Finding Your Morzine Ski Weekend Break

Morzine has transformed itself from it's old farming roots, to a bustling resort town, catering to thousands of visitors every winter, and just as popular in the summer, when Mountain Bikers, Hikers, and Holidaymakers take advantage of the fantastic weather and facilities.

In winter, the mountain provides some of the finest ski and snowboard conditions you will encounter on earth, from the 650km of pistes made available on the Portes du Soleil, to the many off-piste trails and backcountry. Feeding directly into the high-altitude resort of Avoriaz, the snow record is fantastic, and affords on-mountain fun until well into April. The uphill capacity is such that queues rarely cause major delays, and there are many routes into the larger ski areas. You can even ski into Switzerland ... just be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to get back again!

A free bus service runs around the town, and to the neighbouring towns and resorts, such as Les Gets and St. Jean D'Aulps. The bus will also take you to the Prodains lift, a large cable car, speeding you to the base of Avoriaz. Being a fully-equipped town, hire of equipment is available at many shops, with guides and excursions also bookable. Check in at the Tourist Information Office in the town centre.

By Air
The very easiest and cheapest way to fly to Geneva, the closest major airport to Morzine, is via Easyjet. Not only do they offer the kind of no-frills value that the weekend skier will be grateful for, but they fly direct routed from just about every area of the UK, from Luton, Gatwick, and Stansted in the London area, to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast, and even Bournemouth and Bristol.

Swissair and Air France fly a route direct from London City airport, affording the high-flying City workers a route from desk to slopes in less than 4 hours (I'm sure it could be done)! The Whisperjets used are incredibly comfortable, with good legroom, and firendly service.

By Rail
Eurostar run a route to Annecy, the nearest of their stations, which is still a good hour's drive from Morzine. The Snow Train also departs from London St. Pancras, but doesn't visit any stations within easy reach of Morzine.

By Coach/Car
Coach trips are available form various private tour providers, and the journey can be easily done overnight, allowing you to dump bags and hit the slopes early in the day. The journey, should you choose to go by road, is approximately 650 miles! The only realistic option for a weekend break, in my opinion, is by air, but if you positively cannot get on a plane (for one reason or another), there are options ... but lengthy ones!

I'm in the priveleged position of being able to recommend a really great apartment in Morzine, which I've visited on more than one occasion. It's in a great location, at the foot of the Route D'Avoriaz, and has great links, via the free "Navettes" bus route, to the Prodains cable car (which will take you to Avoriaz in around 10 minutes).

The apartment, part of the Residence Bois de la Croix, has 2 large bedrooms, and a sizeable Lounge/Kitchen/Diner, which has a double sofabed. It can comfortably sleep 6 adults, and there's a folding bed, best used by children, boosting capacity to 7. A ski locker, garage, and parking are included, and the wraparound balcony boasts truly magnificent views of the town, across to the Pleney slope directly opposite (see the picture, above right), the valley to the left, and Les Gets in the distant right.

Morzine Ski Weekend Break

Prices are incredibly reasonable for such a spacious apartment, and all the ameneties you could want are all available ... TV, Microwave, Oven & Hob, Fridge Freezer, and ample seating. There's even a large communal outdoor swimming pool, should you wish to return for a summer break!

Morzine Ski Accommodation

For other accommodation options, you'll do well to beat Holiday-Rentals.co.uk. They've a vast number of property listings for Morzine, and many will allow weekend ski breaks. Costs vary, but on the whole, I've found it to be much cheaper to arrange the accommodation and travel separately.
Visit the Holiday Rentals Site

There are a great many bars and a couple of clubs on offer in Morzine centre, catering to many tastes. Here's just a few of the best options for that Apres experience:

Bar Robinson
Famous for one drink ... Mutzig! This potent beer is treated with great respect by the locals, and you'd do well to apply a little care when dealing with a half pint or 2. If I recall correctly (Mutzig has a tendency to dull the memory), there's 12% alcohol in this tasty brew. Last orders at Robinsons are at 7:30, and the bar closes at 8pm, making it a post-slopes hang out, ideal for discussing the days events.

Buddha Bar
A funky little place, located amongst some of the livelier venues of Morzine, this is an ideal pre-club bar. Try a "Giraffe" ... a 2-foot high tower of beer, which allows you to pour your own drinks from a tap at the bottom.

L'Opera
One of 2 nightclubs in Morzine, this one offers late night partying to a variety of tunes from local and Seasonnaire DJ's.

It's really important to make the most of your weekends in Morzine. By arranging your travel and accommodation well in advance, you can ensure that you see as much of the slopes as possible. Here are my suggestions for a trouble-free weekend, with plenty of mountain time, and all the apres you can shake a stick at!

A couple of months in advance, if you plan that far ahead, book your accommodation and flights. The 2-Bed Apartment in Morzine is perfect for enjoying everything the resort has to offer. For flights, head to the Easyjet website, and bag yourself a Friday evening departure. On arrival, get yourself to the resort ASAP, and experience the Friday nightlife at Buddha and Dixies bars.

For a 2-day visit, there's no need to book a lift pass in advance. Get to the ticket desk early on Saturday, and pick one up, for 2 days fun. Stomp it all day long, and reward yourself with a cool Mutzig at Robinsons, before dumping the mountain gear, and heading out for the best night in town.

I hate to talk about departure before you've got there, but remember to leave sufficient time at the end of your Sunday slope action to get back to Geneva in time for the evening flights. Sorry, but it's back to work on Monday!

In all seriousness, though, I hope this guide has been useful in helping plan your Morzine Ski Weekend Break. Morzine really is a wonderful place to experience life, so get out there, and enjoy it!