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Where to ski in Morzine & Portes du Soleil – Different areas for different people

All areas referenced can be viewed on the Portes du Soleil interactive ski map so you can start planning your days out from Morzine.

http://live.skiplan.com/moduleweb/2.0/

What is “the best piste” for one person isn’t necessarily the best piste for someone else so we have broken it down and highlighted what we think are some of the best areas of the Portes du Soleil for different needs and abilities.

Scroll down to find our tips;

  1. SKIING WITH KIDS
  2. SKIING WITH MIXED ABILITY GROUPS AND NON-SKIERS
  3. SKIING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE REDUCED MOBILITY AND WHEELCHAIR USERS
  4. SKIING WITH PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE PARKS
  5. SKIING WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO AVOID HALF TERM CROWDS

SKIING WITH KIDS…

Morzine is a haven for families and children of all abilities are catered to. One of the best things about the Portes du Soleil is that the nursery slopes are linked to the main slopes so dropping and collecting kids from ski school doesn’t require a military operation! Likewise skiing with them is enjoyable for all the family since there are so many interconnected runs, people can take the route that suits their ability and meet a few minutes further down the hill.

The Pleney and Les Gets ski areas are ideal for families for many reasons;

  • Directly accessed from the town centre, the Pleney lift gives access to a many beautiful blue and red runs that return to Morzine or indeed you can ski across towards the family friend Les Gets side where you will find a great variety of green, blue and red runs.
  • Many of the childrens ski schools have their meet point on the Pleney slopes and the wonderful Club Piou-Piou caters to children aged 3-5 years old and offers them a fun, interactive ski school with an indoor area and snacks included. Mums and Dads meanwhile can ski off straight from dropping or collecting children.
  • The area has several fun childrens zones for all ages. The American Indian themed Grand-Cry territory has tepees, obstacle courses, mini moguls, banked turns and outdoor speakers to entertain the little ones. The permanent Boardercross area has a mix of jumps, tables , step ups and more to challenge all skiers and kids will delight in challenging their parents on this Olympic designed run.
  • Family fun on the Pleney slopes continues in to night time! With flood lights shining down on the home run skiers can enjoy coming down to town long after the sun has set. After a long day on the hill you can watch the torch lit descent as the ESF instructors ski in formation towards Morzine and if you are lucky enough there for Christmas look out for Santa coming down!

https://www.esf-morzine.com/petits

http://en.lesgets.com/snow-ski/areas/

http://en.lesgets.com/snow-ski/areas/for-children.html

SKIING WITH A MIXED ABILITY GROUP AND NON-SKIERS…

Pleasing all levels of skiers and boarders can be tricky business but with the majority of people travelling in groups, it is inevitable that friends and families will have different levels of abilities as well as different preferences.

That’s why we think Les Linderets is the perfect spot for everyone.

  • Les Linderets can be accessed by all. Skiers and boarders can make their way across from Morzine via Avoriaz. There are a variety of runs to choose from including the tree lined blue run that follows the summer road offering a gentle descent in to the bowl or take “The Stash” if you want to incorporate some jumps and rails in to your route.
  • Non-skiers can easily meet their skiing friends by taking the Ardent gondola up to Les Linderets with a pedestrian pass. This sun trap is the perfect place for whole groups to meet for lunch with a huge variety of mountain restaurants in Les Linderets bowl and the goat village. Everyone can enjoy the mountain from this beautiful area.

SKIING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE REDUCED MOBILITY AND WHEELCHAIR USERS…

The Portes du Soleil is second to none when it comes to accessible skiing. The vast majority of the Portes du Soleil ski area is accessible for those using handiskis. In fact every single chair lift in the Morzine area and indeed every single lift in Avoriaz caters to handiskiers and anyone with reduced mobility.

  • Testimony to the accessibility is the fact that world champion handiskier Yohann Taberlet hails from Morzine. Getting on to the slopes from town couldn’t be easier; the Pleney and Nyon gondolas are both accessible straight from town and the Prodains gondola can take you straight to Avoriaz.
  • The whole area is well serviced with accessible toilets and many of the mountain restaurants can cater to handiskiers including those with outside tables meaning that there is no need to transfer if not required.
  • Booking lessons and/or a private instructor for handiskiing is extremely easy in Morzine and one such company that has specialist instructors is the ESF school. The links below will direct you to their booking page and we have also included a link to show you exactly which lifts are accessible in the Portes du Soleil region.
  • At Hunter Chalets, Apartment 6˚ can be suitable for some people with reduced mobility and those who can transfer with ease. Please contact us directly if you would like to find out more.www.esf-uk.co.uk/handiski

http://en.portesdusoleil.com/fileadmin/user_upload/handiski_uk__3_.pdf

SKIING WITH PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE PARKS…

Avoriaz is THE place to be for adrenaline junkies. The snowsure resort is directly above Morzine and is the perfect playground for boarders and skiiers alike. Whether you have never been over a jump in your life or are a regular, there are parks for all levels.

  • Beginners and little ones can find fun at the Kids Parkway where they can hone their skills in safety before advancing to one of the several larger parks.
  • The snowpark de la Chapelle and the snowpark d’Arare offer a huge selection of kickers, flat tops and even a boardercross run to keep you challenged. Furthermore, Avoriaz boasts its very own superpipe.
  • If the parks are a little daunting to begin with Avoriaz even has a free airbag which allows you to practise your jumps safe in the knowledge that you will have a soft landing if it doesn’t go quite to plan!
  • The Stash park leading out of Avoriaz is a natural playground with all jumps and kickers surrounded by the Linderets forest. You can weave through trees until your heart is content and there is even a mini stash for the mini boarders and skiers.

SKIING WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO AVOID HALF TERM CROWDS…

Giving away secrets like this won’t go down well with the locals who seek refuge at Mont Chéry during the busy half term weeks to avoid the Christmas and New Year crowds but we believe sharing is caring!

  • Tucked away on the far side of Les Gets, Mt. Chéry is a quiet haven when it comes to these busy weeks. It is easily accessed by skiing from Morzine to Les Gets and then crossing over town; a trip well worth taking if you are looking for somewhere with quieter slopes and shorter queues.
  • The variety of terrain is equally as good on Mt. Chery where you can find a mixture of tree lined trails, a snowpark and mogul runs. It should be noted, however, that the area is primarily red and black runs so it is not an area that caters well to beginners.

Hopefully this makes it a little easier to plan a happy ski holiday for everybody’s requirements.

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