Morzine restaurants, food and drink
Thanks to the size of Morzine town, there is a wide variety of restaurants, food, drink and cuisine to be found. The classic cuisine of the area is obviously French, but to be more precise it can be described as ‘Savoyard’. Delicious Alpine cheeses are a local produce, and you can enjoy them in a classic fondue!
Le Clin D’Oeil on Rue de Bourg is French right to the core with a mouthwatering menu throughout the season. The owners originated from the South West of France so the cuisine can be described as ‘universal’ French, as opposed to Savoyard. Great for those who can’t visit France without having le canard a l’orange, but the restaurant also serves fondues, raclette and has a great value children’s menu to boot.
La Chamade in Morzine sits just behind the tourism office on Route de la Plagne, a prime position for a great restaurant serving traditional French Savoyard food with a contemporary twist. La Chamade is also an excellent wine and cheese bar, and the menu is extremely tasty. They also have a wood-fired pizza oven if you have some pizza lovers amongst you! But as pre-mentioned, the highlight of the bar restaurant is their cheese and aperitifs selection.
Up on the mountain the restaurants vary in cuisine and style. Changabang in Avoriaz is a great après burgers and beer kind of bar and sits in an easily accessible location opposite the summit station for the Prodains Express cable car. La Paika over towards Les Gets (you can find it on the La Turche blue piste) does famous BBQ buffets and you can enjoy your meal on the wide, open sun terrace. However it is advised that you should book in advance for La Paika because it’s so popular!
Morzine après, bars, clubs and nightlife
Morzine attracts a young and fun crowd to its après and nightlife scene but it is far from rowdy. If you are looking to sample a local specialty, then be on the lookout for Green Genapi- a liqueur made from Alpine mountain herbs.
Based at the bottom of the Prodains Express cable car is the hugely popular La Kinkerne bar and restaurant which greets the skiers at the end of the day with a grand welcome. You can catch the free bus back into Morzine. Once again run by British owners, La Kinkerne hosts live music events including their popular Sun:Sets night at the beginning and end of the ski season, with plenty of beers on the taps and wine in the cellar!
Happy Hours Bar sits at the bottom of the Ardents gondola and has a great atmosphere with a multi-level sun terrace that captures the last few rays of the sun at the end of the day. You can either catch the ski bus back into Morzine from Ardents or you can ride the last 17:00 Ardents gondola up and follow it up with Lindarets chair lift to ski back home.
La Caverne bar in Morzine is one of the most popular in town, open from 4pm until 2am with happy hour, live music/ DJs and a great variety of drinks (beers, wine, shooters, etc!) behind the bar.
We wouldn’t be addressing the subject of nightlife in Morzine properly without mentioning Le Paradis. This basement club underwent a huge refurbishment in 2010 but maintained that old discotheque charm with its iconic light up dance floor that made it famous amongst skiers and snowboarders in Morzine for years. Located on Route des Udrezants, Le Paradis has been a long-time favourite amongst the residents and guests of Morzine the Portes du Soleil, who were delighted when it reopened its doors in 2015.
Morzine shopping
Morzine has one main shopping street called Route de la Plagne which carves a straight line through town and is lined with sports shops, clothing boutiques, fashion, souvenirs, bakeries, delis and more. There is also a pharmacy along this street, and for those staying in self-catered accommodation you will find a Casino mini-supermarket here.
Morzine spas and relaxation
The large Parc des Dérêches sports complex in the centre of Morzine has an indoor/ outdoor swimming pool complex as well as a small spa and wellness area. Two dry heat saunas and two wet heat Turkish baths are open all year around along with the pools.
If you are looking for some serious indulgence then head to the Element Ame Energie Spa in Morzine, located on the Route de la Combe. The spa does a variety of different holistic treatments and alternative therapies including aromatherapy, cupping therapy and ‘Reiki’- a deep mindfulness therapy for a variety of different ailments. The spa makes an ideal place to come and unwind at the end of a day of skiing with massages, sports massages and further therapies for tired and aching muscles.
Inghams Hotel Champs Fleuris has an outstanding spa nestled into its basement including a small swimming pool with a pressure fountain, a sauna, hammam, Jacuzzi, sensoreil pool and a gym. The spa is free of charge for all guests of the hotel.
Morzine arts, culture and events
Morzine sits at the centre of the Portes du Soleil ski area which celebrates the fabulous Rock the Pistes Festival every year in March. With international artists from across the globe coming together in this area, every day for the duration of the festival there is a different music set up in a different area of the extensive ski region. The festival has seen the likes of the British rock band Babyshambles in 2014, amongst other famous international names.
While Rock the Pistes might be the most famous international festival that takes place across the Portes du Soleil, there are other festivals of significance happening in and around Morzine. La Grand Odysee is Europe’s largest husky dog race that takes across the Portes du Soleil and is worth going along to watch if you are in the area at the time!
Christmas in Morzine is definitely a special occasion. With the town lights being turned on at the beginning of the festive period, Inghams are offering Christmas deals in our numerous chalets and chalet hotels in and around Morzine to give you a Christmas you’ll never forget. The festivities continue right into the New Year as well, Morzine comes to life on New Year’s Eve and many hotels, chalets and chalet hotels offer gala parties, drinks and their own festivities.
Resort Activities
Parc des Dérêches
The Parc des Dérêches sits in the centre of Morzine and is a large complex of sports facilities including a leisure centre, squash & tennis courts, a skateboarding park and more (many outdoor features are often closed during the peak ski season however, reopening when the snow thaws at Morzine level in the early spring). There is an ice skating rink, an indoor ice skating rink, indoor swimming pools, a spa, as well as a gym and fitness classes being held. Pay locally for entry and access to the facilities.
Night skiing
Situated on the piste underneath the Pleney cable car, there is night skiing available for those with a lift pass. The pistes are flood lit at night.
Heli-skiing
A great outing for the adrenaline junkies out there! Heli-skiing is a fantastic way of accessing the untouched off-piste and backcountry snow that isn’t easily accessed from the main pistes. Speak to your Inghams rep in resort if you wish to arrange a helicopter ski excursion, and be aware that the trip will take you over the border to Switzerland.
Snowmobling
Snowmobiling is an exciting new way to experience the snowy landscape around you! Either drive alone, or take a passenger with you, this activity can be booked locally via the tourism office.
Paragliding and speedriding
Discover a whole new way of experiencing the mountains, and change your perception of skiing forever! If you are brave enough, paragliding is a relaxed and open way of experiencing the beautiful Portes du Soleil from above. Whereas speedriding, a new activity that mixes parachuting, paragliding and skiing is an activity for the most adventurous of folk. All activites can be booked locally either through the tourism office or through Indiana Adventure.
Snowshoeing
There are plenty of trails and routes across the Portes du Soleil ski area for snowshoers to explore, dipping and diving through woods and across rivers into areas where no skier or snowboarder can access. Inghams are more than happy to arrange snowshoeing excursions with ESF for you upon your arrival in resort which includes the hire of snowshoes and the guided excursion.
Tobogganing
For a bit of family fun, whatever your age, you can find some excellent toboggan runs in the immediate area of Morzine. Within reason, most areas are open to people who wish to go tobogganing but the skiers code of conduct must be acknowledged at all times. You can rent your sled or buy one. Tobogganing excursions are available through the tourism office if you book locally.
Cinema & Bowling
There is a cinema in the centre of Morzine that plays all of the major international films, and sometimes they are in English! Most will be in French, however. You can arrange this activity locally.
Cross-country skiing
Morzine offers 5 different cross-country skiing areas: The Manche Valley area, Le Pleney/Chavannes, Super Morzine/ Avoriaz, Montriond Lake. Access to the cross-country routes is free throughout Morzine-Avoriaz unless you plan to use the ski lifts, then you will need a lift pass. Suitable equipment for these activities can be hired and you can arrange an excursion with an ESF instructor through Inghams.
Please note: check with your insurance policy that these kinds of activities are permitted.
