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

   

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...

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Plan a Multi-Generational Winter Holiday in 2022

  

Make Up For Lost Family Time: Plan a Multi-Generational Winter Holiday in 2022

It’s been quite a year, and if you feel like you’re an extra in a Spielberg film, then you’re not alone! For many of us, we have spent too much time indoors and away from family, as the drama has unfolded.

Despite the uncertainty of Covid-19 restrictions, Tour Operator Intrepid has seen unprecedented demand for its multi-generational family trips in recent months, with safety and quality being the top priorities for holidays next year and more importantly so have we… there are lots of people booking multi-generational family trips for 2022.

So as we look to winter 2022 and welcome advancements in testing, along with new vaccines, which will speed up the lifting of travel restrictions, let’s try and make up for that lost time together by planning the most amazing multi-generational holiday.  Read On...

The Joys Of Off-Piste Skiing In Morzine

   

Words and photos  from Avoriaz Alpine Ski School.

Les Portes du Soleil ski area is one of the biggest linked networks in the world.  With more than 650 km of marked pistes and about 200 lifts in total, spread over 14 valleys and about 1,036 square kilometres (400 sq mi), this Alpine wonderland is an absolute paradise for skiers and snowboarders.

But There Is So Much More

What I described above is just the groomed pistes and lifts. These cover only a small percentage of the terrain you can ride. Once you start exploring the off-piste, you encounter a lifetimes’ worth of adventure and good skiing and snowboarding.

Why is the Portes Du Soleil so good for off piste?

Les Portes du Soleil sits at the northwest corner of the Alps. The prevailing direction of incoming storms is from the northwest, so our local ski area is the first major set of mountains the storms will hit. This creates a microclimate offering more snowfall than other regions of the Alps. One of the best ways to make use of this extra snowfall is to explore the off-piste. The ideal goal is to make the first tracks in untouched powder snow. Whilst this is not always the case, when it does happen, it’s the best feeling ever.

Why go off piste?

Skiing and snowboarding off piste can offer a whole range of snow types and challenges. Using good technique to manage the changing conditions is very rewarding and makes for fantastic memories exploring the mountains.
You can also find more solitude, escaping the traffic of the pistes and experiencing the more wild areas of the mountain. As if stepping back in time, see the mountains as they were sculpted by nature.

What do I need to know?

The backcountry comes with a set of very serious hazards which must be acknowledged and planned for. Cue the fascinating arts of mountain safety and avalanche awareness. Learning about terrain shapes, gradients and aspects, snow pack, the effects of wind and temperature, forecasting, avalanche types, safety equipment and emergency procedures is an enjoyable challenge which must be undertaken to explore off-piste and backcountry environments.
Then there are the joys of Ski Touring and Split boarding. By attaching climbing skins, we can use our skis and snowboards to walk uphill in the snow, allowing us to explore mountains wherever we like. Either tour up to a peak from the top of a lift and access premium snow or explore a completely different mountain or valley, away from the ski area.

Join Us On One Of Our Courses

At the Avoriaz Alpine Ski School, we love skiing and snowboarding off piste and have dedicated much of our lifetimes to exploring and enjoying the Morzine/Avoriaz landscapes, which is why we want to share it with you. In early 2020 we have three courses running designed to get you started in the off-piste.

What’s so good about Morzine?

    Ongosa have been tapping into their network of local professionals to find out what makes Morzine such a popular family destination over February half-term.

One of their carefully selected and specially recommended ski instructors, Sally from The Snow Institute, gives advice on how to make the most of Morzine and neighbouring resort, Les Gets amongst the masses of British skiers this half term, as well as her personal tips on lunch spots, and where to ski when.



What’s so good about learning to ski in Morzine?
“There’s a great beginner area, at the top of The Pleney, for everyone who can access it via the Pleney Telecabine in the centre of town. This means that everyone gets to experience the mountain as most ski lessons begin there. There’s a new magic carpet with a nice beginner green nursery slope to learn on too. You’ve also got the penguin run which is great; it has tunnels, obstacles and jumps for kids to enjoy. Then you can ski through the Chemin des Zou Zous route which is great for kids. It has a flat winding road which travels through the trees all the way down to the bottom on the mountain with animals to be seen along the way.

What makes Morzine so popular at half-term?
“Morzine is very much a family-friendly resort. On the slopes there is a lot of cool runs for kids. Off the slopes, there are lots of activities that kids who don’t ski can enjoy. Morzine’s tourist office really make an effort throughout the season, hosting events, theatre shows, and activities in the centre of town for children to get involved in. The result is the resort has a warm, lovely feel to it, with a great mixture of ski terrain for the whole family to enjoy.

READ ON....