Family MTB trip to the Alps

[DanGibsonRacing]

I was in two minds whether to post in Pedal Powered or Holidays and Travel, so mods please feel free to move if better placed elsewhere.

I'm no stranger to winter visits to Morzine and the PDS, but have decided to try a summer trip with the MTBs. The complicating factor is that my wife and I will have our two children in in tow (4 and 2).

I don't expect to be shredding DH everyday (but hopefully will be able to get a couple of sessions in).

Has anyone done a trip to Morzine with kids in summer, any tip or recommendations of things to do?

Are there any routes or trails that would be suitable for towing a trailer or riding with a child seat?

[The_Doc]

Pm me

I've been every summer for 10+ yrs, and am en ville here now.

Summer in MZN is, awesome for kids

[interstellar]

I can recommend Tigne/Val D too, great in the summer for MTB and lots to do especially round the lake at Tigne.

[Malo]

Have a look at Annecy. Great place for a family holiday,

[Chicken Chaser]

Are there any suitable trails in Morzine for kids? Annecy is great btw, but I'd love to take the kids into the Alps for some biking fun but suspect I'll have to wait until they're older.

[h0b0]

La Clusaz is great for young kids. I was there this time last year with my then 7 & 5 year olds.

We stayed in the Family room at St Alban

3 beds in the living room and a separate master bedroom. It’s just under the public swimming pool.

[g7jhp]

Morzine is fantastic in the summer. Kids 2 and 4 may be a little harder and not sure on what is limited due to COVID.

I road bike the Col de Joux Plane (from both directions especially Samoens) , Col du Fornet and Col de la Joux Verte are all great rides.

Some of the non-biking family activities (not all for 2/4 year old).

1) Lac de Montroind
2) Wibit Park, Les Gets
3] Morzine Swimming Pools & Water Slide (plus kids area)
4) Crepe at Super Morzine
5) Luge Morzine
6) Horse Riding, Morzine
7) Rope Course
8) Walk/run through Woods with natural exercise equipment
9) The Goat Village (Les Lindarets)
10) Paragliding in Morzine

Can recommend Rose & Chardon on the Rue de Avoriaz.

Edited by g7jhp on Thursday 13th August 13:24

[Amateurish]

Chicken Chaser said:

Are there any suitable trails in Morzine for kids? Annecy is great btw, but I'd love to take the kids into the Alps for some biking fun but suspect I'll have to wait until they're older.

Yes there are suitable trails for kids. When they are young, the "Dereches" trail is very easy going and fun.

A word of warning though, do not be fooled by the "family" run. It is anything but.

[Amateurish]

g7jhp said:

Morzine is fantastic in the summer. Kids 2 and 4 may be a little harder and not sure on what is limited due to COVID.

I road bike the Col de Joux Plane (from both directions especially Samoens) , Col du Fornet and Col de la Joux Verte are all great rides.

Some of the non-biking family activities (not all for 2/4 year old).

1) Lac de Montroind
2) Wibit Park, Les Gets
3] Morzine Swimming Pools & Water Slide (plus kids area)
4) Crepe at Super Morzine
5) Luge Morzine
6) Horse Riding, Morzine
7) Rope Course
8) Walk/run through Woods with natural exercise equipment

Can recommend Rose & Chardon on the Rue de Avoriaz.

Edited by g7jhp on Wednesday 12th August 22:35

Great list, which I fully agree with. Everything on the list is open apart from the water slide and kids area at the pool. In fact, I did the Wibit inflatables this afternoon!

[The_Doc]

An excellent list!

I'll pad it out, but I can't vouch for what's limited in resort due to the virus, we arrived 2 days ago.

1) Lac de Montroind
The small lake is drained and de-gunked regularly and has a roped off area for paddling, lifeguard intermittent.
The main lake hosts ice diving in the winter, but is eminently swimmable in the summer. More fun are the rentable canoes.
Even more fun is a pilates class in the middle of the lake on an impromptu lashed together raft. (your wife will love this)
2) Wibit Park, Les Gets
Small wibit and big wibit, I think my boy was only allowed on the small one last year as he was <1.2m, and my daughter and I did the big one. This is awesome fun. Lake is chilly (obvs, it's a mountain lake) but you don't care. Petit train free link from LeGets centre and freeparking
3] Morzine Swimming Pools & Water Slide (plus kids area)
Lovely, lovely outside and inside pools built about 5 yrs ago. Posh, clean, modern, very pricy cafe food, and now ticketed due to Covid. Shame the slide is closed because my two (6&8) would do the slides at least 462 times in a row.
4) Crepe at Super Morzine
5) Luge Morzine
The luge is really good fun, sideby side racing on a very decent course down the mountain. Think we took the boy on it aged 4?
6) Horse Riding, Morzine
Now this is a real find, down in the valley there are horses to rent and ponies to be led. The kids loved this of an afternoon and the valley is beautiful, leading on to....
7) Rope Course
Rope course? We are underselling this! It's a full blown clip and climb/treetoptrek in the trees, 5m up in the air afternoon of fun! There's a baby course for the (?) under 5s but again my two went on the middle course last year and they are already asking about this. Very professional and safe, harnesses and safety attendees on hand. Cont comment on COVID restrictions yet, but we're booking it
8) Walk/run through Woods with natural exercise equipment

Also of note, lots of the hotel/bars facing the Pleney slopes have outdoor equipment for the kids to play with whilst mum and dad sip local plonk.
BBQ night once a week at The Sherpa Bar, BYO meat and just pay for the drinks (my brother ran this place for 5yrs)
Avoriaz has an indoor water venue, think Centre Parks dome but 25% of the size. Not a big fan of this, - Pricy and cramped, up in Avoriaz (=fake) and went once ages ago and won't go back. Avoriaz is fun to walk around in the summer and Changabang bar/eats is great for fast food, burgers and chips in the mountains.

Lac des Mines d'Or is probably rideable on the road from MZN and is simply stunning.
The goat village (Les Lindarets) is fun to explore with the kids, and the Lindarets bowl above for food.

Tremplin Hotel on the Pleney slopes has a really nice mini-kids area with ping-pong and a bouncy castle, again drink sipping for M&Dad here while they play. Lovely Picon beer here. Warning, wallet emptying.

And of course there is Opera, which stays open until 5am, but seeing as I have caught quite a few diseases here over the decades, I expect it to be closed due to CV19. plus ça change!

I must say, however, the village is very busy right now, I think all the French have opted for a staycation (in the Alps) in 2020.

Edited by The_Doc on Thursday 13th August 07:36

[Amateurish]

Great summary. I've been here for four weeks so far, and I've never seen the town so busy. There are lots of Parisians here who are escaping the heat wave.

[DanGibsonRacing]

I couldn't have asked for a more comprehensive response- thanks all

[Amateurish]

Unfortunately, masks are now compulsory outdoors throughout Morzine and Avoriaz.

[missing the VR6]

I'm just back from Morzine with GF and her 8 year old, I've been 7 times with the boys previously and was a little concerned it wouldn't be the same. It wasn't, but it was still a brilliant holiday thoroughly enjoyed by all. GF got into MTB about a year ago and her little one really during lockdown. The greens off the back of the Zore lift are fine for kids. As others have said, there's the Lake, Indiana adventures (Go Ape), the bars and restaurants are all fine with kids. As others have said, lots of French this year, seemed odd the town not being monopolised by Brits!

[The_Doc]

Yes the weirdest thing out here right now, is that everyone is speaking French

[Dammit]

I’m trying to work out whether I should spend £260 on a Eurotunnel ticket for tonight, now, in case the French authorities mirror the UK quarantine requirement and start it at 4am French time on Saturday.

I really don’t want to miss my holiday.

Have you stopped any mountain biking due to the loss of travel insurance?

[The_Doc]

I left before the announcement, it's still valid

[Dammit]

Ah, that’s good. I’m waiting to hear back from the underwriters on a specialist policy.

[The_Doc]

Amateurish said:

Unfortunately, masks are now compulsory outdoors throughout Morzine and Avoriaz.

Not quite it seems, just in busy outdoor areas. This poster put up in front of me by Le Fuzz.



Non busy outdoors, non obligatoire

[Amateurish]

The_Doc said:

Not quite it seems, just in busy outdoor areas. This poster put up in front of me by Le Fuzz.

Non busy outdoors, non obligatoire

I think that just means the town centre. Not that it's optional depending on how busy it is.