Skiing in Morzine
Morzine’s ski area is divided into three sectors: Pleney above the town to the west, Nyon-Chamossierre to the south, and Super Morzine to the East. The slopes of Les Gets and Avoriaz are just over the hill, and anywhere in the Portes du Soleil can be reached, skied and returned from in a day.
Morzine Ski Area Overview
Pleney
Pleney is the main mountain and where the local ski schools hang out. The summit is a broad plateau ideal for beginners and good long blues weave through the trees to the village below. Anyone other than experts can easily enjoy a half day or more here. Challenging skiing is limited although there is the Stade de Slalom down the face of the mountain – ideal for showing off to the spectators on the terrace of the Hotel L’Equipe. If you don’t want to immediately return to Morzine, from the summit you can ski to Nyon Chamossiere (see below) or down to Les Gets, from where they can ski both the Les Chavannes / Rainfoilly sector or the Mont Chery sector.
Nyon-Chamossiere
For more testing runs, head across to Nyon-Chamossiere, either via Le Grand Pre or Les Fys, which both have lifts to the Nyon Plateau. From there many blues and reds slope back to Morzine or around to Les Gets but for a tougher test you can head up to the Pointe de Nyon. L’Aigle starts out red zig-zagging from the summit and then ends with optional black bumps – it often has bumpy patches following a line straight down.
From the Plateau you can also ski across to Chamossiere – a single peak with one chairlift but a great bumpy black under the chair and a stiff red on the other side. In good conditions there’s a lot of good just-off-piste to the sides of both.
Super Morzine
In contrast, Super Morzine is mainly a route to Avoriaz but on sunny days it’s a great place for beginners and intermediates to practice their turns on wide, open pistes.
Beginner Skiing in Morzine
Morzine’s main nursery areas are the summit of Pleney and the Nyon Plateau.
If you’re staying in or near the centre of Morzine, the main nursery areas are the summit of Pleney and the Nyon Plateau. Both are directly accessed by telecabine so you don’t need to ski down at the end of your lesson. And both have mountain restaurants for inter-run refreshment.
The runs around Super Morzine, the route on skis to Avoriaz, are also a good beginners’ area.
Those staying in the outlying Morzine villages and hamlets might choose different areas. There are good beginners’ slopes at les Lindarets, close to Ardent. Novices based at Les Prodains have a tougher time. There is a blue run coming down the mountain from Azoriaz but in general this is a black run area. Generally they are better off learning to ski on the main beginners slopes in Avoriaz or on Pleney above Morzine.
Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Morzine
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Intermediate Skiing in Morzine
Intermediates are spoiled for choice anywhere in Morzine.
Once you’re beginning to conquer the whole mountain, the area really opens up. There’s really no local skiing that you won’t be able to attempt (except maybe the Points of Nyon or Chamossiere) so you’ll be spoiled for choice anywhere.
Advanced & Expert Skiing in Morzine
More experienced skiers will be drawn to the blacks, particularly Chamossiere, but there are also good off-piste opportunities in Morzine, in neighbouring Avoriaz and Les Gets, and across the whole of the Portes du Soleil.
There are off-piste opportunities in Morzine and in the right conditions these can be great. Directly below the Chamossiere chair there used to be a long black run with a great gradient but it’s now left as an off-piste area and you can spend many runs yo-yoing up and down and exploring further afield. Similarly in good conditions, there is off-piste fun to be had below Pointe de Nyon, but be careful, there are dangerous cliffs here, so a guide is recommended.
If you cross over to Les Gets, (on the way look out for interesting runs through the trees, especially around La Ranfoilly) the far side of Mont Chery has black runs below the Planeys and Chery Nord lifts, and if it’s snowed recently, it’s not hard to find good off-piste opportunities near them.
But experts will want to take advantage of their Portes du Soleil pass and tackle greater challenges around Avoriaz including the steep black runs at les Hauts Forts down to Les Prodains, the Swiss Wall into Champery and the offpiste below the Pointe de Mossette heading towards Les Crosets. Further around the circuit, there’s good off-piste coming down from Tete de Linga near Chatel and genuinely challenging moguls from the top of the Comebois to Plaine Dranse near Ardent (another outlying village of Morzine’s).
Boarding & Freestyle in Morzine
There are no dedicated facilities for snowboarders and freestylers in Morzine.
To find dedicated snowboard and freestyle facilities you need to head further away to Avoriaz or Mont Cheri.
Mountain Restaurants in Morzine
The mountain eating near Morzine generally lives up to the gastronomic reputation of the area.
The mountain eating near Morzine generally lives up to the gastronomic reputation of the area – it is, however, difficult to completely escape the traditional ham and cheese laden dishes beloved of the Savoyard.
But, when it’s howling a snowy gale and you’re tucking into a perfect “Patates au reblochon” (literally, potatoes and cheese) in the “inner sanctum” of Francois’ kitchen at Chez Nannon on the Nyon Plateau, you might not want to escape. It’s a perfect way to enjoy bad weather although when its sunny the service on the terrace can be slow and chaotic. In any case booking is necessary.
Alternatively, there are a handful of restaurants at the bottom of the Choucas chair on the way to Les Gets, a big self service on the Plateau itself and a couple of restaurants on the Pleney plateau.
Chez Nannon, Nyon
Phone: +33 (0) 450 792115
Les Mouilles, Le Pléney
Phone: +33 (0) 609 958119
Le Naborm, Le Pléney
Phone: +33 (0) 450 790203
Le Rocher
Phone: +33 (0) 684 079303
Restaurant des Crêtes de Zorre, Super Morzine
Phone: +33 (0) 450 792473
Restaurant “Pointe de Nyon”, Plateau de Nyon
Phone: +33 (0) 450 791174
Snack du Pléney / Restaurant Portes du Soleil, Pléney
Phone: +33 (0) 450 792478
Le Vaffieu, Le Pléney
Phone: +33 (0) 450 790943