Mountains towering around every corner. Streams and lakes captivate you with their beauty. Endless active things to do. Yep, a holiday in the mountains may be just the medicine you need.
I do love beach holidays, but sometimes you crave a bit more action. More fresh air and fun activities over sitting on a beach. This year, we really felt the mountains were calling us. The kids are now at an age where they can go and do stuff, and they like to do different things.
After a lot of research, I came across Morzine. A friend had coincidentally booked a mountain biking holiday there, and I’d heard about it as a ski resort on a podcast.
Morzine is a gorgeous alpine village located in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps. Nestled between a handful of beautiful mountains, this French ski resort is also a bustling summer mountain biking mecca.
Mountain bikers flock here from all over because in the summer months, the ski slopes transform into epic mountain biking trails in beautiful scenery. But Morzine is not just for the bikers, it’s for anyone looking for an active holiday. You can hike around to your heart’s content and engage in a huge range of fun activities.
You can purchase what’s known as a summer pass, which gets you free and discounted access to a huge number of local activities and a free pass on all the ski lifts. I’ll cover more info on this below.
Morzine is also extremely child-friendly. I don’t think I’ve been anywhere on holiday that’s so family-friendly and welcoming of little ones. There are fun games and activities in the centre and loads of play areas, parks and kids’ bike tracks. Honestly, you could spend two full weeks here and still feel like you’ve not managed to do everything.
The Content Wolf Travel Rating Score – Bluebird Lodge, Mountain Spaces 57/60
- Facilities – 10
- Service – 10
- Uniqueness – 9
- Location – 9
- Comfort – 9
- Cleanliness – 10
Morzine summer holiday chalet with a hot tub & sauna
We stayed at Bluebird Lodge, a Morzine holiday chalet managed by Mountain Spaces. It’s an exceptionally well-located chalet in Morzine with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains, just 400m from the ski/mountain biking lifts.
Picture a gorgeous alpine chalet nestled on a hill just a few moments from town. Oh, and there’s a hot tub too. It’s nestled in the perfect spot. We sat in the hot tub and watched the paragliders coming down from the mountain. I’m not sure there’s anything more relaxing, to be honest. And when we did get some cloudy days, it meant gazing out at the mesmerising cloud formations all around the chalet.
Bluebird Lodge sleeps is a 14 person chalet in Morzine with six bedrooms. A few of the bedrooms have balconies overlooking the whole of Morzine. There’s a very large, fully equipped kitchen with a huge American-style fridge freezer. We really loved the ice and water dispenser on hot summer days. We just felt so relaxed here, and it was lovely sitting out on the patio where you can see the side of the mountain and the cable cars making their way up and down.
Location
The chalet is a two-minute walk from town, but it’s also nestled far away from the busy parts – so you get the best of both worlds.
Morzine Chalet – Bluebird Lodge Facilities
I’ve already touched on some of the facilities. Honestly, this place has it all. Bluebird Lodge is a very large chalet in Morzine. I don’t think I’ve stayed anywhere that’s got so many added extras and incredible facilities. I’m now officially spoiled, as I will now expect a sauna and hot tub in every place I stay! If you’re looking for a large mountain chalet in the Haute-Savoie region, Bluebird Lodge will tick all your boxes. We were a small group, but it’s perfect for large groups looking for winter ski holidays in France, or anyone looking to book a mountain biking holiday in Morzine for the summer.
It’s easier to list some of the best facilities, which include:
- Hot tub
- Sauna
- BBQ
- Giant fridge freezer
- Games room
- Log fire
- L’Occitane bath products
- Nespresso machine
- Washing facilities
Things to do in Morzine, France
As I mentioned earlier, you’d need months here in Morzine to fully be able to explore all there is to do. It’s an adventure holiday haven. From jaw-dropping hikes and heart-stopping mountain bike trails to postcard-worthy alpine lakes and adrenaline-fuelled activities, you truly are spoiled for choice. I think a lot of people are considering summer holidays in the mountains, because of all the amazing activities you can do. Beach holidays are lovely, let’s be real. But sometimes you just want to get outside, breathe in the fresh air and channel your inner adventurer. And for those of us who struggle to sit still, there’s just SO much to do. You can pay for the summer pass and they give you a booklet with loads of free and subsidised activities. There’s no way you can get bored in Morzine, no matter the weather.
So, what exactly did we get up to? Things to do near Morzine, France
Well, we weren’t quite as active as I would have liked, as I had a slipped disc in my back and we have two very young kids. So gentle walks were on the menu, but we still managed to have an amazing time.
Lake Montriond – A stunning emerald green lake encased by jagged mountain rocks and woodland. You can go paddleboarding and swimming here and chill out on the banks.
The goat village – Adorable little village in the mountains with goats roaming free. Be warned, they’re quite persistent but mostly very gentle. You can get a cable car up there, and there’s a stop halfway where you can visit some creperies and restaurants, plus there’s a stream that the kids can paddle in. You can get the little train to the top of the village, which the kids really enjoyed.
Excenevex beach – The mountains are wonderful, but if you’re craving a proper beach day, this is the place to go. It’s on the shores of Lake Geneva, and you’ve got the mountains in the background, which is lovely. There’s a sandy beach where you can rent out pedalos and paddle boards. Plus, it’s right next to Yvoire, a medieval village and one of France’s prettiest villages. We didn’t end up having time to have a look around, but we plan to next time!
Avioraz – We loved visiting Avioraz. It’s a car-free village in the mountains. You drive up the winding roads to get to the top and then park in the car park opposite. You can also get the ski lift up there. It’s a ski resort in the winter, but it’s just as lovely in the summer. There’s a huge park and trampolines for the kids. Plus a little bike track for them to try. Avioraz has some excellent restaurants and cafes and it’s so nice breathing in the fresh mountain air, particularly on a hot summer’s day. While we were there we managed to catch a really cool mountain bike display. They had these huge ramps and the cyclists were taking turns to do some amazing flips and tricks in the air.
Morzine swimming pool – If you’ve got the summer pass you get access to the pool for free. There’s a little toddler pool, a kids pool and a large swimming pool with lanes. It gets quite busy on bank holidays and at the height of summer, but we went there during the week and it was much quieter.
Les Gets kids activity day – Les Gets is a village about ten minutes from Morzine. Here you’ll find more activities including a toboggan type ride. There are also lots of shops and restaurants to try. We turned up when they had a kids activity festival here and it was brilliant. The entire Haute Savoir area really is very well set up for families and kids.
Cable car adventures up the mountains – The summer pass also gets you access to all the bike lifts and cable cars. So you can venture up the mountain whenever you fancy it. Our girls loved going in the cable cars and then going for a little walk at the top of the mountain. We enjoyed sitting in a restaurant with stunning views where you can watch the mountain bikers whizzing down the hill.
Le Monde de Jaquotte – You can get the cable car up the mountain and there’s a little farm you can pay to have a look around. They do daily sheepdog displays. It was amazing but it’s a nice little stop if you’re passing by.
Cascade de Nyon – This is a waterfall you can visit not far from Morzine. It’s only about a five minute walk from the car park. You can dip in the icy cold water. We watched people doing some canyoning down the waterfall which looked really fun. There’s also a Go Ape type adventure park in the treetops.
Another lake you can visit near Morzine is Lac des Ecoles near Montriond. It’s a small lake but you can swim in it and there’s an inflatable park you can pay to use. The lake also has a bike pump track for the kids and a children’s play park with some really cool climbing equipment.
Day trip to Italy
Whilst staying in Morzine, we realised Italy was actually only a couple of hours away and we felt inspired to go! So on a whim, we went on a day trip to Italy. It was amazing, but we didn’t realise the Mont Blanc tunnel that takes you from France through to Italy costs 70 euros for a return, so that was an unexpected expense.
We did, however, get to see Courmayeur, a really beautiful village just outside the Mont Blanc border. It has views of the nearby Toula Glacier, which is pretty cool. It’s quite a high-end village with lots of luxury shops and a few nice restaurants and cafes. We also ventured a little further afield to Aosta, the capital of the Valle d’Aosta region. It’s a lovely town with loads of Roman monuments and a bustling centre. Once inside the town walls you can explore the numerous streets lined with restaurants and shops. We had a really lovely lunch, some amazing Italian ice cream and it was nice to experience a little slice of Italy for the day.
Eating out in Morzine
If you’re a foodie, you’ll be spoiled for choice in Morzine. There are so many different restaurants to choose from. We actually didn’t manage to go to that many due to the kids and my mum being ill, but the few we tried were fab. We went to a delicious burger restaurant (Papa Renard), which, if you sit outside, overlooks the mountain. They do fondue burgers and they’re absolutely delicious. We also had a lovely meal at a local French style restaurant.
Morzine has some great cafes too where you can enjoy a decent brunch. Satellite does good coffee and a tasty halloumi pitta sandwich. L’improviste do excellent pizzas. The restaurant is tucked away a little out of town opposite the river. If you want a nice big filling lunch with a view, then La Hautte is a great spot. Honestly we didn’t even scratch the surface with the restaurants, I’d like to go back and try a few more places. There’s also a chocolate shop that sells ice cream which I’d highly recommend.
