Morzine: School Ski Trip Paradise
If you’re arranging school ski trips to France one of the best resorts, in terms of proximity to the UK, is Morzine in the western Alps. Situated on the border between France and Switzerland, Morzine, and the associated resort of Avoriaz, are slap-bang in the middle of the Portes du Soliel ski region. With so much piste available to visitors to Morzine, it’s fantastic for mixed ability groups. With a highly developed infrastructure, even the lower and nursery slopes have snow-making facilities, allowing greater opportunities for skiers of all levels.
The Beauty of Morzine
For novice skiers, school ski trips to Morzine mean being at the foot of some of the world’s best beginners slopes. And there are plenty of them. The lifts and routes connecting Morzine to the wider ski area give skiers and snowboarders of all abilities access to an initial 125 km of marked routes, growing to 650 km when the whole of the Portes du Soliel is taken into consideration. Straddling both sides of the French/Swiss border, the Portes du Soliel region is formed from 14 villages and 12 resorts, all linked by 80 lifts. Morzine itself is home to plenty of beginners’ slopes, so teachers taking mixed ability groups will easily be able to divide their students up and arrange lessons for those who need them.
Venturing Further
Intermediate skiers might find more to entertain them over at the sister resort of Avoriaz. Once the members of your school ski groups are ready to leave the comfort of the nursery slopes, the other slopes can easily be accessed by making use of the Super Morzine lift. At the busiest times it can often be a good idea to take the local bus rather than the lift, however.
Another Brick in the Wall
For experienced skiers and boarders in the area, one of the greatest challenges that draws enthusiasts to Morzine is ‘The Wall’. One of the most formidable challenges in the whole of the Alps, The Wall requires some serious planning ahead, and is only to be considered by those who know what they’re doing. This is an awesomely steep face of snow, so it probably won’t be suitable for those on school ski trips unless they are absolute experts. Still, if you’re taking a group it’s good to know it exists, even if just to show your students what to aspire to!
If you’re organising a winter sports trip for young people, it’s very hard to beat the range of choice and suitability for all abilities that Morzine brings to the table.