeing and sit-skiing. Group lessons start from €144 for 6 days with ½ day tuition per day, private lessons start from €42 per hour and their meeting point is at the top of the Pleney cable car.

The British Alpine Ski School (BASS) also offer tuition for all levels, both children and adults, including BASI level training, masterclasses and race training. Group lessons start from €199 for 8 hours tuition over 4 days, private lessons start from €95 per hour and their meeting place is at the top of Pleney.