Never been to morzine but need to do it hopefully next year. Is it worth camping or are chalets/apartments much better for not much more money.
Had similar questions so bookmarking.
The only campsite I know is Camping le Frene in Les Gets. Very nice site with one obvious downside.
It's a bloody mega hike up a massive hill to get back to it from town, especially if you want a meal and a drink and a leisurely walk home. It's a PITA to get back to during a day's riding. You'll probably get lazy and end up driving down into town every day just so you can have a tool kit, change of clothes or whatever, close to hand.
Apparently you can ride back to it from the top of Mont Chery but I got lost a couple of times and never bothered again.
We’ve always camped in Montriond just down the road. It’s a 10 minute pedal up the river to Morzine in the morning, and downhill all the way at the end of the day. You can even come down the road from Linderats, stop off at the lake for a swim and then roll the rest of the way back to the campsite.
Showers were always hot and the ground doesn’t turn into a swamp if it rains.
We stayed in Camping le Frene in 2018 in our campervan, it's location on the side of the hill whilst not ideal, isn't that big a deal imho.. just winch up slowly.... The kids remember the pool and outdoor jacuzzi which was always full of Dutch folk...
The view is fantastic.
Cold wet and miserable, with the matriarch from hell if you use the campsite at the bottom of the hill. If it's dry it can be nice, but given the price of chalets it's just not worth the risk. Putting on soggy riding gear for the third day on the trot is miserable
Sleep in your van? I assume being an mtb'er, you have a van of some sorts.
Lots of parking space by the lake with toilets on site.
- Campsite at montriond looks pretty good. Decent location. We’re just back from a few days at fort bill for the worlds and we all enjoyed camping more than we thought we would even though it was pretty wet on the Friday and Saturday.
I've done van, air BnB apartment, and catered and self catered chalets there.
All are fine options and each have their own pros and cons. It's worth pricing up the chalet options before committing to camping.
Catered chalet is a lovely experience but will work out a chunk more expensive.
If you can get a good sized group together the chalets can be great value and some of the nicest I've ever stayed in. On your own or a small group and it's quite pricey. Never camped but van camping in the carparks is tolerated
<p>We got an apartment in Avoriaz (1 double bed, 2 sofa bed singles) a few weeks ago for under €70/night. If you’re not bothered about Morzine nightlife it’s really good.</p>
How are you travelling out there? If flying you will need to factor in transfers etc. If driving you can easily bring all your biking and camping kit. Tolls etc are a major consideration.
When all is said and done we've always found that booking an apartment/ flat/ chalet has been cheaper and way better than camping.
The further from town you look the cheaper the accommodation gets.
We camped in our van for the second year running this year, staying in Nyon car park both years.
Last year was fine as the weather was beautiful all year, had no issues. Able to jump in the river or plunge pool in Nyon after a sweaty days riding, whilst lots of people in the car park everyone was quiet in the evenings.
This year a sign had gone up saying that parking was not permitted after 8pm which we didn't actually notice until our 3rd night there. It was pointed out to us by the municipal police when they were moving us on. They were very polite about it and gave us a flyer saying camping cars were permitted up near the serrassaix lift (all of which is on a slope), or up at the Prodains parking which is miles out of town. Camped here for 1 night and it was fine but has to drive in the next day to ride. Before we were moved on a massive group turned up at around 8pm one night and started blasting music til the small hours when it's pretty obvious that car park is overlooked by a load of chalets. Idiots.
I've heard of people being moved on a bit from the Carrefour car park in town now as well but there were loads of vans there this year again. Nowhere to jump in the river there and it's really busy there all the time so doesn't look like a nice place to camp anyway even if it is really central for the lifts.
The car parking up at Lac Montriond has 2m height barriers which I think are new to stop loads of vans turning up there. Few big parking spaces just outside the barriers.
TLDR my experience is they're starting to clamp down on "vanlife" in Morzine as so many people are doing it and creating a mess whilst doing so/treating it like a massive party. If I thought Morzine was worth it I'd probably pay for a campsite or a chalet if I went back but this year I enjoyed the peacefulness of other places like Samoëns, Alpe d'Huez, La Grave etc so much more and given how pricey Morzine is I'll be skipping it out next trip I think.
Just got back. No comment on proper campsites, but there were plenty of people doing van life. Plenty of nice spots I’d identified from a few days riding there, you’d just have to sniff them out.
We tend to camp now after staying in chalets and having a few very wet summers. If you’ve paid for 7-14 days in a chalet and the rain sets in for the week you’re stuck, but with a van and camping we always just booked a few days at a time and if it turns nasty we just head to somewhere that’s dry for a bit. It also stops you getting bored of a few weeks on the same trails if you like variety.
I think the laws in France allow you to free camp in vans for 2 days before you move on.
We’ve van camped up by the Ardent telecabine a few times, it’s flat, quiet and has a running river for washing, then if we get moved on we go to a campsite for a day to have proper showers and then head back.
Personally we’re a family who like camping (we also have camping holidays in the UK)so it’s no problem for us, but I understand that many don't want to do it on holiday.
Stayed in the van on the car park up top in Avoriaz. There are also (according to my mate) really hi-tech toilets, but I never used them as I've a toilet in my van.
Morzine wasn't as fun a park as Les Arcs or La Thuile, and the lift prices in Morzine are much costlier than elsewhere.
Apparently you can ride back to it from the top of Mont Chery but I got lost a couple of times and never bothered again.
You can, really easy to find once you know where it is - basically you take the middle fire road from the lift for a km or 2, then there's a trail on the left at the end of the woods which takes down some suprise gnar (just when you think you've finished for the day!) then spits you out on the road just above the site.
You need a car for eating in Les Gets in the evening though, as the lift closes at 5:30pm
You can see Mont Blanc on a clear day from Le Frene.
