Morzine
Encyclopedia
Morzine is a commune
in the Haute-Savoie
department in the Rhône-Alpes
region
in eastern France with panoramic mountain views, modern ski facilities and hotels and restaurants. The ski resort of Avoriaz
is located on the territory of the commune. A traditional market town
in the heart of the Portes du Soleil
, Morzine is dominated by chalet
s spread across a river gorge, bordered by partially wooded slopes allowing skiing in poor weather conditions. At 1000 m, it is the most northerly of the French Alpine resorts (with the exception of the areas of La Grande Terche at Saint-Jean-d'Aulps
and Mont Drouzin), and weather wise benefits from the Mont Blanc
microclimate.
, a Cistercian monastery 7 km away. In the Middle Ages, granges were agricultural centres from which the monks exploited their landscape and co-ordinated farming and industrial work.The grange was fundamental to the Cistercians' successful expansion and management of their mountain land. The granges supplied the monastery's food, clothing, utensils and building materials. The granges were manned by lay-brothers, who cultivated the lands and reared livestock.
, golf
, walking
and caving
amongst others. It is rumoured that the total number of visitors is actually greater in the summer season. The municipal swimming pool is Olympic size and caters for the bustling tourist flock, but it is immaculately maintained.
Mountain Biking in the Portes du Soleil
and centred around Morzine is some of the best available in Europe if not the world. Morzine is the centre point and from here one can reach other resorts including Avoriaz
, Morgins
, Châtel, Les Gets
and all by chairlift and cable car. The resorts of Pila
, Verbier
and Les Arcs
are also with in easy reach with a car thus giving you access to more than enough places to ride. Day trips by minibus are also bookable via local companies at very reasonable costs.
The trails are generally single track and with varying levels of course and trail available from steep, rooty and technical to the fast open downhill tracks. There is also a small amount of Northshore available in the Chatel Bike Park area
A single lift pass can be purchased to cover the whole of the Portes du Soleil
area and is much cheaper than during the winter months and with plenty of accommodation available and again much cheaper than during the winter makes Morzine an excellent holiday venue.
stage finishes on several occasions, thanks in part to the proximity of the notoriously steep Col de Joux-Plane climb. It was here that 7 times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong
had his most difficult moment, in the 2000 race, although he sufficiently limited his losses to retain the Yellow Jersey
.
Morzine was the finale of the first mountain stage in the 2003 Tour de France
. Stage 7's yellow and Polka dot jersey
s were awarded to Richard Virenque
of France's Quick Step-Davitamon team. Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France
ended in Morzine, and the town was the starting point for Stage 18. In the 2010 Tour de France
Morzine was the finishing location for stage 8.
via the Prodains lifts which are only five minutes away on the local bus service.
The village at 1000m, with top station at 2020 m, is closely linked to its neighbours Avoriaz and Les Gets
in that they function as linked skiing
centres during the winter season. The two resorts are included in the Portes du Soleil
ski area, which includes both French and Swiss villages.
, Switzerland. Although there is no rail service directly to Morzine the two closest stations are at Thonon-les-Bains
and Cluses
, from these stations local buses are available to the town.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
department in the Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in eastern France with panoramic mountain views, modern ski facilities and hotels and restaurants. The ski resort of Avoriaz
Avoriaz
Avoriaz is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses-junction on the A40 motorway between Geneva and Chamonix...
is located on the territory of the commune. A traditional market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
in the heart of the Portes du Soleil
Portes du Soleil
Les Portes du Soleil is a major skisports destination in the northern French alps encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland...
, Morzine is dominated by chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s spread across a river gorge, bordered by partially wooded slopes allowing skiing in poor weather conditions. At 1000 m, it is the most northerly of the French Alpine resorts (with the exception of the areas of La Grande Terche at Saint-Jean-d'Aulps
Saint-Jean-d'Aulps
Saint-Jean-d'Aulps is a commune is the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Situated in the heart of the Vallée d'Aulps, as well as being the home to an active farming community, it is popular with holiday-makers in the Summer, for walking, and in the Winter...
and Mont Drouzin), and weather wise benefits from the Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
microclimate.
History
In 1181, Morzine was a grange of Aulps AbbeyAulps Abbey
Aulps Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery located at an altitude of 810 metres in the village of Saint-Jean-d'Aulps in the Aulps Valley, Haute-Savoie, French Alps...
, a Cistercian monastery 7 km away. In the Middle Ages, granges were agricultural centres from which the monks exploited their landscape and co-ordinated farming and industrial work.The grange was fundamental to the Cistercians' successful expansion and management of their mountain land. The granges supplied the monastery's food, clothing, utensils and building materials. The granges were manned by lay-brothers, who cultivated the lands and reared livestock.
Summer sports
The resort also has a bustling summer timetable including mountain bikingMountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
and caving
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
amongst others. It is rumoured that the total number of visitors is actually greater in the summer season. The municipal swimming pool is Olympic size and caters for the bustling tourist flock, but it is immaculately maintained.
Mountain biking
DownhillDownhill cycling
Downhill biking is a gravity-assisted time trial mountain biking event. Riders race against the clock, usually starting at intervals of 30 seconds , on courses which typically take two to five minutes to complete. Riders come from all around the world. Riders are timed with equipment similar to...
Mountain Biking in the Portes du Soleil
Portes du Soleil
Les Portes du Soleil is a major skisports destination in the northern French alps encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland...
and centred around Morzine is some of the best available in Europe if not the world. Morzine is the centre point and from here one can reach other resorts including Avoriaz
Avoriaz
Avoriaz is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses-junction on the A40 motorway between Geneva and Chamonix...
, Morgins
Morgins
Morgins is a village in the municipality of Troistorrents in the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in southern Switzerland.It is noted for skiing and is part of the Portes du Soleil ski resort...
, Châtel, Les Gets
Les Gets
Les Gets is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The village's first single person chair lift was opened in 1938 with the first chair lift on Mont Chery in 1954.-Geography:...
and all by chairlift and cable car. The resorts of Pila
Pila, Italy
Pila is a ski-resort in the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Gressan.There are more than 24 pistes and a pipe zone and a slopestyle zone. The resort itself is at 1814 metres altitude.- External links :* *...
, Verbier
Verbier
Verbier is a village located in southwestern Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is one of the largest holiday resort and ski areas in the Swiss Alps, is recognized as one of the premiere "off-piste" locations in the world...
and Les Arcs
Les Arcs
Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
are also with in easy reach with a car thus giving you access to more than enough places to ride. Day trips by minibus are also bookable via local companies at very reasonable costs.
The trails are generally single track and with varying levels of course and trail available from steep, rooty and technical to the fast open downhill tracks. There is also a small amount of Northshore available in the Chatel Bike Park area
A single lift pass can be purchased to cover the whole of the Portes du Soleil
Portes du Soleil
Les Portes du Soleil is a major skisports destination in the northern French alps encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland...
area and is much cheaper than during the winter months and with plenty of accommodation available and again much cheaper than during the winter makes Morzine an excellent holiday venue.
Tour de France
Morzine has hosted Tour de FranceTour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
stage finishes on several occasions, thanks in part to the proximity of the notoriously steep Col de Joux-Plane climb. It was here that 7 times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
had his most difficult moment, in the 2000 race, although he sufficiently limited his losses to retain the Yellow Jersey
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
.
Morzine was the finale of the first mountain stage in the 2003 Tour de France
2003 Tour de France
The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km , proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages...
. Stage 7's yellow and Polka dot jersey
Polka dot jersey
The Mountains classification in the Tour de France is a secondary classification in the Tour de France, in which cyclists receive points for reaching a mountain top first...
s were awarded to Richard Virenque
Richard Virenque
Richard VirenqueRichard Virenque's name is pronounced Ree-shah Vee-rahnk. Virenque considers himself a man of the South but pronounces his name in standard French. Confusion is caused by the southern habit of pronouncing "en" as "ang" or "eng", making it Vee-rank. But Virenque says Vee-rahnk or...
of France's Quick Step-Davitamon team. Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
ended in Morzine, and the town was the starting point for Stage 18. In the 2010 Tour de France
2010 Tour de France
The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996...
Morzine was the finishing location for stage 8.
Football
Morzine is home to the annual French Mountain Villages Football Tournament (Tournoi des Montagnes) where the best junior teams compete for a much coveted trophy each June. The 2009 tournament saw Morzine under 11 team crowned champions for the second consecutive year after victory in the final against Megeve. The under 13's trophy was won by Valdoie following a penalty shootout against Marignier.Skiing
The immediate terrain makes the area best suited for beginners and less-seasoned skiers and snowboarders, which has led to the resort being especially popular with families. However more challenging slopes can be found at AvoriazAvoriaz
Avoriaz is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses-junction on the A40 motorway between Geneva and Chamonix...
via the Prodains lifts which are only five minutes away on the local bus service.
The village at 1000m, with top station at 2020 m, is closely linked to its neighbours Avoriaz and Les Gets
Les Gets
Les Gets is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The village's first single person chair lift was opened in 1938 with the first chair lift on Mont Chery in 1954.-Geography:...
in that they function as linked skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
centres during the winter season. The two resorts are included in the Portes du Soleil
Portes du Soleil
Les Portes du Soleil is a major skisports destination in the northern French alps encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland...
ski area, which includes both French and Swiss villages.
Transportation
The closest airport to Morzine is Geneva Cointrin International AirportGeneva Cointrin International Airport
Geneva International Airport , commonly known as Cointrin Airport, is an airport serving Geneva, Switzerland. It is located northwest of the city centre and has direct connections to motorways, bus lines and railways . Its northern limit runs along the Swiss-French border and the airport can be...
, Switzerland. Although there is no rail service directly to Morzine the two closest stations are at Thonon-les-Bains
Thonon-les-Bains
Thonon-les-Bains is a town in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-History:...
and Cluses
Cluses
Cluses is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.Citizens are known as Clusiens. The commune is situated in the Arve Valley, on the river which bears the same name...
, from these stations local buses are available to the town.