Monday, December 31, 2018

Winter 19 Morzine Highlights

Each winter Morzine Source Magazine round up the best bits. The new openings, the anniversaries, the new activities. The key features that will really make your holiday go with a bang!

THE DIXIE BAR TURNS 30!

Bon anniversaire to Pascal and his team at Morzine’s Dixie Bar! Whilst it’s true that every good global destination has a good Irish bar, we like to think of ours as being something truly special. Owner Pascal Anselmet has certainly seen Morzine change over the years, but the Dixie Bar continues to offer the same much-loved authentic après experience, especially when the Dixie Micks are in town (head to page 55 of our current issue for this season’s dates). Behind the bar these days you’ll find a larger than ever selection of ales, beers, spirits and wine, plus the same warm, friendly craic we’ve all come to know and love. Keep a close eye on the Source events calendar this winter for some extra special events.

MORZINE GOES BURLESQUE

The team behind Morzine’s Café Chaud just can’t stop opening new bars. Last winter Hideout Hostel became the place to go for relaxed evening drinks and incredibly tasty food. This year they’ve gone down below, transforming the bar we all knew and loved as Le Paradis into something exceptionally different. Paying homage to the bar’s previous owner Madame Laury, who danced at the famous Moulin Rouge in Paris, Laury’s is all about incredible live entertainment and fantastic drinks created by a team of cocktail alchemists. Co-owner Kyle Dickson told Source “With Laury’s we wanted to throw Morzine a curveball. A cocktail bar hidden away from the crowds with table service and great live music. You can expect a blend of jazz, funk, cabaret and soul with a hint of more alternative entertainment thrown in to keep you on your toes”.

FAT BIKES...READ ON

Saturday, December 29, 2018

New Year’s Eve in Morzine: Our top picks

New years eve in morzine

NEW YEAR IS A GREAT TIME TO BE IN THE MOUNTAINS, ESPECIALLY IN MORZINE! THE SEASON IS JUST BEGINNING, EVERYONE’S IN A GOOD MOOD AND THERE’S ABSOLUTELY LOADS GOING ON. WHETHER YOU WANT TO ENJOY A FANCY DINNER WITH YOUR PARTNER, PARTY THE NIGHT AWAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR DO SOMETHING FUN AND EXCITING WITH YOUR FAMILY, NEW YEAR’S EVE IN MORZINE HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. HERE’S OUR TOP PICKS OF THINGS TO DO THIS NYE!


FAMILY FUN

Lights, music and fireworks will be the focus from the middle of the afternoon in Morzine town centre. Head down to the tourist office with your little ones for a light-themed celebration that adults will love, too. The town square will be decorated with lights of all shapes and sizes, while big dancers made of light boxes will be on the main stage from 4:45 until 6:15pm. After that, it’s the ESF torchlit descent down the Pleney at 6:30pm, which is always absolutely spectacular. There will also be a massive fireworks display at the same time so kids and big kids can kick off 2018 in style!
Pleney Morzine Torchlit descent
The ESF torchlit descent is always great to watch, especially on New Year’s Eve!

FOODIE FUN

There is always somewhere to get good food in Morzine, but New Year’s Eve sees set menus and champagne at some of the town’s best restaurants. Our top pick is the Clin d’Oeil; the food is delicious and this year’s set menu looks divine. It’s good value, too: only €58 per person for lobster, veal medallions, bubbles and more! Make sure you reserve your table: sittings are at 6:30pm and 9:15pm.
new years eve morzine
Le Clin d’Oeil NYE set menu
If you’re looking for something a bit outside the box, La Chanterelle on Mont Chery in Les Gets is a great option. The team is super friendly and the food is incredible. Their New Year set menu includes BBQ spiced oysters and cote du boeuf, as well as some tasty veggie options. You’ll also be picked up and dropped off from your house AND get a skidoo ride to the restaurant. There will be music all night from DJ Candyman, as well as La Chanterelle spiced rum and bubbles. A great choice for an intimate evening with a difference.
La petite auberge morzine
What you can expect from La Petite Auberge in Essert Romand this New Year
La Petite Auberge in the lovely, quiet town of Essert Romand is also one of our favourites! Amazing staff, great food and a friendly atmosphere will make for a great new year away from the crowds. A mouth-watering eight-course dinner is on offer so make sure you book to avoid disappointment!

PARTY FUN

If you’re after a good old fashioned party, Morzine is sure to bring the goods! After the torchlit descent, the town centre turns into a massive dance floor, featuring DJs playing all night into the early hours and an incredible fireworks display at midnight. Wherever you are in town, this is where everyone congregates at midnight and it always proves to be a great way to see in the new year.
New years eve morzine
Morzine town centre is where it’s at for fireworks this NYE
If you’re looking for a venue to spend your New Year’s Eve in style, look no further than Hideout HostelCafé Chaud and Paradis. As some of Morzine’s best evening venues, each will be absolutely ram-packed with keen partiers looking to have an awesome time.
new year morzine le cottage
Le Cottage will be perfect for live music and party vibes
If you’re after some live music, check out Le Cottage. They will have hip-hop trio, Fools for Thought, playing all night doing a mixture of old classics and original tunes, as well as DJ sets through to the early hours. A €5 ticket will get you drinks deals aplenty including 2-4-1 bloody Marys at La Kinkerne on New Year’s Day!
Whatever you decide to do this New Year, we hope you have an amazing time! Keep checking our events calendar for updates.


Thursday, December 27, 2018

Why Learning To Ski As An Adult Isn’t Scary

learn to ski
Should I go skiing? Am I too old to learn? Is it too late? Will I be freezing? Am I going to get injured?
Skiing is not your everyday activity. The thought of sticking two long, slippery planks to your feet and setting off downhill with no brakes can bring up the most terrifying of thoughts. We’ve all been first-time skiers ourselves, so we know what can run through your head before you ever get to the mountains. However, skiing is not what it was 60 years ago, ski resorts, ski equipment and ski instruction have evolved drastically over the years, and it’s honestly never been easier to learn to how to ski.
So if you’re on the fence and wondering if you should learn to ski as an adult, don’t worry – here’s why it’s not as scary as you may think.

Beginners have their own safe spaces on the mountain. READ ON...

learn to ski

Monday, December 24, 2018

Morzine Avoriaz 2020 Developments


Morzine Avoriaz 2020 Developments




New lifts and piste developments will grace Morzine over the next 20 years. The traditional market town is part of the Portes du Soleil ski area and a speedy lift, known as the Express Morzine Avoriaz will whisk skiers from the centre of Morzine to the Prodains gondola lift in less than 20 minutes, making the resorts easily accessible for skiers and snowboarders wishing to explore more slopes.
Morzine is a resort located in the heart of one of the most extensive ski regions in the Alps – Portes du Soleil. It’s one of the closest major French resorts to Geneva airport and boasts over 650km of marked ski runs which makes it great from beginners to advanced skiers and snowboarders. The town itself is a traditional market town that continues to outdo itself each year and we can see why. If you’re considering Morzine for your next ski trip, first of all – great choice and second, make sure to read All about Morzine for some inside tips and suggestions for food, drink and more.

Let’s go back a few years..

Morzine 1930's
The lifts of Morzine have come a long way since 1963
The mayor of Morzine, Gerard Berger has expressed his interest to link both of the resorts together for quite some time and plans are finally being put into action. But lets go back a few years so we can paint a better picture for you.
A 30 year deal was signed in 1962 to develop the Avoriaz plateau in to a superb ski resort with great snow and pistes that all skiers and snowboarders would love. This was achieved by opening the original Prodains lift in 1963 (which was updated in 2013), followed by developers purchasing 82 hectares of pasture for just 30,000 Francs and then work for building the resort began. While there are a few ways to get to Avoriaz from Morzine, a direct link just makes it even better.

Project Morzine Avoriaz 2020

morzine avoriaz developments 2020
Morzine Avoriaz 2020 Developments Presentation
The project Morzine Avoriaz 2020 is sure to pave a way for a better future for both of the resorts. Construction is planned for 2019, kicking it off with the Express Morzine-Avoriaz lift and completions scheduled for 2021. The new development budget is a large €35 million with a further €11.6 million to be spent on surrounding infrastructure. Below we break down the developments that will be put into action for Morzine and Avoriaz.
  • The base station will be located at the top of the Rue du Bourg
  • A tunnel will be built from the bottom of the Pleney lift to a new lift station overlooking the supermarket carpark
  • To better connect the new lift station and the Pleney, the tunnel’s moving walkway will transport skiers and snowboarders to the new Express Morzine Avoriaz lift.
  • Beneath the new lift station in the area known as La Plan, (the current Carrefour carpark) there will be a new bus station
Overall, the new high speed lift will benefit Morzine and Avoriaz with a much faster connection across the valley, whilst also making it easier for skiers and snowboarders who are staying in Les Gets. Morzine TV published a visualisation of the planned project, we cut out the interesting bit so you can see a short video highlighting the development. You can view the full video here.

Piste developments in Morzine

A total of €147.9 million has been allocated to the piste and lift infrastructure developments within the Morzine ski area, including the huge project ‘Morzine Avoriaz 2020’. But what else will be going on in the ski resort?
From 2025 onwards, new lifts and pistes will be created, with both Tour and Choucas highlighted for development. Not only is the resort improving itself by widening it’s ski area to improve skiers and snowboarder experience, but the village centre and the outskirts of the resort are in for some TLC. They will be adding a pavement to the Poute de la Plagne which widens the Route d’Avoriaz as well as creating 600 new parking spaces within a 5 minute walk of the Pleney lift.
Morzine will be busy for the next few years developing the popular resort to be better and we’re happy to be able to see it’s progress. In the meantime, if you’ve been hunting for a ski trip to Morzine but haven’t been able to find suitable accommodation as of yet, our catered Chalet Chamois D’or provides stunning panoramic mountain views. Don’t forget to keep up to date with our latest catered and self catered offers either so you can treat yourself!
Morzine Resort

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Where to Eat and What to do at Christmas in Morzine


We all love a white Christmas but, unfortunately, staying in the UK means your chances of having snowball fights and making snow angels are quite slim as the snow is never quite guaranteed. However, when you have Christmas in Morzine you can expect loads of snow to play in. Morzine just happens to be located in the Portes du Soleil and with 650km of pistes it is part of one of the largest ski areas in the world!
Christmas in Morzine is superb for all the family. This is because the tourist office put on lots of activities to get you into the Christmas spirit.

What is there to do for Christmas in Morzine?  READ ON

Morzine

Monday, December 17, 2018

Why Morzine France should be your next Ski destination


         Why Morzine France should be your next Ski destination



When asked what my favourite ski resorts are around the world, Morzine France is always in my top 5. It is a resort that suits all types of groups from family ski holidays to a bunch of friends flying in for a weekend. It offers a wide range of activities on and off the slopes and also has a large selection of restaurants and pubs to cater for your needs. Not to mention it is part of one the biggest ski areas in the world, Portes de Soleil, with over 650kms of runs and is only around an hour and a half from Geneva airport. Because of this, it is fast becoming incredibly popular with British skiers/snowboarders.

Out of the 12 resorts that make up the Portes du Soleil ski area, Morzine is the largest and probably the most convenient in regards to resort hopping. It is one of the reasons why I have been here on several occasions during the ski season. It is also the only resort, where I have ever experienced extreme weather conditions from -26 with arctic winds to thunder and lighting while skiing.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Avalanche danger rating 3 - More dangerous than you think

By WePowder 

The avalanche danger rating scale can be pretty confusing for a layman. Avalanche danger rating 3 on a scale of 5 doesn't sound too dangerous right? It's right in the middle! So you might think that there isn't much of a risk when skiing off-piste. Let's get straight to the point: avalanche danger rating 3 (Moderate) can be dangerous. About 20% of the snow cover has weak spots and spontaneous avalanches of medium size are possible. The weight of a single skier or snowboarder on the snow cover is enough to trigger an avalanche. Ergo: it definitely can be dangerous. How come?

The problem is the objective of the avalanche danger scale

The avalanche danger scale has two objectives. One objective is to express the risk that a catastrophic avalanche will threat public life (roads, bridges, villages) and the other objective is the probability of an avalanche in the ski areas, that threat skiers and snowboarders. These are two objectives in a single scale.  READ ON...




Monday, December 10, 2018

These Videos Will Inspire You to Always Ski With a Helmet



An estimated 1.7 million people per year sustain a traumatic brain injury in the United States and Truckee, California, based non-profit, High Fives Foundation, wants to help change that statistic.

Founded in 2009, the High Fives Foundation "supports the dreams of outdoor action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries."  READ ON...

Friday, December 7, 2018

7 Excuses to Visit Les Portes du Soleil

STORY BY Megan Hughes 

A hugely popular ski area, Les Portes du Soleil is one of the top destinations in the Alps. Here at InTheSnow.com we are giving you a rundown of 7 reasons why you NEED to visit Les Portes due Soleil this year.

1. Size Matters

With over 650km of marked piste and 196 lifts, Les Portes du Soleil is one of the largest ski areas in the world. It boasts over 300 runs, 2/3 of which are either red or blue, meaning that skiers of every level will be able to enjoy themselves with an abundance of runs to ensure good variety throughout your visit. Due to the immense size of the ski area, there are good pre-marked trails and circuits that are often popular with holidaymakers due to the ease that comes with their being well signed. If you prefer to make your own routes however, this is simple too thanks to a free app that creates and plans routes based on your ability level and preferences.

You could spend a whole season there and never get bored, so whether you’re thinking of heading off for a week’s holiday or working a winter season, Les Portes du Soleil will provide you more than enough pistes to play with.

2. Superb Snow Parks....READ ON

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Why Morzine France should be your next Ski destination


         Why Morzine France should be your next Ski destination



When asked what my favourite ski resorts are around the world, Morzine France is always in my top 5. It is a resort that suits all types of groups from family ski holidays to a bunch of friends flying in for a weekend. It offers a wide range of activities on and off the slopes and also has a large selection of restaurants and pubs to cater for your needs. Not to mention it is part of one the biggest ski areas in the world, Portes de Soleil, with over 650kms of runs and is only around an hour and a half from Geneva airport. Because of this, it is fast becoming incredibly popular with British skiers/snowboarders.

Out of the 12 resorts that make up the Portes du Soleil ski area, Morzine is the largest and probably the most convenient in regards to resort hopping. It is one of the reasons why I have been here on several occasions during the ski season. It is also the only resort, where I have ever experienced extreme weather conditions from -26 with arctic winds to thunder and lighting while skiing.

Saturday, December 1, 2018

What To Know When Buying New Ski Boots


With so many choices, how do you know what type of ski boots to get?

While few purchases are as exciting as new ski equipment, the act of shopping also comes with a healthy dose of consternation. Nowhere do we get more flustered than trying to figure out how to find the right pair of ski boots.

As a reflection of our many different skiing styles and desires, the industry has produced specific boots to match our ever-segmented world. From fit to style to design to whether or not you want a walk mode and grippy soles, just knowing where to begin can be intimidating. This is true for professionals on down to beginners.

But this issue applies best to those who ski all the time: Boots, which cost a pretty penny, mean a great deal to us. In fact, boots can make or break a season. Since we depend on them all the time, we need them to be comfortable and work as intended. But even those of us who ski regularly have a hard time knowing exactly how a boot should properly fit.

In search of professional advice, I reached out to one of the industry's foremost experts in bootfitting and design. Matt Schiller, 46, has spent the majority of his career dialing equipment for some of the world's best skiers. From the World Cup to big mountain athletes to the X Games, he's been responsible for making sure boots, skis, and bindings are precisely tuned to get every possible advantage on the biggest stage. That includes three years as the service manager for the U.S. Ski Team, six years as Nordica’s race director, and three years as competition director for Atomic, where he helped Mikaela Shiffrin find the best fit for her equipment as she launched her career.

As the saying goes: You don't choose the boot—the boot chooses you. Schiller says finding new boots starts with having an open mind about fit, mechanics, and function. During an appointment, Schiller takes at least a half hour to collect several measurements before he even puts a boot on someone's foot. "I look really hard at mechanics," he says. "That will give them a short list of boots where they can think about fit, stance, and flex, and then they can go pick their top three boots with some guidance. I think that has to happen, no matter if you're a pro or a layman."

READ ON..

Partying Hard In Morzine and Avoriaz

  Partying Hard In Morzine and Avoriaz ...