 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone assist with this one. We are 7 mates going to Morzine Feb 26th. Three are none skiers and will need to get lessons. The other Four of us are skiers and hoping to ski the entire area. I have read that access isn't that easy and bus trips are required. I have no great problem with this, but wonder if anyone has any tips for getting onto PDS quickly. Also how regular are the buses. I presume the none skiers will be fine with a local pass and again is access to the local slopes easy from Morzine.
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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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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From my Les Gets Ski map there is a long green run (not numbered but right under the chairlift TS du Belvedere, at the top of TC du Pleney lift and a short green run #7 by TS de la Crusaz lift. These two chairlifts are quite far apart and must be connected by a bus service.
All the other Morzine lifts including TC Super Morzine lift to Avoriaz, which can do with a bus service, take skiers to either blue or red slopes. There is a long bus ride from Morzine to the access point of Avoriaz, which with the TPH les Prodains lift plus TS Plateau lift, should bring the skiers to the massive flat area, with green runs #44, #45, #46 and #47, of the Avoriaz resort centre. That should be the beginners paradise.
For new skiers I would advise staying away from the Super Morzine lift as it is long distance from Avoriaz centre with nothing but blue runs.
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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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I'd have suggested Morzine/LesGets bit for the beginners. Access to the Les Gets side is 2 lifts and 2 Blues (iirc - not having a map to hand) but might be a red on the way back? Lessons are probably on that side?
Access to PdS is straight up the SuperMorzine side.
I usually stay in Les Gets, so for the PdS circuit, we start/end at Ardent carpark (minibus ride), or if we are just wanting a day out for decent food on the Swiss side, we either minibus it to Super Morzine, or do the 2 lifts/blues/reds down to Morzine - walk or petit train across to super morzine and go from there.
There's regular bus service between Avoriaz-Morzine-Ardent if you screw up and have to ski to bottom in what rapidly feels more and more like twilight (been there, done that, and skiied back under the Ardent bubble just as it was about to close).
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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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| Quote: |
| I have read that access isn't that easy and bus trips are required. |
Yes and no.
It's best to think of Morzine as having its own ski area, which is shared with Les Gets, and has a couple of pistes that run down into the town centre. This is served by the Pleney bubble (and also another chair lift, which we'll ignore.)
It then has a link to the rest of the Portes du Soleil via the Super Morzine bubble from the other side of town - which is 5-10 minute walk, or 3-4 minutes on the little bus / train thing that runs between the two lifts. From the top of Super Morzine you can ski, via blues, to Avoriaz. Although graded blue, the runs are more greenish going to Avoriaz and a tad more reddish on the way back.
You can also access the rest of the Portes du Soleil via the Prodains cable car up to Avoriaz (a 10 minute bus ride from Morzine) or the bubble at Ardent (a 20 minute bus ride from Morzine).
From the centre of town you can also get a bus to the Nyon cable car, which is at the top end of the Morzine ski area.
As with all resorts, whether you need to get a bus to access the Pleney or Super Morzine lifts depends on where you stay - although the bus service is pretty good no matter where you are. The resort buses in Morzine run every 15-20minutes in season and every 10-15 minutes in high season (Christmas, New Year, half term and Easter).
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| if anyone has any tips for getting onto PDS quickly |
The best way of accessing the PDS circuit depends on whether you have a car or are staying in a chalet with a minibus. If you do, then the very best access to the circuit is via the bubble at Ardent - which takes you up to the Linderats bowl. From there you can turn left into Linga (and on to Chatel); straight ahead for Switzerland or turn right for Avoriaz.
If you don't have a car, then the best route is either to ski across from the Super Morzine, or take the bus to Prodains. Given the choice, I usually go to Prodains as the Super Morzine link can be sometimes get a bit, errr, "chaotic" because it attracts quite a few skiers / boarders with lower skill levels - and you've got to keep you wits about you to dodge all the sudden turns they make!
There is a bus between Morzine and Les Gets, but it only runs about once an hour and finishes quite early (something like 17:30). Saying that, locals seem to be quite amenable to picking up hitchers on the Morzine / Les Gets road - partly, I think, because everyone's missed the bus at some point!
There's a good British Ski School in Morzine, called BASS - website is www.britishskischool.com
The guy I use, Joe Beer, is also running a good value private goup lesson thing this season. It's not yet on his web site (www.alpinelearningcurves.co.uk) as he only sent out the email a couple of days ago. The deal is:
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Absolute Beginners’ Course:
3 x 2 hours per day.
Maximum of 6 people in a group.
Minimum of 3 people in a group.
Price 135 Euros per person. |
The ESF in Morzine isn't one of the better ones for group lessons - so the British instructors tend to get booked up. I'd recommend booking lessons before you go.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PhillipStanton, Many thanks for the help with this. I'll pass on his details to our non skiers. The pointers on access to the areas will be very useful. Cheers 
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andy, Cheers for your help
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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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PhillipStanton, "Joe Beer"? you are having a laugh surely? Great name!! He he he. On the ESF front, they are making big efforts to improve their anglo-friendliness - they took on more anglophones last year (including Kiwis, etc.)
mfamily2, where are you staying? As mentioned it makes a big difference. I have heard that the two chairs up from Prodains to the top of Machon are being replaced for next season which will be a big improvement. I personally find the chairs more entertaining than taking the cable car. But I personally tend to drive to Ardent anyway if I'm going up that side. You should have a great time - Morzine is my favourite resort.
saikee, I am going to cordially disagree. I think that Super Morzine is great for new skiers as it's just long easy blues. It also means you can meet your mates in Avoriaz.
andy, for decent food you go to Switzerland? Why? Where do you eat? Are you particularly fond of turnip fondue? I reckon the foods generally much better on the French side. Honest.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| David Murdoch wrote: |
| PhillipStanton, "Joe Beer"? you are having a laugh surely? Great name!! |
I kid you not. In fact, the whole Morzine / Les Gets scheme is littered with BASI instructors with strange names - Joe Beer, Hugh Money, Babs Hurley, Jaz Lamb, Becci Malthouse.
I'm convinced that BASI instructors have to forgo their given name when they qualify and take an "instructor" name - like a porno name, but often more ludicrous.
| David Murdoch wrote: |
| On the ESF front, they are making big efforts to improve their anglo-friendliness - they took on more anglophones last year (including Kiwis, etc.) |
That's a very fair comment.
This season ESF Morzine is starting a separate stream of lessons aimed at the British market with guaranteed maximum class sizes and a good level of English language proficiency. They are also trying to recruit more native English speakers.
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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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PhillipStanton, re ESF, it helps that the School Director is not from Morzine and has an international business qualification.
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