Location
Car is not necessary
About Morzine
Winter Ski Holidays:
Col du Corbier is a small village approximately 20 minutes from Morzine, and Chatel which are part of Portes du Soleil ski area.
In the village there is a ski hire shop, and a restaurant.
There are many small shops in the local villages nearby and there are two supermarkets with fuel stations within a 15 minute drive from the Chalet.
If you want to explore the Portes du Soleil ski area and have great skiing and accommodation then Chalet Soleil is the place for you.
The Portes du Soleil ski area has so much to offer as it’s one of the biggest ski areas in the world with 650kms of marked pistes. There are 14 resorts which criss-cross between France and Switzerland. From the resort of les Gets at one end through Morzine, Avoriaz, Châtel, Morgins, Les Crosets and Torgon in Switzerland.
The area offers unique skiing opportunities whether you are a beginner or need gentle nursery slopes for the children through to the infamous Swiss Wall in le Croset and challenging off-piste for the more experienced. The pistes are beautifully tree lined with stunning views over the Alps.
For snow boarders there is a half pipe in Avoriaz and le Croset in Switzerland and a huge boarder park in les Gets which is not for the faint hearted!
The Portes du Soleil area has more to offer than just skiing and boarding! You can try most things from snow-shoeing, parapenting, snow-biking, ice skating, dog rides and hot-air balloon rides. If that’s not enough then you can take the plunge and go ice-diving in Lake Montriond. During January the area also hosts the “Great Odyssey” which is when dog-sleigh teams race over a 160km route.
The Portes du Soleil area has many different types of lift passes. If you decide that the best one for you is the “Area lift pass” this means that you can ski anywhere in the Portes du Soleil area whether the resorts are linked or not linked. The pass is electronic so you do not need a photo, or need to show the pass at each lift!
Some of the Portes du Soleil linked resorts:
Morzine: Morzine is a short drive from the Chalet and is a typical Savoyard village situated in a beautiful wooded valley. It has 4 main lifts that link Morzine with the les Gets ski area and also the Avoriaz ski area and into Switzerland. Ski school meets at the “Pleney” Telecabine lift and has car parks nearby.
Châtel: Châtel is a short drive from the Chalet and is a picturesque village which has grown over the years. It has 2 main telecabine lifts, the “Super Châtel” which links into Switzerland, and “Châtel/Linga” which links into Morzine and Avoriaz, and ski school meets here. Parking is close by.
Avoriaz: Avoriaz is at the centre of the Portes du Soleil area. The closet lift to access this area is via the “Ardent” lift at Montriond where there is a large car park. Ski school meets at the top of the lift.
Some of the Portes du Soleil resorts not linked:
abundance: Abondance is close by and is a pretty village and offers great skiing for beginners. Parking is available in the village.
St Jean-d’Aulps: St Jean-d’Aulps ski area is the “Grande Terche” and has great skiing for all levels and parking is available next to the lift.
Col du Corbier is a small village lying between the village of Le Biot and the Abondance Valley. It is friendly and ideal for families.
The Chalet has some wonderful views across the valley and the village is quiet and relaxing. In the village there is a tennis court.
Chalet Soleil is in the perfect location to explore the area as there is so much to see and do all year round.
In May and June the mountain flowers are at their best and you should be able to catch a glimpse of the wildlife such as Marmottes and Eagles. July and August are the official summer months and you can see the Tour de France. In September and October the cows return down to the lower pastures and the wonderful Autumn colours start to appear.
Summer Holidays:
The Alps in the Summer offer a large array of activities with the Chalet ideally situated to explore the area.
Activities available during the summer include mountain and meadow walks, tennis, horse riding, fishing, archery, climbing, and mountain biking. Bikes are available for hire in he village as well as the local villages of Morzine and Châtel and various chair lifts are open to enable you to take the bikes up the mountains.
Various water activities are also available, from the open air swimming pools in Morzine, Châtel and Evian to swimming in the local Lake at Montriond.
For guests who like the faster water sports white water rafting, kayaking, canyoning and hydrospeeding are available on the Dranse river. The Dranse river is a short drive away and has crystal blue water that runs down the gorge between big boulders creating eddies, holes and breaking waves before arriving in Lake Leman (Lake Geneva).
Lake Leman is approximately 30 minutes drive from the Chalet and there you will find the Spa towns of Evian and Thonon-les-Bains, as well as the medieval village of Yvoire.
Thonon-les-Bains is built on three different levels and has a Funicular railway that takes you up to the town centre. On the lakeside it has some 800 boats moored in its port and further along its shores you will find the “Château de Ripaile “ which was built in 1434 and is open to the public.
Evain is an historical town built in tiers and is best known for its Natural Mineral water. You can stroll along the water front, take historical guided tours of the town or even take the Funicular railway that dates back to 1907. Relaxed boat trips across the lake are available from all waterfront towns.
The border of Switzerland is only 25 minutes away, therefore not only can you explore the French Alps but also the Swiss Alps. If you want the designer shops then Geneva is only 1 hour away, there are also many Chateaux, an Aquaparc or even a Chocolate factory available to visit.
Local Produce
The Haute Savoire area is proud of its local produce. In La Chapelle D’Abondance there is a brewery “Le Fer Rouge” (The Red Horseshoe) which produces its own delicious and distinctive beers.
From the 14th Century Abbey in Abondance you can buy the locally produced “Abondance” cheese and many villages have “Fromageries” which are open to the public, where you are able to buy the local produce.
There are also numerous restaurants locally which serve excellent food.
Activities near Morzine
The City of Geneva is only 1 hrs drive and Lake Leman and Evian are only 45 minutes from the Chalet.
The Towns of Morzine and Chatel offer good shops, restaurants and evening entertainment. With other local villages close to the chalet offering a good range of restaurants and smaller shops.
| Local sports activities |
On-site: Walking
Within 15 minutes: Mountain biking, Fishing, Cycling, Skiing, Tennis
Within 45 minutes: Swimming
During the Winter the area has some great skiing, ranging from a gentle small resort to the large high resort of Avoriaz. Other resorts within a 20 minute drive are Mrozine, Chatel and Les Gets.
During the Summer there are local walking trails, cycling and white water rafting and in the village a tennis court is available for use.
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| Local leisure activities |
Within 15 minutes: Food shop, Restaurant, Shopping
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| Great for |
Walking holiday, Cycling holiday, Summer holidays, Ski Holidays |
