Winter activities in Morzine

Snowshoeing/walking

Snowshoeing in Morzine is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of resort, explore the area, and immerse yourself in nature. It has always been a firm favourite amongst our guests that are not into skiing or snowboarding but enjoy the great outdoors. It also makes for a great cardio workout, exercising your legs, glutes and thighs – a great alternative to hitting the gym. Morzine and the surrounding area has a wide variety of snowshoe/walking routes for all abilities – whether you fancy a quick stroll around Lac de Montriond or want to clock up some vertical kms around Mont Chéry – there are plenty of options. If you fancy adding a bit more adventure, we’d recommend a sunrise walk to one of our local peaks – there’s something extra special about watching the sunrise over snow-capped mountains!

Check out our post on Snowshoeing in Morzine for more info on where to rent and some of the companies we recommend for guided tours.

Touring – earn your turns!

There is something special about self-powering your way through the mountains, and it’s no wonder that touring has become so popular the last few years – the beauty and tranquility of the mountains combined with a sense of accomplishment after making your own way up the mountain and adrenaline rush from riding back down is a winning combo. With lifts in France currently closed, and the season as a whole on hold, more and more people have taken to touring to get in those much-coveted turns.

Morzine has adapted incredibly well to the current restrictions, setting up touring specific routes in resort whilst still allowing access to the backcountry. If you’re not ready to commit to a full touring set up, you can rent snowshoes in town for as little as 10 euros a day and follow some of the pisted routes up the mountain. Ski-Mobile or The Woods rent splitboards, or you can pick up some skins and touring bindings and convert your skis. With guiding and courses available from a number of snow schools in Morzine, there are plenty of options for all levels of ability and experience.

Ski du Fond (aka ski nordique or cross-country skiing)

This is one of the oldest winter sports, dating back hundreds of years. Originally used as a mode of transport, it became an official Olympic sport in 1924. For those not familiar with ski du fond, it’s a type of skiing where participants ‘rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain’ typically on super skinny skis with a telemark style binding. The skis often sit in tracks which follow a route around a short course, sometimes including short, steep descents (disclaimer, it can get gnarly!) Not only does ski du fond offer a great full body workout, it also takes a bit of skill. However, if you don’t want to take it too seriously, don some lycra and throw in a vin chaud!

There are currently 5 areas set up for ski du fond in Morzine – check out the official Morzine/Avoriaz website for more info.

Yoga

Whether you are lucky enough to be able to get out touring this winter, or if you’re dreaming of your next snowy getaway, yoga is loaded with health benefits, many of which go hand in hand with skiing and snowboarding. Regular practice can help to improve strength, balance and endurance, improve respiration, and help increase energy levels, all of which are super important when it comes to winter sports! It’s also a great way to release tension, relieve stress and anxiety and unwind after a long day, whether that’s been spent on the mountain or in the (home) office.

Whilst yoga studios are currently closed, many yoga instructors have turned to online teaching – running regularly scheduled classes via zoom (or similar). Why not check out Emily Ruth Yoga, one of our local Morzine yogis who is currently running classes online and will return to in person classes when she can. If you’re yet to start your yoga journey or prefer practising solo, there are hundreds of 10-15 minute intro to yoga or ski specific yoga videos on YouTube.