Planning (first) trip to Morzine area July /August next year. Plan is to drive down (2 days) have 9 or 10 nights there and then maybe take an extra day driving back using a less direct route.

I’ve found a couple of campsites in the area, Les Marmottes and Inferno and Camping le Frênen in Les Gets.

Whilst we’re there (me and the wife, but possibly joined by some friends who will have to book some accommodation) we will want to go walking, some easy mtb for her and something a bit more interesting for me, also will take the road bike and ride Col de Joux Plane and take the motorbike to use for a couple of day trips.

So is Morzine itself the best place for us to stay (the majority of the trip will be mtb biased)?
If so does anyone has any knowledge of the campsites there (info on the net seems very limited) are the sites big enough for a campervan with a 3m x 4m awning anything else we should be considering/doing whilst we’re there?

Camping le Freine in les gets is your best bet imo. It may be on the far side of the resort and not as good as morzine for the whole area but the two campsites in morzine are not in town and off the lift area so it’s a ride or drive anyway whereas you can just roll down the hill from le freine and get the loft back up and ride across. It’s certainly where I’d stay and I’ve done all 3 of them.

It’s also nice for other stuff, nice pool and really good walking out of the site. You’ll be fine with the camper and awning size wise. Also the view of Mont Blanc in the morning is something else…

Cheers Nick, sounds good.

Another thought on it – beard in mind your right on the far side of the resort area it’s definitely worth doing a bit of research on what you want to ride and planning your day – I.e. If you want to ride over at champery you need to allow 3 hours each way really, and the last lift back up to camping la freine is 17.30. Watch the weather warnings, I’ve cut it close a couple of times with early afternoon thunderstorms shutting the lifts – missing the lift up from les gets isnt too bad but missing the lift from morzine will not be fun! Lift times and opening dates are on the web along with all the maps. Post ride pint at la taniere at the bottom of the chavannes lift in les gets is recommended!

Morzine is the better location for other things to do. Its also more central in the bike area and down hill at the end of the day so you can finish riding later. Only problem is the limited camping. Le Pre is pretty well located but I’ve not stayed there. Rode past it lots and its not far out. There are a few options for accepted wild camping if you like.

We’re happy wild camping for a couple of days on the bounce but for over a week, hook-up and facilities become more important, also my camper is a LWB Sprinter with a large garage (hence being able to carry the motorbike and multiple push bikes), so the awning really comes into it’s own as living space, so I think we need to be in a campsite for this trip.

I’ll look into Le Pre and it looks like I need to do some research on what I want to ride rather than my original plan of making it up as I go along.

Thanks for the input so far, much appreciated.

Morzine/Les Gets IMHO doesn’t actually work that well camping as the sites are all out of town – fine if you happy doing your own thing but a pain if you want to eat out etc.
If your willing to split your time Les Arcs has camping in town Bourg and easy flat access to the main lift and all the other things you were after

Doesn’t sound suitable for the OP, but whats the deal with the little encampment that is under the lower part of the Les Gets lift?

Tolerated wild camping?

On the last day we went over on the lift, directly above some guy still fast asleep at 10am but he had the rear door of his van open, so with a bit of practise we could have probably bounced some tangfastics off his nose 🙂 Also the guy who confidently drove under the wooden bridge/jump with his roof rack rubbing along it…!

From what I know of that spot I was told ok if you were low key but not in big campers, but I’ve definitely seen some big race vans up there. Portaloos there too. If I take the van next year I’m going to have a night up there and see what the crack is.

There’s a big hard standing area at the bottom of les gets also with a waste disposal and a couple of power points, stayed on that a few times and it’s fine if you’ve got a van that’s self sufficient.

Camping LA Fren for good facilities, view of Mont Blanc, heated pool free washing machine and chilled owner.


For MTB I prefer it further round to Avoriaz as it is less groomed jumps and its got some rocks.