Morzine Guide
The village of Morzine is
found in the French Alpes at 900m of altitude. Situated between
Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, this traditional Haute Savoie village
has not lost its charm with the advances of technology over
the decades.
The development of the village has been well thought
out. Even the concrete upsets of the 1970's missed the village,
leaving Morzine at peace with nature, just wooden chalets.
The village is spread out through
the valley floor. The centre of the village follows the River
Dranse as it makes its way south. The upper reaches of the village
found on the south facing side of the valley; Super- Morzine,
with its stunning views of the Pleney and the surrounding mountains.
Traditional Haute Savoie Village
Drive up the Valley de La Manche and you will find undeveloped
pastures, the river flowing between rock pools and alpine chalets
hiding among the trees. Follow the road to Prodnats, with the
road weaving its way between the but races which tower above
you, took up and you will see the resort of Avoriaz 500m above
you..
The dominating rock is limestone.
The sedimentary layers can be seen as you make your way into
the resort, the natural forces have been at work uplifting and
shifting to turn the Portes de Soliel into one of the biggest
ski areas in the world well before our time.
With 290 km of piste (Morzine,
Avoriaz and Les Gets) you have a ski and snowboard area which
will keep you happy for weeks. Add the "full" Portes
du Soliel ski pass and you have enough to keep you going for
years with the 13 villages and over 700km of marked piste and
360 lifts..
How to get to Morzine
Morzine is one of the
easiest and fastest mountain resorts to get to in France from
the UK. Its proximity to a major airport has made it a favourite
with the weekend warriors. You can drink a half in Gatwick Airport
and four hours later a demi in Morzine.
By Car: Using the Autoroute Blanche you can reach Morzine by leaving
the motorway at Bonnveille or Cluses and then its a straight
drive up the hill for 30 km, passing through Les Gets before
arriving in the station after a few adventures corners. You
will need chains if there is snow on the road, so go prepared.
By Plane: The arrival of cheap flights from the UK to Geneva makes this
the ideal option. You only have 75km of road to the centre of
Morzine. If you are short for time there is a helicopter transfer.
By Train: You can catch the snow train which will stop in Cluses, from
here you will be able to find a taxi or bus to transfer you
to the slopes.
By Taxis: You can book taxis in advance to pick you up from either the
airport or train station.
A free bus service is designed
to get you around the resort of Morzine with the minimum of
fuss. If you are lucky you may get a ride on the little
train
Free Ride and Powder
The Portes du Soliel ski
zone is ideal free riding. A variable terrain including steep
gullies, trees and wide open powder fields will keep you on
your toes ( or heals ) for days. With the complex coverage of
lifts you can easily get into untracked areas with a little
local knowledge.
Careful when off piste as there
is always the chance of the "hidden". Watch out...you
are in the mountains, don't go following tracks if you do not
know where you are going. Two snowboarders followed the wrong
tracks one winter; jumped a cliff and fell 200ft into a lake,
they have not found the boards yet. Get the right conditions
and you have a fun play ground.
The Morzine / Avoriaz ski zone
has two main snowboard parks. If you are just starting out try
the park in Les Gets, there is a good mix of tables and spines. The Avoriaz park is serious, with half pipe
and a good combination of ramps and landings. The park of the season goes to Chatel in Swiss
due to the size of its table
Morzine's History
From its earlier days as a summer pasture for the shepherds, where the ideal summer climate made
it a relief from the valley below.
To the 300 year old slate
mines in the Ardoisieres valley, which produced the roofing
for many of the local chateaux's and churches of the region.
To its first steps as a ski resort at
the beginning of the 1900's, the village has been able to adapt
with the movements of time..
Tourist Office
Found in the centre of the town, opposite the
bus stop. If its a question that needs answering, you will find
the answer here. The receptionists speak good English so you
will not have a language problem.
Here you can collect information on what to
do in Morzine from either the pamphlets or on the Internet using
one of their machines. Each day you will find the weather report
posted on the notice board.
