Wednesday, September 30, 2020

French mountain weather expert predicts ‘good winter snow’

 A highly-respected French meteorologist and mountaineering weather expert has said that autumn in France will be mild but rainy, followed by good snow in ski stations from mid-November onwards.


Respected mountain weather expert Yan Giezendanner makes all of his predictions from his home in Chamonix, near Mont Blanc.

Yan Giezendanner is a former Météo France forecaster and advance forecaster who specialises in mountain expeditions. He is based in the Alpine town of Chamonix, and is much-respected among skiers, mountain adventurers and expeditionists.

He created a long-term mountain weather prediction system years ago after realising that many people were leaving to go on mountain trips but having to abandon their expeditions “because the weather was bad”, and they could not predict far enough in advance for longer or more arduous trips, such as mountain climbs and summits. READ ON...

Saturday, September 26, 2020

How Morzine is preparing for your winter holiday in Safety?

COVID-19 WINTER INFORMATION

Covid-19 : How Morzine is preparing for your winter holiday in Safety

Here is the latest information updated on our website
Accommodation & Booking
Morzine has a wide range of independent accommodation providers that are working together to agree specific cancellation conditions concerning the sanitary situation. If Morzine and Avoriaz are both closed or transport from your home country is impossible due to Covid-19, you will be refunded in full. More detailed information will be confirmed in mid-September.
Morzine Reservation is available to help you find and organize your stay in Morzine, with a wide range of apartments and hotels all applying this cancellation policy
Mask wearing is currently obligatory in common areas of all accommodation. All areas are regularly disinfected, and hand gel is available. Reinforced cleaning and disinfection protocols using appropriate equipment are in place, along with social distancing measures in any common spaces.
 
Travelling to resort
All minibus and taxi services are enforcing mask wearing during the journey and asking clients to use the provided hand sanitizer before entering the vehicle.
Morzine is one of the closest resorts to drive to from the UK, Holland, Belgium and Northern France. If you prefer not to use public transport you can find details of how to reach us by car on our travel page.
A lift system to feel safe
The Portes du Soleil ski area is partially open from the 11th of December, and fully open from the 18th.
New procedures were put into place across the Portes du Soleil this summer to ensure the safety of everyone. The lift companies implemented all health and safety measures specified by the government. The national operating body for ski areas will announce national guidelines this autumn, but we can expect to see similar measures for the winter. Currently the Portes du Soleil lift operators are not planning to reduce numbers on the lifts, but keep 100% of capacity this winter. Please check the latest news before travelling as restrictions could come into place if governments change the current rules.
 
Current planed safety measures on the Morzine-Les Gets ski area are as follows:
  • Wearing a mask is compulsory in the waiting areas, at boarding and on the ski lifts.
  • No limitation on the number of visitors to the ski area has been set to date.
  • Cancellation and total reimbursement of ski passes not used without proof*.
  • Cancellation and refund of Morzine-Les Gets season pass until the opening of the ski area (12 December).
  • You are encouraged to buy online to beat the queues and avoid contact with people –> Bonus: ski passes are cheaper on line 
  • Observe social distancing when queuing (ground markings in the waiting areas at the checkout).
  • Hand sanitizer will be available at checkouts and at the entrance to ski lifts.

Ski Schools
There is currently no planned limit on the number of skiers in group lessons, but masks need to be worn at the beginning of the lesson by everyone over the age of 11. In the booking offices and all interior spaces, mask wearing is obligatory, hand gel is available and all surfaces are regularly disinfected. All material used is also disinfected between each use.
Material hire
You will need to wear a mask in the shops, and hand gel is available. All material is disinfected between each rental.
Restaurants & bars
Restaurants will continue to follow government guidelines. Mask wearing is compulsory when not seated at your table, and seating has been arranged to ensure distancing of at least 1 meter between different groups. Hand sanitizer is available, and frequent cleaning and disinfection is carried out.
Free bus services
The buses will be operational but with special safety measures in place to ensure everyone’s safety.
Tourist Office Opening hours
The Morzine-Avoriaz Tourist Office is open Monday-Saturday in the autumn, and will open all day every day during the season. Access will be controlled with distancing measures, one-way circulation and marking on the floor. Sanitizer gel is available at the entrance.

 


Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Why Do People Go Skiing? – All the answers

Why Do People Go Skiing? – All the answers

why do people ski - cord
The question of why do people go skiing? Is a perfectly valid question. If you were to describe the process to someone that has never heard of skiing, it would sound pretty bizarre.
“We go out in the cold, attach planks to our feet, sit on a chair suspended above the ground that takes us to the top of a mountain. Then we do our best to slide down the mountain as fast as we can so we can get to the bar”.
Of course, there is more to it than that, but in a nutshell it is amazingly great fun! In this post I am going to go through all the reasons why we travel the world to slide around on snow. If you are a skier or snowboarder, you will understand what I am getting at. But, if you have never tried it, I hope that I will inspire you to give it a try, it is potentially life changing.

The Thrill

why do people ski - Miles







Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will experience the thrill of sliding on snow. Beginners will love the feeling of achievement when they have managed to make their first turns and complete a whole run successfully.

Friday, September 18, 2020

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.

Sunday, September 13, 2020

16 Reasons Why Morzine Is the Perfect Winter Holiday Destination for Families

family-winter-holiday-morzine
It’s always tricky to find the ideal destination for a family ski or snowboard trip. There’s so much information out there and it’s a big responsibility to ensure that the whole family really enjoy their holiday.

This trip needs to be absolutely brilliant… so no pressure!

More Mountain's advice would be to make your search as simple as possible. Compile a wishlist of what you need from your perfect family ski holiday destination. Now look for somewhere that ticks as many of those wishes as possible.

Morzine ticked quite a few wishes for the Telegraph Newspaper. It was given 5 out of 5 for families in their ski resort review of 2016.

What Are the Challenges of Finding a Family Friendly Resort? READ ON...

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

2020 - 2021 Winter Ski Gear Preview



From wild-looking carving shapes, to new pro models, and entirely revamped lineups, the 2020-2021 winter is bringing lots of new skis to the market. Versatility is the name of the game, with skis built to perform in all conditions, or both inbounds and out. Brands continue to push lightweight to the next level, brining awesome downhill performance, too. New bindings will be seen out on the mountain, too, from burly to lightweight in the touring category, to the return of some classic designs. As for boots, more sizes and shapes are now available for different sizes and shapes of feet. All in all, the 2020-201 winter is shaping up to be a good one!  READ ON

Friday, September 4, 2020

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

Partying Hard In Morzine and Avoriaz

  Partying Hard In Morzine and Avoriaz ...