Your best Morzine tips

I’m going to be in Morzine for 5 days riding in July. I’ve never been before and want to try and make the most of the available time so what should I make sure to do? I’m up for a bit of pedalling to reach worthwhile trails but would like to focus on descending.

A bit jumpy but not a lot jumpy (think blues and A470 at BPW for comparison, gaps are also fine), flow trails are fun but tech trails are more fun. We’re staying in Morzine so access to those lifts is easy and we’ll have a hire car so driving to start a day from elsewhere is also an option.

What are your pro tips? Which marked trails should we not miss and what off piste should we go and find? What other advice do you have?

WWI

Which marked trails should we not miss

The main black line on the Pleney side. Anything truly “black” is avoidable or has chicken runs, the rest of the run is simply perfect. The lower part after “the 10%” is pretty much my favourite section of trail anywhere. Lapped it hundreds of times and it never gets boring.

The main black line on the Pleney side. Anything truly “black” is avoidable or has chicken runs, the rest of the run is simply perfect. The lower part after “the 10%” is pretty much my favourite section of trail anywhere. Lapped it hundreds of times and it never gets boring.

This is definitely on the list. Is the Pleny red a good warm up to the black or would you skip it and go straight into it?

Often overlooked are the red and black down to Lindarets from Avoriaz. Most people ride through once on the blue to link up with chatel. Lovely natural trails with a couple of (avoidable) jump features in them.

Is the Pleny red a good warm up to the black or would you skip it and go straight into it?

Straight to black. The red is far worse than the black. French trail grading is farcical. I’ve encountered people in tears on the pleney red as it has some very steep stuff on it and at one point you come round a corner into an immediate blind gap jump!

For me the key is just to get out and ride. Its all really well linked up so you can do a big lap of the area, session a couple of runs as you go, find the bits you like, follow your nose a bit. Don’t just head to the first bike park and spend all day there. For 5 days I think you’ll find plenty within the main area. There are some good extra rides but maybe save those for next time. It can be a bit of a bottleneck getting up the Super Morzine so you can drive up to Linderettes and start from there but it’s not a massive saving for the hassle.

French trail grading is farcical

+1 to this. It is certainly the case in Morzine. There are very few unavoidable jumps, though. The weather plays a big factor too. In the wet it can be a bit of a mess.

Is the Pleny red a good warm up to the black or would you skip it and go straight into it?

the blue “family”* is probably a better warm up – similar style but much easier. The red is a very different style – and if its even slightly wet, its harder than the black.

*bizarre choice of name, it is in no way a family trail. always some scared looking parents to be spotted on it.

Nice – when are you there? Me and a few others are there 8-15th.
My 6th trip there and I can’t wait!
FWIW I don’t think you need to drive elsewhere as there is so much to go at within the PDS area.
Not been for 4 years so there will no doubt be new trails – YouTube is your friend and no doubt plenty of wise words on here.

One big day that involves a lot of pedalling is out to Champery just over the border in Switzerland:
Take the lifts to the Pointe de Mossettes (SuperMorize/Zore/XC to just above Lindarets then Mossettes lift)…do some of the Grande Conche old Swiss DH before cutting across to the Col de Cou past a remote cafe for a coffee. It’s generally uphill and steep towards the top from what I remember. The ridge line ride towards Champery is possibly cheeky but very good with a long run down to Champery where there is the infamous 2011 Danny Hart ‘big balls’ wet World Champs DH track.
Cable car back up to Les Crosets for a nice descent before lift back to Pointe de Mossettes – epically long traversing descent on the GR5 all the way back to Lindarets for a cold beer before getting a lift up to Avoriaz then DH pretty much all the way home via Zore and SuperMorzine before pulling up outside Bar Robinson for Mutzig! Don’t miss the lift from Champery or it’s a very arduous slog back or expensive taxi ride. You can also get back from Lindarets roading it down past Lac Montriond.

There’s the bike park stuff at Chatel and Les Gets/Zore which is good fun if you have skillz (I don’t). Plenty of runs down the Pleney to start off – go easy initially or it could be a shorter biking holiday than anticipated – note to self – get insurance sorted!

This is definitely on the list. Is the Pleny red a good warm up to the black or would you skip it and go straight into it?

I feel that the red is harder than the black, try the blue to warm up and mix in with the off piste stuff at the side.

Head over to Chatel for a day. The whole place is awesome but I love the lower green trail, I think it is a vink line? It is absolutely brilliant, despite it being green it has MASSIVE tables on it and is so, so fast.

Nice video @BoardinBob, nothing quite like a good Morzine run in the sunshine. 👌

always some scared looking parents to be spotted on it

Remember coming across a very startled looking  family on regular bikes half way down once, really bad signage!

Goat village – near Lindarets if you like goats!

+1 for a green trail in Chatel that was awesome, it was from high up and ran along a ridge before dropping down to the Vink stuff. Super fast and bermy.

As Rascal says a trip to do Grande Conche is well worth it.

Pleney Blue is a good warm up and the top 2/3 is a great trail in its own right.

Goat village – near Lindarets if you like goats!

I’ve never been but you can smell it on a hot day.

I’ll echo all the above. I’d definitely do rascals big day out over to Champery though. Going up and down all is fun but big days out like that are funnerer. The only thing I have to add is go to Morgins if you have time.

The only thing I have to add is go to Morgins if you have time.

yeah, worth a trip one day if you like natural trails, non-sensical trail grading, suprise gaps, and near everyone else being on full dh rigs and being faster than you. I think that comes across as negative but its not intended to be, its an enjoyable place.
Probably the only bit in the PDS map worth using the car to get to, otherwise you’ll be leaving early to get back up to chatel.

For morgins – drive it. Full day there is wwwwaaaaayyyy better than having to clock watch to make the lifts home or, even worse, having to run as the weather might close the lifts.

We’re out there 9th July for a week! After my trip last year was cut short with a broken finger I’m itching to get back out again this year!!

As someone mentioned the red down from Avoriaz into Lindarets is always fun (except for breaking fingers on pokey out rocks) – maybe I should run shorter bars this year.

Chatel definitely worth the trip, last time we went I think we made our way over there 3 days out of the 6.

Top half of Les Gets, Chavannes side is worth a visit, but it gets blown out so fast but you can get a load of laps in pretty quick.

Avoriaz into Lindarets is always fun (except for breaking fingers on pokey out rocks)

right hand? I think I know which rock…

Morgins is my favourite place on the whole system, and that’s on a long-travel hardtail rather than a DH. Definitely worth driving over if you have a vehicle and you’re staying in Morzine. Avoids the how-are-we-all-going-to-fit-on-this-bus lottery for the way back.

Morgins lift is shut this year. Hugely disappointing.
Even on an eeb, im not riding to the top again.

https://www.skipass-pds-ch.ch/en/entreprise/projets23#:~:text=The%20Morgins%20cable%20car,is%20planned%20for%20Christmas%202023.

Shame, would have liked to revisit Morgins.  Every trail there seemed to be one grade higher than it listed it as though vs rest of PDS.

My advice is don’t panic.

It won’t take you long to realise how easy it is to get around. You can easily hit all the marked trails in a few days. If you want to go off the map a little ask in a bike shop. The staff always know where everything is.

If you like rowdy, steep, out of control DH runs, just ride around on the Pleney until you see a gap in the trees and jump in.

Stoner on here lives in Montriond and knows the area very well.
Met him for a few beers 4 years ago – lovely fella…hi Stoner if you read this 😉

Nice – when are you there? Me and a few others are there 8-15th.
My 6th trip there and I can’t wait!

July 7th to 11th – I’m on a yellow/gold Transition Sentinel with Ohlins suspension if you spot me and want to say hi!

Plenty of runs down the Pleney to start off – go easy initially or it could be a shorter biking holiday than anticipated – note to self – get insurance sorted

Oh yeah I meant to ask about this too – regular travel insurance? “Winter” sports cover? Or is there some other MTB equivalent?

I feel that the red is harder than the black, try the blue to warm up and mix in with the off piste stuff at the side.

I thought this was a silly question but now I’m glad I asked 😂

One more question. I’ll be taking the full face helmet, is it worth packing a half shell also or is it just going to take up space in the bag and go unused?

Thanks to everyone for the ideas, I’ll start going through it all with a piste map and see if I can plan out some days. Keep them coming if you have other recommendations!

GR5 from the Swiss border back to lindaretes is always fun

Oh yeah I meant to ask about this too – regular travel insurance? “Winter” sports cover? Or is there some other MTB equivalent?

Def specific MTB – be honest too or you might find yourself with a large fix-me bill if you proper spanner yourself declaring you were just going for ‘pootle’ rides when it’s anything but…

Cafe Chaud for a hell of a night out!

I’ve been a few times and never used a full face. My advice would be to get a half day out guided by rideability. I’ve used them a few times and they always come up with new trails.

Oh yeah I meant to ask about this too – regular travel insurance? “Winter” sports cover? Or is there some other MTB equivalent?

proper, proper, proper insurance. Unless it is really specific about covering this sort of riding then get it in writing or go elsewhere.

A lot of people go silly on the first day and nail themselves, so buidling up is definitely worth it.

I’d only take an open facer if you intend to do quite a bit of pedalling (up). Otherwise there’s just no reason to not use a full facer, and you will be doing a massive amount of descending in 1 week compared to what you’d do in the UK (even at most uplifts)

^ this.

The only people I see in half faces are pootling. The speeds you’re going at I think you’d be insane not to wear a ff.

Take as many spares you can fit, not sure how you are traveling there but brake pads, tyres if you have space, rear mech and cables, mech hanger as well.

This is worst case scenario but if your whole holiday is ruined by not having a £20 hanger you’ll kick yourself

right hand? I think I know which rock…

Thats the one!

Take as many spares you can fit, not sure how you are traveling there but brake pads, tyres if you have space, rear mech and cables, mech hanger as well.

And spare spokes.

Morzine is the only place I have ridden and boarded the same runs. Wonderful place 🙂

right hand? I think I know which rock…

Thats the one!

I know the rock too!

Most important tip is Bec Jaune for food and their own in house brewed beers.

I’d only take an open facer if you intend to do quite a bit of pedalling (up). Otherwise there’s just no reason to not use a full facer, and you will be doing a massive amount of descending in 1 week compared to what you’d do in the UK (even at most uplifts)

I thought I’d probably get away without a full face. I did one run without face protection and went straight to the nearest bike shop and bought one, probably for double the price of buying it in the UK and taking it with me

Also estimate how many sets of brake pads you’ll go through, double it, then throw a few extra sets in just in case

Ohh, and be gentle on your brakes (try to avoid feathering them – use a quick squeeze and release) otherwise you may risk overheating them (depending on your bike this might not be an issue, but on my older bike with small disks, overheating was a real concern).

Sound advice.

We did Passporte de Soleil and on the last descent my XT brakes were coming back to the bars with virtually no noticeable effect on my speed. Totally cooked!

If I was doing it again I’d go with my present set up – Magura MT7s on 205mm rotors