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As above really. Going to Morzine in the summer and want to know what the best trails for a 7 year old would be.
My daughter is a bit nervous of obstacles etc, so will need to start on easier stuff. I cannot find any advice on what trails would be good place to start. Is everything marked on the piste maps?
Normal riding is South downs double track, going to work on narrower stuff between now and then. She will throw herself down any ski run and will overtake me as I go to slow, just need to transfer the confidence!
Also what are the best lift assisted trail type rides, rather than downhill/park stuff? Is there a good map or GPS routes anywhere?
Cheers
The VTT maps are pretty good. I took Mrs Dubs to Morzine last summer, the best riding for her (pretty much a novice) was at Les Gets - there's some lovely green runs over there.
I think @Weeksy takes his lad over the Super Morzine side - I've not been over that bit.
Of the "downhill" trails, even the greens are high speed with (rollable) jumps that are likely to be taller than a 7 year old. Think welsh trail centre red or BPW blue. Totally doable for a 7 year old but maybe not if they are liable to panic.
XC in french seems to mean fireroad/double track, and many of the signposted/mapped routes are lift served and therefore predominantly downhill, with some bits of climbing - this is probably more what you need.
I'm assuming that by "morzine" you mean the entire connected PDS region, you'll be fairly limited just staying just in the morzine valley.
https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com/maps.html
this map seems to show the XC as orange, but I've seen other maps where they are given a colour rating. (which is in no way comparable to the downhill colour rating)
The top map on my link above (morzine / les gets) actually gives the XC as colour coded, but labed with letters, the DH runs are labelled by number.
Thanks that's something to take a look at.
Ayjay, I have never cycled in Morzine so don't know what the grading is like. Are they much tougher than tignes or Les arc? I was hoping to get her on some blue runs by the end if the week. The blues in tignes and Les arc all seem okay to take at low speed and did not seem to have big jumps or rollers. Is Morzine more true dh runs? Her bike has deore discs so slowing down us easy!
We do the stuff on that map up as Avoriaz, soylent green etc. Sadly on my mobile the map is useless so can't help more than that Tonight
Looks like the greens are not in Morzine town where we are staying! Should have done more research before booking.....
How easy is it to get up to avoriaz with bikes on the lifts? Is it better to drive up? We have a car so no issue.
Effortless. Super morzine then Zore
Good news. Thanks
A les arcs blue is probably a morzine green? maybe? happy to be corrected. I'm thinking those runs down in the middle - "Marsupilami" and "easy rider"
at least are similar to morzine green.
"Woodstock" more on the lines of morzine blue
from morzine to avoriaz (middle map on my first link) take the super mosine cable car, the zore chair lift, then the orange XC route to avoriaz (some uphill involved to get to avoriaz, rather than heading down into linderets) Green 9 down to the bottom of the seraussaix lift is one of the easier greens to get you started.
The green 2 and maybe bottom half of blue 5? ability dependent
Return by green 14 which wont be any bother
Then either super morzine down, or the zig zag orange route which is all double track down into morzine town.
You can also take the road down but maybe not with a 7yo - an adult can easily go over 40mph.
Thanks all. Lots of good stuff.
The blues can be quite challenging, especially if it has been wet. If it stays dry and you get plenty of riding in you might be up to the blues by the end but don't over do it. Soylent green is good because it is quite short and easy to session. From there you can ride down to Linderettes on fairly easy tracks. Just skip the first bit near avoriaz where it drops off the right of the road. Follow the road down for a couple of bends then get on the trail. From Linderettes take the lift back via avoriaz or ride down through goat village then there is a bit of steep road so only do this if she has good brakes and control. Then it's gentle tracks past the lake and along the river to Morzine. Don't do this too late as she'll be tired by the end. There is a good green is Les gets too. Quite easy to get to from Morzine. Getting home is a bit trickier. The XC route is mostly fire road but does have a short steep bit at the start. You could walk that bit. Or take the road.
Nick, the route to linderette is in the the bluerun on the map or another track? Along the river to Morzine sounds good.
So the orange tracks are not enduro as listed on the map but just xc fire roads and used for linking stuff together?
Morzine has a blue run called Family ... This is NOT family friendly, particularly in the wet. Lots of roots, ruts and more roots!
Super Morzine side greens are lovely.
GeForce J has good advice.
Family blue is not for a family. I have seen/helped a few families on there Shit scared as it starts off easy, gets rooty in woods and DH riders with all the gear bomb past. Saw one dad with kid on balance bike. Nuts.
Greens at Super Morzine are ace for kids and easy to get to.
This is Soylent, A green run just off the top of Zore lift, easy from Morzine centre.
The only issue is getting back to Morzine but you can ride to the top of super Morzine lift the get that back down.
Stand High Patrol, also in the same area. They all seem to come out at Sarrassiox? Lift which seems to serve the tamest routes. Be aware, you still get speedy groms on them shredding the gnar so be aware of riders approaching from behind and shouting at you!
The above are my son, we went last summer and had a great time. There is also a fairly large pump track set up in Les gets town centre that looked fun.
With a 7yo, I don’t think there is anything chatel side worth venturing too. The Pleney side of the valley is steep. Stick to top of Zore area and Avoriaz, would be my advice.
The comments about the Morzine family trail are making me laugh out loud.
I took my wife down there a couple years ago on one her first MTB ride... Suffice to say she was not impressed and quite shocked with "what sort of family ride down that?!"
Atherton family maybe, lol.
Nick, the route to linderette is in the the bluerun on the map or another track?
No. It crosses the blue but should be marked orange (ppds). Actually thinking about it going all the way back to Morzine from there is quite a ride for little legs so do it early if you fancy it. One cheaper way to do it is drive to Avoriaz, ride to Morzine (no lifts) then either you get the bus/lift to Avoriaz using the multipass to collect the car or you all get the lift on foot, go to the ace swimming pool in Avoriaz then drive home.
Along the river to Morzine sounds good.
For a very easy ride you can just ride out and back along the river path. Its quite pleasant and a flat ride.
One more easy, nice one on a sunny day is part of the big ride above. Drive to either Lac Mondrian or the ski lift above it. Ride to the lake, play on the beach, paddle, etc, carry on to Morzine via the river then later in the day bus or road bike back to collect the car.
Great info, thank you for all the comments.
River path is a lovely ride. Either head out to St Jean and beyond or head the other direction past Nyon and towards Lac des mines d'Or. Lovely bar out that way
Make sure you visit the lake in Les Gets with the kids - ours remember that as much as the riding...
as matt says, Wibit @ Les Gets is a blast.
https://www.lesgets.com/envie-de/famille/wibit.html
For a 7yr old there's not a lot of riding on the mountains, save for taking the greens easy on Serrausaix as other's have mentioned.
The "Chemin du Rennard" is the trail along the banks of la Dranse that runs through Morzine. Lovely bar at Erigné when you get back out on to the road up towards the Lac Des Mines d'or (Auberge Les Terres Maudites Layanne).
River trail also runs down stream, go all the way to Seytroux for a really chilled ride, perfect for family day out.
When in Avoriaz, consider spending an hour or so at Aquariaz with the kids, they'll love it. But if it's raining give it a miss as it will be heaving in bad weather as there's not alot else to do up there.
https://www.avoriaz.com/en/things-to-do/activities-wellness/aquariaz-winter/
Other kids activities to consider:
https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com/indiana-parc-morzine.html
https://cascadeaventure.wixsite.com/cascade-aventure
https://www.parc-dereches.com/en/
Hi pal,
Hope all's well.
I'm taking the 7yr old there tis summer too
Take her out on the plenet, to the left of the telecabin as you look at the hill - the nyon trails are nice and steady too.
If you take the car up the Plenet, there's a nice steady trail to Les Gets.
You could also head to montriond/ Les Lindarets and up to Avoriaz - all really good access tracks
Hope it helps
Ok, will start with the river paths and go up to the greens at Avoriaz and Les get.slso thanks for the advice on the lake and pool. Thanks all
Make sure you visit the lake in Les Gets with the kids
As adults it was a fun evening in the lake after riding! The lake has a wipe out style inflatable on it, they operate timed session during the day. I called them when I was there and the women who answered spoke very good english and let me know the timings.