 Poster: A snowHead
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Having never skied or stayed in Morzine I thought I would ask the simple question of what is it like? There are 4 adults and two kids (kids...they are both at Uni, but still kids) and our dog. We are good skiers and cover on and off piste and we have an opportunity of staying in a self-catered chalet over New Year. Mrs G, the dog and I will take a drive up there this weekend as it is easily accessible from where we live, but obviously we want to know what it is like in winter? We can look at all the websites, but nothing compares to getting the honest feedback from this forum.
Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's nice.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Its a decent resort with access to the Portes du Soleil, so plenty of skiing to be had.
As with anything snow can be an issue at that time of the year, but they have extensive snow making so I wouldn't worry to much.
I'm not sure how near to the town centre you are, but can be a bit of a walk if you're a little further out.
Definitely get over to Lets Gets as it offers some great views of Mont Blanc, and i'd also drop down into Les Crosets and attempt the Swiss Wall.
Additionally check out Bec Jaune at the bottom of the Crusaz lift as it offers some great homemade beer and scotch eggs.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Dzmarc, thanks. Beer and scotch eggs...mmm.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Go for it.
Morzine's a real village so has some of the sole purpose-built resorts tend to lack - and also tends to have council officials who say "Non!" if someone asks to build a concrete blot on the landscape. Provided you're somewhere central in Morzine everything's an easy walk and with enough variety to find/avoid different ideas of apres and types/prices of food. You also have 2 supermarkets in town (so a little price competition) but with a car there's a much larger Carrefour just out of town.
The downsides are that your chalet "in" Morzine could actually be some distance from Morzine, so check where it actually is. Also you may not have snow in the village it's self, or be able to ski back to the village (if the season start's as bad as last year). That said there are free buses covering Morzine and also some of the surrounding area that take you to the gondolas up to Avoriaz, which is where I'd expect you to spend most of your time as experienced skiers.
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@Mjit, the chalet is close to the Super Morzine lift if that means anything.
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@Goliard, On which side of the "Great Divide"? By which I mean is it on the Morzine side, in which case you should be fine or across the bridge in which case everything might be a bit of a walk away.
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It doesn't tell me. It just says central, elevated a few mins from Super Morzine lift.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Goliard, got a link?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Morzine is lovely in the snow, but it can look (as do many alpine towns/villages) a bit grotty when the snow cover is not good. Often the case over Xmas & New Year at that (lowish for skiing) altitude. There are usually some good fireworks, torch lit ski parade, and celebrations in the town square. Parking around there is sometimes difficult/busy but you will be able to judge for yourself if you go there this weekend weather you would usually walk there from your accommodation. Most restaurants and bars seem to have parties/special meals on (may need to book!) Its a proper town with all the resources that go with that.
Its not difficult to get up to the Avoriaz ski area from Morzine which does go very high, so usually snow sure, but be aware that the Super Morzine link to Avoriaz may have to close, include bits of walking in ski boots carrying skies, or only be kept open by snow being carted to very narrow pathways between rocks and bare ground if snow is scarce. If open its a busy nightmare in such conditions even though the piste folk do the best they can and work very hard to keep it usable. In such conditions we preferred to drive to the Avoriaz cable car, there is a navette that runs to and fro there regularly. Its not too bad a drive right up to Avoriaz but unless you need the car to hand (as we did when our children were small) I don`t see the point. Skiing up at Avoriaz can be very busy if lower slopes are poor or even closed.
Hope you have a lovely time, we have enjoyed some happy family holidays there.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Goliard, if the photo over the town is taken from the chalet, and I've got my geography correct, I reckon you are in the chalet here 46°10'51.4"N 6°42'31.1"E - search it on google maps.
If you have a car, it's probably fine. But a bit of a walk to Super-Morzine. Their distances on the site are a bit weird.
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@under a new name, Thanks for that...we will check it out tomorrow as we will drive up there in the morning.
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You know it makes sense.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@Goliard, if the photo over the town is taken from the chalet, and I've got my geography correct, I reckon you are in the chalet here 46°10'51.4"N 6°42'31.1"E - search it on google maps.
If you have a car, it's probably fine. But a bit of a walk to Super-Morzine. Their distances on the site are a bit weird. |
Yep, I'd agree that's the right sort of ball-park certainly. I stay in a chalet a few min up the road.
There's not much other than accommodation on that side of the river - but it's in Morzine proper and the centre of town's not that big for 6 physically fit adults (I'm assuming no zimmers/you're not still carrying skis for university-aged kids). On the plus side of course there's not much to disturb you're sleep either.
A couple of min walk one way will get you to the Mairie and in that area you have Dixie Bar, Bar Robinsons and a string of shops and restaurants that lead you up the (not too steep - and downhill going home) hill in to the main part of town. A few minutes further in the same direction gets you to the roundabout where there's a stop for the bus to the Prodains (I think) bubble up to Avoriaz.
A 5 min walk the other way will get you to the (much exaggerated) BRIDGE OF DEATH! that takes you to the bottom of the Super Morzine gondola and more or less the other end of town from the bar/restaurant point of view. The S-M means no buses but from the top across to Avoriaz isn't exactly exciting and not the most fun you can have with a snowboard on. The cat and dog bar at the top does one of the best van chaude anywhere though - even if they were down to just 1 cat last year.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Mjit, Our border collie will provide the dog. He goes everywhere with us...even on the mountain.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sure, as @Mjit, says, it's not by a long shot a bad place to stay.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Highly recommend Morzine but snow has been poor over xmas and New Year over recent years but perhaps that means they are due a good one this year. I managed to get a few days in a catered chalet for the wife and I between xmas and New Year a while back and the snow was fantastic. If the snow in and around Morzine isn't great then Avoriaz is pretty snow sure so you can always ski there if you opt for the full PDS pass rather than just Morzine/Les Gets. You can do a really nice "piste tour" out of the bottom of Avoriaz before heading back into Avoriaz from the top end - as a previous poster mentioned the Swiss Wall is a good challenge too.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Are you seriously taking a dog on the piste at new year or have I misunderstood?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Nadenoodlee, yes. Our dog loves the mountain. We normally walk up with him and ski down but he is no stranger to to gondolas.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Looks like route d'Encoches, otherwise known a millionaire's row, so accommodation will be v nice. You are the Avoriaz side of town so 5 mins max walk to Super M lift but probably 15 mins to pleney (in ski boots). Not too far from town so pretty good location.
[quote="Dzmarc"[Additionally check out Bec Jaune at the bottom of the Crusaz lift as it offers some great homemade beer and scotch eggs.[/quote]
Unless it has moved the Bec is not at the bottom of any lift. Your discription is correct but the location sounds like Le Tremplin to me.
Andy
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New year is heaving busy @Goliard, I don't think it will be a particularly safe thing to do.
And the Bec isn't anywhere near a lift but is certainly worth going to.
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@anderoo, No you are right, it is just round the corner, near the ski set hire shop. My mistake, just remember we always ended up there.
Only two minutes away anyway so not to bad.
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