Morzine Avoriaz Mountain Biking Guide 2025: Trails, Bike Park & Travel Tips

Morzine and Avoriaz are synonymous with cycling. Every few years they pop up in the Tour de France and as for the off road scene it’s a quite a Mecca for the full faced gravity set. From the south east of the UK it’s as easy to get to as Fort William but with a lot more sun and fewer midges. Despite its reputation the area is far more than just blue, red and black DH runs. If that’s your thing then it’s got those in spades, but there’s more to the area than just uplifted gravity descending. Wheels on the ground opportunities are everywhere.

Where can you ride?

Seems an odd question when there are lifts and marked park trails everywhere but that doesn’t mean you can’t find other trails to explore.

Unlike in the UK, there are no actual distinctions between footpath and bridleway. There are just paths. The access rules are really quite simple. If there’s a line on an official map and clear trail on the ground then you can ride it. If there are any signs on the trail marked NO VTT then you can’t.

There are recommended trails that are marked and maintained inside the parks but there are also paths that meander across the high plateaus that make great XC style trails. Just as anywhere else a very high level of common sense is required on any trail that is shared with walkers. If you are on a bike then YOU are the one that has to take all precautions and slow down when you meet other trail traffic and keep the speed down when you can’t see round the next bend. But you know all that already. Rule one applies – don’t be a dick. These trails aren’t marked on the official park maps.

Getting There

Can I fly my eMTB to Geneva?

No. We found no airlines happy to fly an eMTB. Weight is an issue but airlines won’t let you put a battery in the hold. You may be able to find a compatible battery at your destination but we didn’t come across any shops hiring them out. That leaves your options as drive with your eMTB or rent.

Each has pros and cons.

Driving to the Alps

Driving is a viable option for us Brits and thousands of us travel to the region every year by car regardless of the type of bike we take. When there’s a group of you its feasible to pack a big car with your gear and get 3 or even four bikes stowed on a rack. If you have a van with enough seats then all the better. You aren’t restricted by luggage limits and you get to take your own bike and battery.

Options from the UK are ferry or train. Tunnel prices can range from around £100 for a car. Add a rack and things get a little more and a van can expect to pay around £150. If you’ve never driven to France before it’s surprising how easy and slick it is and in most cases you don’t need to get out of your car at all. From driving on the train to driving off takes around an hour.

From Calais you have about a seven hour drive down through France on a variety of generally quiet toll roads. The great thing about driving anywhere outside of the UK is it invariably is a much more pleasant experience. Expect to pay around £80 each way in tolls. Add on the cost of fuel to get your total for travel. From the south of the UK it’s a feasible trip to do in a single day. From the north of the UK it’s a bit harder and we usually break the journey somewhere outside Calais in the form of an overnight in a motel. The Campenile (campanile.com) range of motels is handily located close to the main routes. They are basic but cheap and clean and usually come with breakfast. In the summer they book up fast so book ahead.

Airport Transfers

Geneva airport is an hour away by road. Skiidygonzales can transport you and your bikes to and from Les Gets, Morzine & Avoriaz from around £100 for a return trip. They also provide other services for mountain bikers, like away days to other resorts.

Conclusion: Personal choice and circumstances will dictate your preference. There are distinct advantages to both. A van of 4 driving there and back will leave a considerably smaller carbon footprint than flying.

How does driving compare to flying?

Caveat: All costs are estimates and subject to seasonal variations. Based on advanced booking. In particular, airline costs can be extremely volatile. All estimates are for individuals. At peak periods these costs could be considerably higher.

Without the accommodation in Northern France and doing the entire trip in a single day and the travel costs come down to around £800-£900 or £200-£225 per person.

Best Time To Visit

Early in the season gets the bike park trails in the best condition with fewer braking bumps. If you are riding mostly outside the park then late season in September in the weeks before the lifts shut for the shoulder season gets the best colours in the landscape. The temperatures are generally a little cooler and the travel costs are a little lower.

Unless you are planning to ride it, avoid the weeks before and after the Passporte du Soleil event, that typically takes place in July. Unless you like the crowds, queues and party atmosphere.

Staying There

Bike Morzine run complete packages across over 60 properties throughout Morzine and can accommodate large groups to individuals. Accommodation options range from luxury chalets to shared dormitories. Bike Morzine can also arrange your bike hire and lift passes which in most cases can be waiting for you at your accommodation when you arrive.

Our property was the Chalet Les Pivottes and was located a short walk from the centre and just 500m from the Super Morzine lift. In a decadent turn of events our property could sleep 10-12 people across 6 bedrooms and we had it to ourselves. A week here in early September would cost around £2450 for the exclusive use of the chalet or just over £300PP for a group of 8.

While this was definitely a luxury chalet with all the trimmings including secure bike storage, boot dryers, washing machine and a fully equipped workshop, Bike Morzine offer budget accommodation on a per person/night rate from £38. For example, check out their Hideout Hostel property that is centrally located in Morzine, which still includes secure bike storage, breakfast buffet and even a bar! For example a private 4 bunk dorm room here at the end of September would cost around £1460 for a week. A twin room at the same time would cost £655.

bikemorzine.com 

Eating there

O’Chalet

Situated close to the centre square in Morzine this is a gourmet burger restaurant that will impress you. Very extensive range of beers and drinks and of course it’s very popular so booking ahead is vital.

https://ochaletmorzine.fr/ 

La Flamme

You can’t miss it as it has the best location right next to the Super Morzine lift which could have ended up with a restaurant of mediocre quality that rests on its location – but that is NOT the case. Excellent food, service and despite the location not crazy expensive either.

La Bonbonniere Patissier

Located on Rte de la Plagne in the centre of Morzine. Not a restaurant but the best baguette sandwiches in all of Morzine. So popular that they are usually sold out by 9am. 

Singletrack Tip!

Get there by 8:30 to get the best choice if you are staying on the mountain all day.

Get Covered

It’s really important to make sure you have adequate travel insurance for any holiday that involves riding bikes off road. If you are planning to ride every day then many travel policies won;t have you fully covered where mountain biking is the main purpose of your trip. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Yellow Jersey who specialise in travel insurance for us mountain bikers. Find out more below.

Singletrack’s Top Tips

Les Gets and Morzine are close at just 4 miles between their centres. There is a bus service which runs between the two of you are visiting on foot and it’s worth a timetable. Weekend schedule is not great. Taxis between the two are crazy expensive – like around £30!

Visit the Ibex brewery in Montriond.

Run by ex pat Brit, the brewery has a cafe serving beers (obviously) and food and is open daily. They brew a beer called Low Rider that is deliberately low in alcohol (1.2%) so that you can have an afternoon beer and still be in a reasonable state to ride again. Like a shandy, but beer.

Get A Multipass!

The Port Du Soleil Multipass cost just 3 euros a day with a minimum stay of 2 nights so long as you are staying in approved accommodation. Chalets1066 AND Bike Morzine are both on that list.

This pass gets you free admission or discounted admission to a very long list of over 80 attractions in the Port du Soleil area and it even includes lift access. If you have non-bike riders in your group then it’s a great way to get up the mountains and even if you already have a bike lift pass there’s many more ways to use one. Mini Golf on the shore of Lac Montriond anyone?

Don’t skip the lifts

Don’t skip the lifts just because you have a motor. You will not save much money and you will waste a lot of power and your precious riding time.

By using the lifts I charged the Ariel E only once in our four days and never finished a day with less than 3 out of 5 bars of capacity but it still allowed me to complete big 20-30km days without completely wiping myself out.

Boost it in the parks

In the park, riding in boost mode downhill on an e-MTB actually helps get back up to speed after corners. If you ride over 15.5mph it doesn’t matter what mode you are in anyway.