 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Have booked a group of 15 of us to go to Morzine in Jan 2010 has anyone been? any recommendations etc etc
Thanks
Toni
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tonsky, You have booked so I guess you only want to hear good thing's 
Do they have snowmaking?
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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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im open to bad things as well so we know what not to do, we have booked and yes they do have snow making
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've been, earlier this year!
It's not my favourite area I've been to, I'll be honest, but do make sure you check out the Mt Chery bit at the far end of Les Gets. I think it gets neglected by a lot of punters and is therefore pretty quiet, despite being - in my opinion - the best bit of the whole Morzine/Les Gets area. There was a very mogulled black run over there that I and all 3 of my cohorts chickened out of, and all decent black run skiers too - for shame. We had to duck under a hedge and thread our way through a terrain park full of smirking boarders.
We drove to Avoriaz one day thinking this was a good idea in order to avoid the Super Morzine gondola (which you have to ride down as well as up). This took far longer than expected. So don't do that 
The other really good bit is the red from the top of the Chamoisiere lift (spelling mistake there, almost certainly).
We found that the main PdS circuit beyond Avoriaz was too much of a slog to get to bother with more than twice in the week, which made the area feel smaller than it might appear on paper.
Don't come back wishing you'd done the Swiss Wall, like I did. Do it!
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 14-08-09 12:53; edited 1 time in total
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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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oh brilliant are there some nice runs for blue standard skiers and possibly a few nice reds. We are a mixed ability group and went to austria last year and loved it but we struggle to find the right accommodation at the right price and happened to find a perfect chalet in morzine hence why we are going.
thanks fr the info about Mt chery sounds good to me we lie quiet places that others cant be bothered to go find
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mt Chery is the hardcore bit, mind. The blue runners in your group won't like it unless they raise their game to the level of the reds that are over there, and the blacks down it are proper.
The main stretch between Morzine and Les Gets is classic easy cruising sort of material as I recall, so you'll get on just fine around there, and lots in Avoriaz too.
I did half and half boarding and skiing and found a lot of areas that were respectively (boarding) a bit too flat and (skiing) a bit too short and a bit too easy.
Sig. other and I both had the same complaint that we often felt we were using a run to get to a lift, rather than the other way round. If you see what I mean.
To be honest we did a poorer job than usual of making the most of what is a pretty massive area.
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Morzine is a nice village, although pretty low - hence why you get a lot of good deals there. You should be ok in Jan though I would hope.
I second Mont Chery. It's great and never busy, some nice wide reds on the one side, which should be ok for confident blue skiers. The other side is one really nice red, and a couple of fun blacks - this side isn't really suitable unless your fully confident on reds though.
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oh lovely sounds good to me thankyou for all the feedback as i say any appreciated
I think ill send out experts over to Mt Chery as there good at investigating and seeing if the rest of us should follow its like having our own personal ski guides
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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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Front side of Mt. Chery is not difficult. Chery Nord (back) side has the bumpy black, and a "firm" shady red. Handy coffee stop at the bottom, too. From Morzine I think it's only 2 lifts and 2 blues to get to Les Gets village then a 5min walk or le petit train to the Chery lift, or the bus stops right outside.
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oooooooooooooooooooo lovely thanks andy
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I hate to disagree with paulio, but there's runs of every ability around Morzine / Les Gets. As andy says, the front side of Mt Chery has some great runs and also a great red run off the back - in addition to the (moguled) blacks.
It's worth saying that most of the blacks in the area are left to mogul up. They only tend to be pisted if the snow is thin or there's an avalanche risk.
If anyone thinks that the Portes du Soleil feels small then they really ought to stop and have a look around. There's a days skiing to be had on just the Hautes Fortes sector or Avoriaz if you're a good skier.
Must go to have dinner - will post some suggestions later...
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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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I went in Jan this year.
This is the best piste map I found. There are lots more runs & some of the lifts are out of date but it shows you the sectors:
http://www.avoriaz.com/ski-holidays/snowsports/pistes-map.php
It is seriously easy to have a bad day & do as paulio describes, yet people go there & enjoy a whole season, finding new runs after months of exploring, eg: http://alpian.blogspot.com/2008/01/action-shots.html
Skiing tips:
1) It is massive - there are bits you cannot reach & get home in a day. It is much more spread out than eg the 3Vs. Accept that is the way the mountains & lifts are here & don't be tempted to ski from place to place - much better to go somewhere for the morning or afternoon & ski all over it.
2) Use the buses (can be v useful for getting you home after a ski safari).
3) Don't bother with the Navette unless it is ready for you - in Les Gets follow the (tiny) signs to 'secteur Mt Chery' - in good conditions you can ski thru the village to straight across the road from the Gondola, in Morzine - get a bus.
4) Mt Chery is great, steep & empty like everyone says. Go on a sunny day for stunning views to Mt Blanc:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/neil2829/Morzine#5296357339195298898
5) You could leave the 'Swiss Wall' (Itiner 2 below 'Chavanette' in Les Crosets' at 3.30-4pm & get 1 lift ('Le Stade'-abt where tow 'la taloche' is on that piste map) & get back to Morzine, >1hrs skiing, bus from Prodains - runs late. The Swiss Wall:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/neil2829/Morzine#5296358427543486786
6) 'Belle Mouille' to Chamiaz express lift in Morzine is a great windy red, 'Tulipe' into Chavannes Bowl is a great successor, but plenty of choices in this sector (good if windy). There is a blue with a bit of a flat end from the top of Belvedere lift to Chamiaz express which seems the convenient route but if time is not pressing, I'd ski to the Express chair in Les Gets & get it back up to take the red instead.
7) Tough blacks are 'Bouquetin' (that paulio chickened out of) & under Charmossiere chair (Morzine) & the wall as above.
8)Lovely learner off piste from the top of 'Pointe' (Nyon - Morzine)
9) can be horrible if raining & windy - I missed that day ('luckily' had to get to Doncaster)
10) get a 'Morzine' & an 'Avoriaz' piste Map. You need a local one but Avoriaz is much better for all the other areas (Chatel/Linga/Switzerland)
11) there are actually decent, ignored runs all down 'Le Pleney'. Includes a Black to 'Atrays' (with its own pig!) & a long windy blue with a flattish end 'Piste D?'
12) The only thing I would completely avoid is that flat green called 'Retour de Nants' along the bottom of Pleney unless you are completely stuck & need to get home. For a Boarder going to Nyon & a bus would probably be a better option (but that chair [Pre Favre] has no foot rest!)
13) In Avoriaz: Serraussaix/Proclou base (above Supermorzine) is nowhere near Prodains base despite what it looks like on the maps.
Drinking tips:
1) Bar Robinson, on the main st - get the lager on tap, speak French (no matter how badly - you can order Lager, surely - try in English & the landlady will sniff). Only open until 7pm!
2) Cavern - in a group of bars (Buddha & 2 others as well) - live music apres ski
3) Dixie Bar, on main st, past Robinson - after dinner, if you want football
4) others on backstreets - can't really be more helpful
Can't leave without pointing you to my 1st view of Morzine:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/neil2829/Morzine#5296356191132359170
Neil
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Fri 14-08-09 23:07; edited 1 time in total
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| what...snow wrote: |
| 7) Tough blacks are 'Bouquetin' (that paulio chickened out of)... |
Good spot - I'd assumed that paulio was talking about one of the two blacks off the back. Bouquetin is one of the hardest runs in the PDS for my money.
| what...snow wrote: |
| 8)Lovely learner off piste from the top of 'Pointe' (Nyon - Morzine) |
Just be a little careful there - certain aspects of the Pointe de Nyon are very "slidey".
| what...snow wrote: |
| 1) Bar Robinson, on the main st - get the lager on tap, speak French (no matter how badly - you can order Lager, surely - try in English & the landlady will sniff). Only open until 7pm! |
I believe that they're now selling T Shirts saying "The Mutzig made me do it..."
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You know it makes sense.
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what...snow - great photos.
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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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paulio, tonsky, the red from the top of Chamossiere is Arbis. It's a good one, challenging but good. Stop at the bottom for a choc chaud at Les Blanchots.
Now, at risk of repeating myself, please shut up about Mont Chery 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Bouquetin is one of the hardest runs in the PDS for my money.
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Lionel on winterhighland agrees - he lives in a village just below it. See his 'skiing in the Alps...' thread in the Bothy section over there - including him skiing home from work!
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certain aspects of the Pointe de Nyon are very "slidey".
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I mean the wee sections between the zig-zag piste - some of that area def looks 'slidey' & I def don't want to get anyone into trouble - when I was there a ski shop owner in Les Gets died OP on Mont Chery. Serious terrain.
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"The Mutzig made me do it..."
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That's the stuff! 1=sensible, 2=Inane grinning, 3=Hardcore, 4=Insane, 5=vomiting in gutter/hypothermia - you should have gone to Austria
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tonsky - there's a lot of skiing
As what...snow says, there's loads of skiing around Morzine / Les Gets. If there's 15 of you then do book for lunch as it can be bad enough getting a table for 4 some days.
For a couple of "mini tour big day out"s for mixed abilities then I'd suggest:
- Super Morzine - across to Avoriaz - drop down into Linderats - up Chaux Fleurie - down to Pre La Joux - over to Linga and back
- Super Morzine - across to Avoriaz - drop down most of the way into Linderats - up Mossettes - down into Crozets - across to the Swiss Wall (Chavanette) - down into the Fornet bowl and back either via Super Morzine or drop down to the bottom of Prodains after a lap or two of Arare
All of this can be done on blues and reds - with detours available for black run skiers.
Hautes Fortes is superb for black runs and, personally, I can spend most of a day there without going anywhere else.
In bad visibility then you're often best staying around Morzine / Les Gets or the Linderats sector of Avoriaz.
If it's very, very windy then I tend to avoid straying further than Linderats, Fornet or Hautes Fortes as the link lifts can close.
If anyone is likely to want lessons then I can make some recommendations if you post what's needed.
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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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oh my god thankyou so much all of you that is the most comprehensive informaton i have ever been given and that is going to be such a great help thats brilliant.
The pictures look amazing and so does the amont of snow you had i cant wait now roll on january
thankyou for all the advice re black runs Mt Chery etc its good to have truthful accounts so if people do decide to ski suc areas they know the details and risks in advance
your all stars thanks
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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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tonsky, I would argue that the PDS is one of the best linked areas anywhere. If you get good conditions you should have a tremendous time. No idea why it wouldn't be Paulio's favourite, but a chacun son gout.
Sure, there are some bus links. Sure there can be a little walking around villages. But in almost any conditions I would guarantee you that I could find you excellent snow and excellent skiing - you just need to know where to go.
It's also arguably the best area anywhere for fine on-mountain dining. There are threads on here - search "La Terrasse" for example to find more comments.
A couple of notes. IMHO Neil's view on distance is a little out. If you are reasonable skiers you ought to be able to get anywhere in the area from Morzine and back again easily in a day. There's an informal saisonaire challenge which involves doing Morzine-Chery Nord-Torgon-Abondance-Morzine in a day. Not that hard, especially these days as some of the more interesting liaisons have been made easier/quicker.
Following the FlyingS; Lindarets can easily provide you with a whole day's fun off two lifts.
Pointe de Nyon and Chamossiere are under used and under appreciated - as long as you like bumps & are comfortable off piste.
Linga is just one big playground.
For intermediate groups the Chavannes bowl is another top area.
On blacks; I would suggest that the new black into Torgon is marginally tougher than Bouquetin. Highly amused a few years ago to listen to a bunch of chaps (in appropriately co-ordinated gear) psyching themselves into it, then making huge noise of regret on the way down.
But one of the strengths is that you can wander all around a huge area getting great skiing in as you notch up the miles. Massive variety. Something for everyone.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been based in Morzine a couple of times and I tended to head to Avoriaz most days for boarding the larger PDS region and other attached resorts (you can end up in Switzerland quite easily) . I tended to reserve the lazy (later start) days or snowy days for the local Morzine slopes and dropping in to Les Gets etc
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 15-08-09 10:25; edited 1 time in total
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Apologies rayscoops - I'll try to remember to dig it out - I'll have it somewhere...
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
| On blacks; I would suggest that the new black into Torgon is marginally tougher than Bouquetin. Highly amused a few years ago to listen to a bunch of chaps (in appropriately co-ordinated gear) psyching themselves into it, then making huge noise of regret on the way down. |
Agree with that. "The run with the tree in the middle".
My stunning performance on the beast is catalogued here 
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It's a great ski area - a variety of runs. I've always enjoyed it. Don't be put off by going over to Avoriaz. Some of the nicest piste skiing is on that side.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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under a new name,
My distances might well be out - I took my roommate cos we both wanted to do a tour of some new bits on my last day. I forgot we started after his lesson & it was his 2nd week skiing so I was taking it gently. He still seemed a little tired & befuddled when we got back in the gathering gloom. I thought the views to the Dents from that area were lovely.
It just takes a while to Transit across Morzine especially if you CBA walking & wait for a bus/navette to fill. Then there are still 2 lifts before any sort of skiing. As I said you can get Les Gets down to crossing a road to Mt Chery, 5min walk/navette back from Mt Chery (I didn't see another route). Avoriaz has no roads, just pistes - slightly eerie.
That run in Torgon was a fave of the bloke in the blog I linked to above. I think there was a link missing when I was there so it was going to be difficult to get there - there were some signs on the col but my French wasn't up to translating & we headed back into Les Crosets.
Yes Lindarets area is awesome. Lots of tree skiing.
The l'Ours restaurant on Mt Chery was v nice but not a place to eat every day. Classy & expensive.
I was there for 5d & could probably ski another week on completely different runs. I'd definitely go back.
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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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what...snow, "his 2nd week" - crikey, well done you.
Amazing photo BTW, like that a lot.
I can't think of a better route across les Gets, but I wouldn't, myself, ever wait for a bus across Morzine. Yeah, Torgon liaison is sometimes tricky.
If it's any consolation, I've skied there 60+ weeks and I still can find runs I haven't skied.
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you'll have a great time in Morzine, it's a great resort with excellent skiing. Dont forget to ski over to Les Gets and get over to Avoriaz it should be fairly quite in Jan it's like spaggetti junction in half terms!!
oh and try 'the wall'
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You know it makes sense.
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I think the Combe du Machon is tougher than the wall, that said it is not as long but certainly steeper!
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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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| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
| I hate to disagree with paulio, but there's runs of every ability around Morzine / Les Gets. |
Um. I said there was terrain ranging from easy cruising to a black that I had to chicken out of.
And yes 'Bouquetin" it was. *shudder*.
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