Apres Ski in Morzine
Very popular with the French during school holidays, Morzine is a favourite with Brits, the Dutch and Belgians.
A far cry from the sleepy Savoyard village that began to waken when Francois Baud built the original Grand Hotel, Morzine is now a proper Alpine town whose main industry is tourism; both winter and summer. It’s history results in a mélange of old and new, with some odd French 60s architecture in between. It’s not as well controlled as some other resorts so there are some odd apartment blocks in between the traditional chalets and barns. Very popular with the French during school holidays, it’s a favourite with Brits, the Dutch and Belgians. As expected in a town of this size this means a profusion of bars, restaurants, accommodation and facilities of all types (and budgets).
Apres Ski Bars & Nightlife in Morzine
There’s never a problem in finding somewhere suitable to kick back in your ski boots in Morzine.
There’s never a problem in finding somewhere suitable to kick back in your ski boots and tell tall tales of demonic black runs. On the whole après ski in Morzine is resort-based, and it is almost as important as the skiing itself. Le Dixie Bar on Rue du Bourg is popular with Brits with pool tables, games, live rugby and football on the big screens and usually has live music for early evening après-ski entertainment. Classier is Le Boudha Café, where you can also buy the Asian furniture if you like it. For an après ski knees-up you can try and get in at Crépuscule. It’s small, busy, full of Dutch and Swedes and there’s a risk that you might not get round to taking off your boots until bedtime.
Le Rhodos is for more chilled out après ski with relaxing music, free newspapers and comfy sofas – and betting at the PMU counter. Cheap, strong beer pulls in the crowds early on to the Bar Robinson; another popular venue with the English. Surf the web with your après-ski at the Action Sports Café which as well as internet terminals has a comfortable decking area and outside bar for those sunnier days, plus a Playstation for nippier nights. A more French alternative to the après-ski can be found in La Théière du Berger with its beautiful selection of warm teas and hand-made cakes.
If you’re determined to make a big night out of it the ski resort has two nightclubs, L’Opera and Le Paradis du Laury’s, and both are open until the early hours.
Restaurants in Morzine
Morzine is a busy little town with more bars and restaurants than you’ll need.
Morzine is a busy little town with more bars and restaurants than you’ll need. It’s difficult to miss restaurants offering typical mountain food and Savoyard specials – for great fondue at a good price head to La Barrique while Le Café Chaud has the ski resort’s cheapest Savoyard menu. For pizzas L’Etale and Le Clin d’Oeil are popular with English holidaymakers. For a more ‘local’ experience, head to Le Pique-Feu: a food shop by day, by night it serves the same produce in a charming cosy dining room behind the shop.
Finding a higher level of cuisine is harder but Le Chamade is a true gourmet experience. Home to the top local celebrity chef Thierry Thorens, he uses local produce to create traditional recipes with a gastronomic twist. Most of the good hotel restaurants serve a varied menu – the three course menu in L’Atelier is highly recommended. Le Restaurant du Chalet Philibert, on the Prodains road, is known for its excellent haute cuisine food and beautifully designed dining room.
The Rhodos hotel has a younger feel to it and, for a quick snack, serves excellent hand-made sandwiches. Home made aperitifs are the speciality at the cosy traditional restaurant of La Grange, while the reasonably priced menu in La Flamme is also very popular. If your taste-buds are crying out for something hot and spicy Le Maharaja does a decent curry. If you’re prepared for a trip out of town, La Chalande at Ardent is excellent and L’Amandier in St Jean D’Aulps is worth the journey.
There are various fast food shacks around the ski resort. Le Main à la Pate on the Place de la Crusaz is open until 10pm serving pizzas, crêpes, and ice-creams, while the Burger Place at the Pléney end of the Taille is the only place for burgers and also does a mean full English breakfast. For afternoon tea Café Tyrolia is the ski resort’s original tea-shop with an extensive menu of coffees, teas and cake.
The town is equally populated with bars. The Dixie Bar is Morzine’s Irish pub and the first port of call for many: football is regularly shown on the big screens and there’s live music most evenings. Seasonnaires gather at the famous band nights at the English run Garage Bar on the route towards Prodains and Avoriaz. Back in town most of the action takes place on Taille de Mas du Pléney or ‘Bar Street’, a noisy strip of restaurants, bars and cafés running between the Pléney lift and Morzine’s Tourist Office. Down the same staircase are the Coyote Bar, Le Boudha Café and the Cavern, with L’Opera nightclub next door.
The Coyote Bar kicks off later on and has pool tables and arcade games for evening entertainment. Le Boudha Café has a more relaxed, cosy atmosphere with comfy sofas if you get there early. The English-run Cavern is a lively sports bar where football fans can watch matches on the big screen. Seasonnaires enjoy the fancy dress nights on a Tuesday, the two hour early evening ‘happy hour’ and the lethal shooters bar. The nearby Le Crépuscule was refurbished recently and attracts a young crowd – on a busy night there is dancing room on the bar only.
Away from the Taille Le Café Chaud is a local hangout with a tropical theme and a vibrant atmosphere, while at the other end of town on the road towards Montriond the bar in the Hotel Ridge is a sleek addition to the evening scene.
Other Activities in Morzine
Shopping is almost a sport in Morzine.
Shopping is almost a sport in Morzine. There are numerous sports shops catering for skiers while boarders will find plenty to buy at the English-run Park snow and skate shop. The regional crockery on sale at Poterie Menu on Rue du Bourg is the perfect present to take home, as are the local cheeses, meats and honey on sale at the regular market stalls down by Place de l’Eglise. The food shops around town are typical for a French village. Champion and Shopi are the best supermarkets, though for a true taste of France buy meat from the boucherie and bread from the boulangerie. There are plenty of ATM cash points around the resort as well as ‘tabacs’ and pharmacies, and a good Maison du Presse for books about the local area and mountains.
The Palais Des Sports has an indoor public ice rink where local teams compete in ice hockey matches throughout the season. A second, smaller outdoor rink by the Tourist Office is also open through the winter season. The Tourist Office also offers a programme of weekly events including visits to cheese makers, welcome drinks, tobogganing and tours of the resort.