French Alps Ski WeekFrench Alps Ski WeekSkiman and Lynn were very excited to finally visit this huge ski region in the French Alps. We have tried for many years to offer a tour here, but the prices were always too high. We were elated when we found a few hotels that offered us a great prices for this pricey resort. This ski region is made up of four Swiss resorts and eight French resorts. It claims to be as big as Trois Vallees (our other European tour offering for 2008). Skiman had to see any place that claimed to be as big at Trois Vallee to believe it. We went in June. We saw. We believe!
We cannot wait to ski here. It is beyond huge and their claim to being as big as Trois Vallees appears to be valid. We shall decide with skis on our feet in March! We love the village which will be our base for this ski vacation: Morzine. It is beyond charming. Set in a small stunning valley surrounded by ski lifts and mountains, Morzine is the real deal. There are no huge condo or hotel complexes. By law, nothing can be built that is higher than the old church. Morzine is small enough to be quaint but big enough to offer plenty of amenities and a hot night life with many clubs and bars. It reminded us of Brides les Bains (our other destination in March) in its authenticity and charm, but it is a bit larger and will have a more active night life. From any of our hotels, you are very short bus ride or walk away from hundreds of miles of skiing.
The hotel rating system in Morzine is unique. Almost all the hotels in the village are rated as two stars, but in terms of amenities, facilities, rooms, and food, they rival any three star or many four star hotels elsewhere in France. Why all the hotels in Morzine are “under” rated is a mystery that no one could explain. Our main hotel, Le Cret, is no exception to this rule. It is a wonderful country-rustic property that we loved! On site, there is an indoor pool, the biggest hot tub we have seen in Europe, sauna, steam, tanning, a big bar, and a theatre where nightly shows are put on for their guests. Lynn and Skiman loved this hotel! And we have to say that the food here was fantastic. Their kitchen has three chefs and a pastry chef. They rocked our culinary world! And is this cool or what: while you are eating in the lovely dining room, you can watch the owners herd of pet deer grazing away on the grounds of the hotel!
Our plan / goal for this trip is to try to get everyone in the Le Cret, but at this point, we only have room for 35 at this property. We are trying to get more rooms, tba. In terms of price, we think the Le Cret is a steal. Skiman and Lynn will be staying at the Le Cret. If you want to stay here, you need to sign up quickly, as the first 35 requesting the Le Cret will get it. We are trying to get more rooms at the Le Cret and at another hotel owned by the cousins of the owners which is across the street. Ideally, we would like to have our group in nearby hotels. It is just such great fun to get together with everyone at night!
Currently, we have two other hotels which are also wonderful properties. Both have all the amenities of the Le Cret. We visited both and loved them. One of them is a two star (Alpina) and the other is the three star Le Carlile, the best-located of them all, literally a 20 second walk to the lift and in the middle of the village.
Below please have a look at what we found in this village and it surrounds. It is a fantastic looking ski region, a great village, full of charm and nice hotels. We are sure you will love this great ski vacation. Come join us in Port du Soleil, France!
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Morzine is dead center in the Port du Soleil, a vast ski region in the French Alps. The mountains and the village are fantastic! |
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| You must have a tarteflet in France. It is a regional dish that will change your world! | Lynn enjoys an amazing gourmet meal at Le Cret Hotel. |
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| One of hundreds of lifts with Morzine in the background. |