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Beginners’ Guide to Skiing and Snowboarding in Morzine

Beginners’ Guide to Skiing/Snowboarding in Morzine/Portes du Soleil

Morzine is part of the immense Portes du Soleil ski area with endless possibilities for skiers and snowboarders. It is classed as one of the biggest or the biggest ski area in Europe depending on what you read!

• Includes 12 resorts in France and Switzerland including Avoriaz, Châtel, Les Gets, Morzine, Champéry, Morgins, Abondance,
• 285 pistes: 32 blacks, 100 reds, 122 blues and 31 greens!
• 196 ski-lifts
• 400 km2
• 21 snowparks, boarder/ski cross
• 90 mountain restaurants

The vast ski area has something for everyone and you will never get bored! From Morzine, you have the choice of skiing the Morzine-Les Gets area or the Avoriaz area. Both are accessible from the town centre.

Morzine-Les Gets ski area
The Morzine-Les Gets area includes more gentle, wide, tree-lined runs so is great for learners and improvers. That said, there are some great off-piste and blacks in the area too.

Chamossiere has been an off-piste favourite for years. With the new high speed lift it is easier than ever to get to the top. There are only two pistes here and they are pretty steep and challenging perfect for more advanced skiers so beginners should avoid this area.
Some of the most fun pistes in this area can be found around the Ranfoilly area. Wide tree-lined runs make this a popular part with the Tulipe, Choucas, Gentiane pistes attracting skiiers of all abilities.

The Pleney is one of the first destinations for skiers visiting Morzine. All buses in Morzine lead to the Pleney Bubble and it is the access point for skiing in Morzine and neighbouring Les Gets. It was replaced in 2013 so is modern and quick! One of the best things about Le Pleney is the variety of runs you can access from the very first lift, including a beginner zone at the top.

Super Morzine-Avoriaz ski area
If you choose to take the Super Morzine lift up from Morzine centre, just 2 minutes walk from our school, you will enter into the Avoriaz ski area.

Avoriaz is a famous ski area boasting an amazing selection of pistes, terrain, snowparks, half-pipes – you name it, Avoriaz has got it, and they know how to do things well!

-Super Pipe: a well maintained superpipe in the centre of Avoriaz, used as a practice ground for many pros and a competition arena
-Burton Stash Eco Snowpark: a snowpark nestled in the trees in the popular Lindarets area with wooden boxes, rails, tables and much more!
-Snowpark de l’Arare: X and XL kickers, rails, boxes and an airbag jump, home to many great comps such as the Nixon Jib Fest, the Fabulous Tournament and the O’Neill Pro Freestyle.
-Snowpark de la Chapelle: kickers, boxes and rails for all levels
-Boardercross
-Snowcross off-piste areas: 5 outstanding un-pisted areas for off-piste exploration. Get up early to beat everyone else to fresh tracks. We flip our timetable so that your lessons take place in the afternoons enabling you to make the most of your time up the mountain in the morning, especially important on powder days ☺

If snowparks aren’t your thing, don’t worry, Avoriaz still has plenty for you. From beginner slopes, to off-piste exploration, ski-touring, pisted blacks, mogul runs, cruising around, Avoriaz and the Portes du Soleil has something for everyone. Linga and Les Crosets are just over the back of the Avoriaz ski area and popular choices for skiers and snowboarders starting out from Morzine.

Our timetables allow you to ski/snowboard every day in the mornings before your French lessons plus for 2 full days at weekends. If you fancy taking a longer day out on the hill, you could try the circuit which is a trip around the whole of the Portes du Soleil in a big circle, starting and finishing in Morzine? Although most of the runs are technically undemanding the quantity of skiing and the length of time involved make it unsuitable for the less experienced/fit and those not happy about T-bars or drag lifts!

Other things to consider…..
1. Do I order a full Portes du Soleil pass or just Morzine-Les Gets?
If you are a low level skier or snowboarder and studying French with us for 1-2 weeks, then the Morzine-Les Gets area pass should be sufficient. You can buy an upgrade on the middle weekend if you are getting on well and fancy exploring further afield. However if you are a keen skier or snowboarder, or if you are staying with us for longer than 1-2 weeks, it is worth upgrading to the full area pass so that you can make the most of your time on the hill.

2. Do I want ski/snowboard lessons or am I going to go up the mountain with fellow students?
We don’t include ski lessons in our packages because not all of our students require lessons. Many choose to go up the mountain with fellow students they meet in class. We have a multi-media centre in our school plus a student lounge to allow students to meet other people. We also run social and cultural activities so you will have many opportunities to meet people who you could ski/snowboard with. That said, if you are looking to improve your skiing or snowboard or if you are a beginner, then we can arrange suitable lessons for you. The lessons are taught in French, to help with your immersion experience and you will be placed in a group with other people of a similar ability. Lessons take place in the morning and usually from Mon – Fri/Sat. This is a great way to learn to speak French at the same time as honing your skiing/snowboarding skills. Please let us know when you book your place if you would be interested in booking lessons and we will be very happy to tell you more and answer any questions you may have.

3. Do I need to book ski or snowboard hire?
If you don’t have your equipment that you are going to bring with you, then you need to arrange to hire equipment. We have a great partner shop which we work with located 1 minute walk from the school where you will be able to get kitted out with everything you need relevant to your level. Please let us know when you book and we can advise you!

4. Should I book my hire, lift-pass, airport transfers and lessons through Alpine French School or arrange it myself?
We have managed to negotiate preferential rates for all of these services with our partners in Morzine, so not only is it less hassle for you to get us to arrange all of your extras for you, but it also saves you money!

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