4 great reasons to visit Morzine this summer!
Situated in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, the combined area of Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz are part of the biggest bike park area in Europe, with over 600km of mountain bike trails. However there is so much more to discover. We’ve gathered together some extra key info to give you an overview of what to do if you haven’t already enjoyed it all.
MTB:
Endless trails for every level of rider, lifts connecting you to the entire PDS region, from downhill, freeride, enduro, xc, family routes and e-mtb trails, you will be in mtb paradise. With Les Gets home to the French round of the Mountain Bike World Cup finals in 2019, 2020, 2022 and the World Championships in 2022, it’s firmly on the map as a legendary place to ride. Morzine and its infamous Pleney lift attracts World Cup riders from across the globe in the summer season and is widely recognised as one of the premier mountain bike destinations on the planet. Access the trail maps here: Morzine Trail Maps Summer
SUMMER 2023 BIKE PARK OPENING DATES
Morzine (Le Pleney)
from 2th to 4th June and from 9th to 11th June > pre-opening weekends
from 16th June to 10th September > continuous opening
from 15th to 17th September > end of season weekend opening
Lakes:
A few minutes from central Morzine lies Montriond. Lac de Montriond is a vast and dramatic lake set against the backdrop of the mountains, it glistens bright turquoise blue, flanked by pretty restaurants, a public BBQ area, events platform and a hotel. You could spend all day there, enjoying the sun and a swim, but we recommend hiring paddle boards and taking a tranquil cruise up, down and around the huge expanse of water. Easy to reach by car or the free bus shuttle services, or on bike if you’re a keen road cyclist or e-mbiker.
Hotel du lac serves beautiful food and regularly hosts live music nights, has a fabulous cocktail menu. tLe Verdoyant is set directly over looking the lake and has a huge open terrace, restaurant and snack bar. During the day they play chilled tunes which give a beach club kind of vibe whilst enjoying your food and drinks.
Walking and Hiking:
The endless marked trails for walkers and hikers provide miles and miles of routes, easy gentle routes that take you on a beautiful discovery tour of the region as well as much more challenging hikes up steeper climbs, you could spend weeks here and not have time to enjoy it all. For a full list of trails and routes, you can visit, the tourist office. They say:
”The Haut-Chablais is home to some of the most easily-accessible walking trails in France. There are 140km of trails in Morzine-Avoriaz alone, with an extensive network continuing throughout the Portes du Soleil. Here is a comprehensive guide to some of the best walks and hikes in the area: Hiking RoutesA favourite among Morzine locals and visitors alike is the medium-rated 10km hike from Lac des Mines d’Or to the Col de Cou mountain pass. The trail takes you through alpine pastures and past the Ferme Auberge de Fréterolles (stop to sample its legendary cheese – all made from the farm). At the 1,921m summit you get sweeping views of the Dents Blanche and Dents du Midi. One of the most challenging and away-from-it-all hikes is the Roc d’Enfer (‘Hell's Rock’) trail in St Jean d’Aulps. The three-hour, round-trip hike involves a steep scramble up a rocky ridge, with 500m vertical drops on either side, which is enough to test the most seasoned walker’s nerves. It is one of the most thrilling – and rewarding – walking trails in France.”
A favourite of ours is Pointe de Nyon which offers a wide range of varying routes, stunning views of the main peaks of Chablais and you can even see across to Lake Geneva .
Tour de France:
2023 sees the return of the Tour de France, after an incredible stage start and rest day in 2022, Morzine was buzzing with TDF excitement. The tdf village thriving with fans and holiday makers, teams and riders easily seen and a huge wow moment as the pack set off from the start and up Rue du Bourg. You don’t need to be an avid follower of the tour to enjoy everything a stage start offers. Loads of activities happening around the 2 days they were here, including opportunities to get up close to the pro’s and the teams. This year, stage 14 will be Annemasse - Morzine over 152km on 15th July, with the start stage commencing in Les Gets on Sunday 16th July. Check out the stages here: Le Tour
If you’re planning a road cycling holiday we highly recommend basing yourselves in Morzine to enjoy the buzz!
Whether you’re planning a week of full on mountain biking with your mates or family, or looking to enjoy some road bike or emtb tours, there is a vast region to explore and simply walking, hiking, paddle-baording, sunbathing and enjoying eating out or picnics, you would be hard pressed to find an equally appealing destination this summer. See you soon we hope!