An emerging luxury ski resort
Morzine is a ski resort on the rise. The lift investment is testament to this; in 2014 Chatel invested €17.15 million, and Avoriaz €13.83 million in their lift systems, putting them both in the top ten resorts for investment across the Alps. This shows a serious commitment to the continual improvement of the already excellent lift system in Portes du Soleil.
Two of the new lifts are the Vonnes-Super Chatel chair lift, and the Vonnes-Linga chairlift which now enable skiers to cross the resort of Chatel and access the skiing on both sides without the bother of taking off their skis. Previously the link was via bus, but this now makes the majority of the skiing in Portes du Soleil lift linked and it is much quicker to access the various charming areas.
Critics of the Portes du Soleil will always comment on the resort’s height; at 1,000m the town itself is certainly low, however the resort does offer skiing much higher peaking at 2,466m in Avoriaz. In addition, the majority of the skiing here is on pastureland, rather than rocky hillsides, and so doesn’t need as deep a snow base as many resorts before the entire area becomes skiable.
The Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva microclimates also lend a hand to ensure that conditions are as good here as most resorts, though like anywhere the early and late season weeks do carry some risk that conditions won’t be at premium.
Endless piste options on one lift pass
If you are staying in central Morzine you’re most likely to consider taking either the Pleney or Nyon lifts to ski on the Morzine/Les Gets side of resort, or perhaps the Super Morzine gondola which enables you to access Avoriaz, Linderets, Chatel and Switzerland. For good skiers there are many miles to get under your skis here and you will certainly not get bored.
The best way to take advantage of the huge amount of skiing on offer is either to have your own vehicle to enable you to start the day at different lift stations throughout the week - we think Ardent is great for quick access to Switzerland and Chatel. Or better still to book a chalet with a driver service, which will chauffeur you to the lift of your choice, and pick you up from a different lift at the end of the ski day.
The whole Portes du Soleil area is covered by one lift pass, which is really excellent value for the size of the resort. If you are a beginner skier, or have members of your party who are less experienced then the gentle slopes on the Pleney side are a good starting point, and where you will find the majority of the ski schools are based.
Something for everyone
Equally Les Gets is very family friendly, with gentle wide slopes, mostly within the tree line so great for visibility on more challenging days. Intermediate skiers will find the whole resort is their playground; start on the swooping reds of Les Gets, before moving to the steeper slopes of Avoriaz, which are more exposed and therefore challenging.
Chatel is a beautiful mixture of the two with long, long runs from top to bottom and through the trees, and some challenging terrain around the Linga. For the most experienced of skiers there is of course the infamous Swiss Wall itinerary which takes you over the back of Avoriaz (at a pitch of over 50 degrees!) into Switzerland, and the ‘Coupe du Monde’ black run is also to be found in Avoriaz – as used in the World Cup downhill of course.
The Swiss side of the resort is generally quieter with a much more relaxed feel, both to the skiing, the lifts and the restaurants. You will still find T-bars here, though they are sadly being gradually replaced by lifts with far less character.
The mountain restaurants serve goulash and the best hot chocolate (the milk’s different this side), and the terrain is wide and open; pistes merge and meander their way down the mountainside, and around Les Crosets particularly you can pretty much pick your own route on or off the piste to descend the mountain.
An in-depth look at the skiing options
Looking at the different areas on offer across the region each certainly has it’s own appeal and distinctive flavour. Morzine sits in the middle of the region and so offers a great base from which to explore each of these areas during the course of a week’s ski trip.
Taking Les Gets to start with there are so many areas to explore; the area above Les Chavannes can get crowded around peak times (ski school start, finish, lunch etc.) and is best skied through to the quieter and more interesting areas; at La Rosta there are fantastic runs of every colour starting from the top of the La Rosta chairlift and all finishing in the bowl below – pick the route that suits you and meet everyone at the bottom.
Several other lifts service this bowl and hours can be whiled away in this small area alone. If you can drag yourselves away, head to Chamossière. Enjoy the ski across to start with, before heading up to the top where a beautiful steep red and steeper (often mogulled) black await you. From here skip across to Pointe de Nyon the area bridging Morzine and Les Gets – and try lunch at the lovely Chez Nanon mountain restaurant for rustic local specialties.
Heading from Morzine via the super Morzine lift you will be faced with a tantalising choice; from the Chapelle chair lift do you head left, down into Linderets (affectionately referred to as the ‘goat village’ by locals)? From here, on up to Brochaux and Mossettes, and Switzerland beckons with the wide swooping runs of Les Crosets. Or do you cross Linderets and make for the Chaux Fleurie chairlift to access the 130km of slopes on offer in Chatel?
Perhaps you don’t head left after all; instead turn right and wind your way down into Avoriaz for the highest and most challenging skiing the Portes du Soleil has to offer. The lift system here is fast although in peak weeks it can bottleneck at the bottom lifts; once you’re up to the mid station area it’s worth staying there awhile then; the slopes around Chavonette and Le Fornet are high; great for intermediate skiers and conditions are usually excellent here.
Equally the slopes around the Coup du Monde are challenging though not to be feared; ‘Arete des Intrets’ though black is achievable for intermediate skiers, and continuing down all the way to Prodains is a lovely ski with the new Prodains Express gondola now whisking you back to Avoriaz town centre in considerably more comfort (and speed) than was previously the case.
From the top of Chavonette of course it would be remiss not to name check the Swiss Wall, which descends the back of the mountain into Switzerland. Classed as an ‘itinerary’, meaning more challenging than a black and ‘marked’ but not groomed this is the most famous run in resort, and not to be taken lightly. It is best skied as soon as it re-opens after fresh snowfall when conditions are most pleasant (and forgiving).
The pitch is over 50% and it is steepest at the very top, where in fact you cannot see over the top of the first mogul to asses your chances – either go for it, or take a round-trip down and back up on the chairlift to decide if you’re up to the challenge. The first 3 or 4 moguls are huge – reputedly bigger than VW Beetles. Once these are tackled however the others are less intimidating, you now have the sheer length of the itinerary to contend with; 1 km long which at this pitch and with moguls is a stiff leg workout. More timid friends can watch you from the chairlift - the more restful descent.
Remember starting out up the Super Morzine gondola? If you did take that left turn after the Chapelle chair, and you decided to head across to Chatel you will enjoy the variety on offer around the Plane Dranse ski area and above Pré la Joux. Favourites here include the red run Les Rennes, or Pre la Joux itself which is a long, top to bottom red. The runs in the Linga sector are superb, with the Linga steep and wide cutting down through the valley.
New lifts in this sector link you from the blue piste ‘La Leiche’ across to the Super Chatel side where you can ski to Torgon in Switzerland or wind your way up to Morgins – also Swiss side of the border (no passport required for the crossing). It will be interesting to see how much the new lift really opens up Torgon, previously a much under skied and under-valued area but with beautiful views and a feeling of being out in the wilds.
If you decided to head straight up to Switzerland from Linderets you will have taken the Mossettes chair lift, which can be windy as it approaches the ridge at the top, forming the border into Les Crosets and Switzerland. Les Crosets can be charming; from the snow park with a naturally formed gully at the bottom (kids love it) to the Marcheuson ‘bowl’ – a red run officially, but the surrounding hillside is fair game and great after fresh snow. A quirky restaurant sits at the bottom perfect for Swiss hot chocolate and a game of pool before taking the button lift back into the main side of the resort. Fabulous view of the Dents du Midi mountain range from here.
If that doesn’t sound like enough skiing for you, there is always the little off-shoot of La Grande Terche to the north of Morzine. Accessed by car and driving up from St Jean D’Aulps village this is a charming little area well worth half a day’s ski if the ‘back’ is open, allowing you to do a circular tour where you’re unlikely to see many souls. The larger circuit is the better known, the ‘Portes du Soleil loop’, a day-long tour of the ski area starting and finishing in Morzine.
Though not many of the pistes in themselves are too challenging, it is quite a distance and requires a strong pace to complete in the day – especially if you plan to stop for lunch. Getting ‘stuck’ at the wrong point of the loop when lifts close is troublesome, as it’s a long drive (and expensive taxi fare) back to Morzine from Chatel or the Swiss side. There are several versions of the route, best to seek advice from a local when you plan to attempt it, as to which route the conditions that day lend themselves to best. Alternatively, book yourself a guide so you can relax and enjoy the tour without furiously studying the piste map on each lift.
