Travel: Fun in the sun at French alpine resort Morzine-Avoriaz

After a thoroughly grey and miserable Scottish summer, I jumped at the chance to get away to France in pursuit of some fun in the sun.

And that’s exactly what I found in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, which directly translates to the Doors of the Sun.

I headed to the Alpine resort of Morzine-Avoriaz to explore the area’s hiking and biking trials, and even experienced canyoning for the first time.

But more on that later.

Avoriaz is located 1,800 metres up in the mountains, making it the perfect playground for those looking for an adventure or two.

The destination is probably best known for its ski slopes during the winter, but there is a lot more on offer during the summer for those looking for other action-packed activities. After landing at Geneva, we took a two-hour minibus transfer straight from the airport to our accommodation for the next three nights, the luxurious Hotel Le Mil8 in Avoriaz.

My spacious fourth-floor double room had it’s own balcony overlooking the town, but I didn’t actually get to see that until the morning due to heavy fog.

After a relaxing night and delicious dinner at the hotel, we met our instructor Yann first thing in the morning and prepared for a full day of mountain biking in the 24 degree heat. Each of us were assigned with an e-bike, similar to a regular bike but equipped with a battery for an extra boost when needed on tougher terrain. To ensure we were protected against any slips or falls, we were given helmets and gloves, along with elbow and knee pads. Once we were familiar with our new gadgets, we set off from the dizzying heights of Avoriaz with the aim of making it down to Morzine.

Personally, I had never used an e-bike before so this experience was completely new to me. However, Yann was a fantastic guide and looked out for us at all times. For me, the best part was coasting down the windy mountain roads with crickets chirping as you whizzed past.

Just be cautious as cars will overtake you along the way. We stopped at the picturesque Lac de Montriond for some quick snaps before pedalling around it to find a spot to stop for some much-needed lunch.

Eventually, we got a table overlooking the lake at L’Auberge du Verdoyant and enjoyed our meal while watching people paddle boarding, canoeing and swimming. After we were done eating, we got right back on our saddles and headed out for the second half of the cycling tour.

Once we made it to Morzine, our legs were grateful for the gondola and ski lift back up to the mountain top. From the ski lift station, we cycled along the familiar route we started our excursion on in the morning before arriving back at the cycle base. But if an all-day cycling adventure isn’t enough for you, why not give AvoKarting a go afterwards? The karts have no pedals, only brakes, designed this way to ensure they can be steered downhill quickly – or carefully – it’s completely up to you.

At full speed, thrill-seeking karters can make it to the bottom of the mountain in just 20 minutes, but beware of the tight turns on the way down.

After freshening up, we changed into our glad rags and headed out to dinner at Restaurant l’Epicerie Avoriaz and tucked in to our very generous portions of pasta.

As the restaurant is perched on the mountain edge, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset as we enjoyed a well-deserved glass of wine.

The next morning brought the most relaxing part of the two-day adventure, a leisurely Alpine hike through the pastures, giving us time to really take in our beautiful surroundings.

We then took a minibus to Morzine for perhaps the most memorable part of the entire trip.

© SYSTEM

We stood in a car park and stripped down to our swimming costumes, before being handed soggy wetsuits and helmets for canyoning. A short drive later and we arrived at the opening of the canyon, or so we thought. We walked through a small door which led to a long and narrow bridge. After being told the basics of canyoning, our guide for the afternoon casually informed us we would have to rappel 40 metres down to begin the route. I won’t lie, the nerves kicked in at that point. But the adrenaline must have taken over as we all bravely stepped over the gap in the bridge and held on to the rope extremely tightly.

As fast flowing freezing cold water pelted down the rocks we had to either walk along, slide down or jump off. It seemed daunting to start with, but once you got the hang of the different techniques needed to tackle each drop, it became rather enjoyable. Who knew I’d become a fan of canyoning?

Once we made it to the end of the canyon, we headed to the final dinner of our stay, this time at Le Grillon in the heart of Morzine. Despite being in France, most of us opted for a pizza which was accompanied by a final glass of wine to toast our unforgettable summer adventure.

P.S. AvoKarting is a fairly new addition to Avoriaz, having only been introduced last year. The descent covers a distance of 3.5km and you may feel your ears pop on the way down due to the 600m difference in altitude. You can also try AvoKarting in the winter – but only those aged 18 years and over will be allowed to ride.

Factfile

Visit en.morzine-avoriaz.com and www.avoriaz.com/en for info. A three-night stay at Hotel Le Mil8 is priced from £234 pp based on two sharing a double room with breakfast included. A private return transfer from Geneva airport to Morzine is priced from £93 pp with Skiidy Gonzales.

Flights to Geneva are available from Edinburgh with easyJet. A private four-hour electric mountain biking tour is priced from £190. AvoKarting costs from €27/£23 pp. Canyoning with bureau des guides is priced from £51pp.