Our guide to summer in Morzine › Mountain biking in Morzine
Mountain biking in Morzine and the Portes du Soleil
Two wheeled adventures are at the heart of the summer here in Morzine, with the region famed among the mountain biking community across the world. With this level of recognition comes continued growth and development, to the benefit of beginners and experienced MTBers alike.
This guide will give you a full run down, whether you’re looking to try mountain biking for the first time or you want to organise a full blown mountain biking holiday in Morzine. Whatever your discipline and whatever your level, we’ve got you covered.
Contents
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Section 1The resorts of the Portes du Soleil
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Section 2Lift opening dates 2026
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Section 3Morzine & the PDS trail maps
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Section 4Enduro, E-MTB & family friendly routes in the PDS
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Section 5What do you need to go mountain biking?
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Section 6Mountain bike guiding, lessons and away days
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Section 7MTB events in Morzine and the Portes du Soleil
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Section 8Mountain bike friendly accommodation in Morzine
Section 1
The resorts of the Portes du Soleil
The Portes du Soleil is the second largest mountain biking area in the world, after Whistler in Canada. It is famous to mountain bikers the world over, has played host to countless MTB world cups, and is the training ground for many professional mountain bike riders. Spanning 5 bike parks, over 650km of trails, and a variety of terrain and features, it doesn’t take long to realise why it has this reputation.
Below, we’ve provided a whistlestop tour of each area, so that you can figure out which areas to put on your list. We’ve also highlighted some good trails to try depending on your level.
Les Gets / Mt Chéry
This is a classic bike park, with sculpted berms and jumps across a variety of terrain. It’s a great area for beginners, with lots of opportunities for progression, including a skills park with progressive drops and jumps.
For the more advanced riders, you have some more technical trails and single tracks, big jump lines, or you can cross the village to the trails on Mt Chéry, which have played host to the UCI downhill world cup for the last several years.
Best trails for beginners:
Piste des écrureils (green trail)
Coaching track (blue trail)
Best trails for advanced:
Canyon (black trail, Les Gets)
Airlines (black jump line, Les Gets)
Dans L'Gaz (black trail, Mt Chéry)
L'Ellipse Line (black jump line, Mt Chéry)
Access to the bike park from Morzine is via the Pléney gondola. It is signposted from the top of the lift. You will need to navigate a few berms before you reach an undulating trail through the forest. This opens out onto a fire road until you join up with the trails in Les Gets.
Check out the Bike Park Les Gets website for more information.
Super Morzine & Avoriaz
The Super Morzine and Avoriaz areas are great for everyone, with a range of trails from green up to black. The trails are based around three chairlifts: Zore, Serrasaux and Proclou. Each chair serves a green, blue and red trail, with the Zore chairlift also serving the black trail.
As a beginner, you can access all three lifts (and return to Super Morzine) using only green runs, which makes the Super Morzine a great place to have a go at biking. There is also a skills park in Avoriaz with progressive drops and an air bag.
For more of a challenge, with more technical trails, you can head over to the Lindarets area, which is served by the Prolays lift. The terrain here features a lot more rocks and roots, and the trails are generally steeper.
Best trails for beginners:
Soylent green (Serassaux)
Alpage green (Zore)
Fourmiz green (Proclou)
Best trails for advanced:
Dans le Foret red (Lindarets)
Chile con Carne red jump line (Serrasaux)
Hattock black (Zore)
Coupe de France black (Lindarets)
You can find out more information on the Avoriaz Bike Park website.
Morzine - Le Pléney
An iconic area amongst the biking community and not one that we recommend for beginners. This is a steep, wooded area with technical terrain, descending back down into Morzine town.
Famed for its freeride trails, significant development has gone into the area over the last year to incorporate more of the “illegal” freeride trails into the official network. Thus improving the offering whilst also alleviating conflict between other users of the mountain area.
Best trails for intermediate:
Twisty (blue trail)
Best trails for advanced:
Pléney Mainline (black trail)
Woodride (black trail)
Legal 1.0 (black trail)
Legal 2.0 (black trail)
Top tip - freeride is not permitted outside the yellow tapes, so don’t cross these boundaries.
Have a look at the Bike Park Morzine website to find out more information.
Châtel
Bike park trails but turned up a notch. This is an intermediate to advanced bike park, with steeper trails, more challenging berms, rougher terrain and a variety of features including, jumps, drops, northshore and some technical sections. It’s great fun but generally the trails ride a level higher than they are graded e.g. a green is like a blue, a blue like a red etc.
If you’re coming from Morzine, you also need to bear in mind that it is quite a big ride there and back, so you’ll need some strength left in your arms to get back at the end of the day. Access to Châtel from Morzine is via the Super Morzine lift. Then make your way through Avoriaz into Lindarets and up the Chaux Fleurie lift from there.
Best trails for beginners / intermediate:
Le Panoramic (blue trail)
Best trails for advanced:
Any of the trails!
Champéry / Les Crosets / Morgins
The Swiss resorts of Champéry, Les Crosets and Morgins make up the fifth and final area in the Portes du Soleil. The trails you’ll find here are some of the most challenging in the area and are not the place for beginners. Generally all the trails are of a red / black level and are on rougher, steeper terrain.
Les Crosets and Champéry are accessed via the Mossettes chairlift, followed by an exposed red run which takes you into Les Crosets (Grande Conche - also known as the Swiss National).
Champéry, home to the infamous Coupe du Monde track, is only accessible to riders comfortable on steep and technical trails. We needn’t say anymore.
Morgins in particular is a very long way from Morzine, and you should factor in at least 90 minutes each way to access this resort. Alternatively, it is about an hour’s drive to Morgins in a car or check out Section 6 for more information on shuttles from Morzine.
Top tip - the Champéry gondola leaves every 30 minutes in the summer, so make sure you factor this in when planning your return journey.
To discover more about Bike Park Champéry - Les Croset - Morgins head to their website.
Section 2
Morzine & Portes du Soleil mountain bike lift opening dates
Each bike park has its own opening dates, but generally the lifts run full time between mid-June and mid-September, with early weekend openings in the Les Gets and Morzine - Le Pléney bike parks. Late night lifts also run on certain days on the Pléney and Super Morzine. You can find out the specific opening dates for each resort below:
Section 3
Morzine and the Portes du Soleil MTB trail maps
Each bike park has its own features and trail map and sometimes they can be a bit confusing to understand, so we’ve provided a breakdown below to help you navigate and stay safe whilst on the mountain.
You can access each bike park’s trail map in the section below. Or you can pick up a physical copy at the lift office.
Grading of MTB Trails
First and foremost, you need to know how the trails are graded. The same colour system is used on all the trail types, from downhill to e-mtb. It is important to note that the grading of trails is not an exact science and different trails have different features that put them at that difficulty level. When you first try a new trail, it is essential that you take your time and look at the features before trying them.
Green = Easy - small, rollable jumps, flat, small gradient runs, small berms, generally smoother terrain
Blue = Moderately difficult - larger table top jumps (rollable), steeper gradient and larger, more challenging berms, some technical features like rooty sections.
Red = Difficult - gap jumps (sometimes rollable), large drops, steeper gradient, more technical terrain
Black = Very difficult - unrollable gap jumps, drops, steep terrain and technical features like rock gardens, roots etc
Black and yellow = Elite - like black runs but even harder
Flow vs. Tech
On the Avoriaz trail map, you will see that the trails have been split into either ‘flow’ or ‘tech.
Flow = smoother, more shaped trails, with berms and jumps.
Tech = less shaped, rougher, more technical surfaces like roots and rocks, and more natural features.
TOP TIP - Be honest with yourself about your ability. Mountain biking can be very dangerous and the grading of trails is not always linear. As such, you need to be confident in your ability and skill set before progressing to the next level.
Pay attention to whether the trail is marked as ‘flow’ or ‘tech’ on the maps:
Adequate insurance, which specifically covers downhill mountain biking, is absolutely necessary when riding in the bike park.
Understanding the trail maps
Once you’ve got an idea for the grading, you can start familiarising yourself with the other points of interest / warnings on the maps.
Each bike park is different, but generally the key points of interest are:
Restaurants on the mountain;
Toilets;
E-bike charging stations;
Lift offices;
Mechanic point (where tools are available for small adjustments and fixes);
Bike wash
Examples of warnings on the maps are:
Where there is a crossing of two trails;
The location of gap jumps (not on every map);
Where the trail is shared with pedestrians;
Where pedestrians are forbidden;
Where MTBs are forbidden;
Protected areas;
Bike Park Les Gets trail map
Bike Park Morzine Le Pléney trail map
Download the Morzine Le Pléney trail map PDF
Bike Park Avoriaz trail map
Bike Park Châtel trail map
Bike Park Champéry - Les Crosets - Morgins trail map
BIKE PATROL NUMBERS
Bike patrol are the first to respond to accidents and help injured bikers safely off the mountain. Save useful emergency and bike patrol numbers in your phone - the relevant numbers can be found on the trail maps and it’s important to note that each bike park has its own bike patrol number.
Section 4
Enduro, E-MTB & beginner friendly routes in the Portes du Soleil
Enduro
If you prefer a mix of ascent and descent, the Portes du Soleil has a number of enduro routes, of varying lengths and difficulties. The trails are indicated with a dashed line and are lettered rather than numbered. You can view the options for Les Gets, Morzine and Avoriaz on their individual trails maps, provided above.
Tops tips for an enduro ride day:
Take snacks and plenty of water.
A downhill mountain bike is not fit for purpose, in most instances you’ll need a full suspension enduro mountain bike or e-MTB.
Double check whether the route makes use of any lifts, and don’t forget your lift pass if they do.
You need to assess both your skill level and fitness level before choosing which routes to do.
Take some time to plan the route against the trail map and ensure you are following the correct direction of the trail.
E-MTB
The Portes du Soleil has 38 e-MTB circuits with 300km of marked trails, with a focus towards enjoyment of both the uphills and downhills. There are also 34 recharging points available free of charge throughout the area. For recommended routes, see the PDS website:
Beginner friendly MTB routes
If you’ve got this far and you're thinking it all sounds a bit too much, fear not, you can still enjoy some fantastic off-road routes which don’t result in your heart beating out of your chest. The routes we’ve provided below are great for beginners and families alike, and you don’t need a fancy bike to make the most of them; a hardtail MTB is more than sufficient.
Les Dérêches
This is a great option if you’re heading out with younger children or you don’t feel like going too far. The trails follow the Dranse, the river which runs through Morzine, and you can opt for a short loop around the Parc des Dérêches or you have the option to go further towards St Jean d’Aulps, Lac de Montriond or l’Erigne (more to follow on that). The trails are generally smooth, wide and flat so it makes for a relaxing ride. It’s also a safe place for children to ride as it is all off-road within the park, and there are some trails off to the side of the main track if they want to mess around on their bikes a bit more.
Vallée de la Manche
If you’re looking to extend your bike ride along the river, you can take the Chemin de Renard (the fox’s path) along the river up Vallée de la Manche. This is a lovely ride with a little more of an incline. The path goes by the Nyon waterfall (great for a cold dip on your way back) and follows the river all the way up to the picturesque hamlet of l’Érigne.
Once you reach l’Érigne, you have the option to continue along the road to Le Lac des Mines d’Or, but be warned, the difficulty increases significantly at this point. From the hamlet the steepness ramps up and you’ll need a good level of fitness (or an e-bike) for this section. The reward is a beautiful fishing lake nestled amongst the mountains, with amazing views down the valley. If the pedal isn’t for you, this area can also be reached by bus or on foot in the summer.
There are several restaurants where you can stop for refreshments en route (essential!), our favourites are:
- Restaurant de la Cascade de Nyon
- La Crapahutte (located between l’Érigne and le Lac des Mines d’Or)
- Ferme Auberge de Fréterolles (this requires some extra pedalling but is highly recommended)
Morzine - Les Gets loop
Starting in Morzine, you’ll take the Pléney lift and begin your ride from the top. This is the only time that you’ll need to use the lift, so a single uplift ticket is all that you need.
From here you follow the signs to Les Gets, and you’ll need to navigate a couple of berms before you reach the forest path, which is a lovely undulating single track which ends above Les Gets (enduro route C on the map). You’ll then follow the fire road down into the bike park and you’ll join onto the blue run ‘La Roue Libre’ for a couple of turns before you get to the skills park. You can either go through the skills park or go out onto the fire road where you join the green trail ‘Piste des Écureuils’, which you will follow down into Les Gets. This is the time to stop for some refreshments (FYI there is an O Chalet in Les Gets as well as Morzine).
To return to Morzine, you’ll be following the enduro route G ‘Morzine par les Mouilles’. This takes in a small portion of road as you depart Les Gets, then you join a well-maintained track with views of Nantaux, and you also pass by the lovely Chapelle Notre Dame de Lourdes des Mouilles. The route is around 15km.
Section 5
What do you need to go mountain biking?
Mountain bike passes
We can arrange discounted* Portes du Soleil MTB passes for our guests, from 3 consecutive days. An example of our prices for summer 2026 are:
6 day Portes du Soleil pass:
Adult: €199 euros (saving of €10 euros)
Child (5-15): €149 euros (saving of €8 euros)
Youth (16-25) / senior (65+): €179 euros (saving of €9 euros)
We also include your hands-free card for free, and your passes will be at your accommodation waiting for you on arrival.
*Compared to in-resort prices
Other options for lift passes, which can be purchased directly with the lift office are:
Under 5’s free pass
5-day non-consecutive pass (great for longer stays)
5hr PDS pass
1 day PDS pass
Mountain bike hire
There are numerous mountain bike hire shops in Morzine and to tell you the truth, the offering is generally pretty similar across them all. Most shops will rent e-bikes, enduro and downhill bikes, and cheaper hardtail options and children’s bikes. They’ll also sell bikes and gear, and if you’re bringing your own bike they’ll have a team of mechanics on hand to help you with repairs.
If you have a specific brand of bike you love and want to ride for the week, have a shop around because a lot of different brands are available in-resort. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, check out our recommendations below.
Operating in Morzine for over 30 years, owner Seb and his team have all the experience needed to help with anything bike related, including hire, repairs, servicing and kit. Their rental fleet is made up of a range of Scott mountain bikes, including the Gambler downhill, Ransom enduro, and three types of Scott e-bike. They also have a selection of children’s mountain bikes in 24 and 26 inch sizes. You can rent an e-bike from €59 euros and an enduro/downhill bike from €89 euros per day. Kid’s bikes start from €39 euros per day.
To book or find out more information you can visit the Caribou Sport website.
FB Freeride
High quality bikes and parts, including Santa Cruz and Hope, make this shop a great option for those looking to really maximise their mountain bike rental. Plus, with 25 years of experience, you’re in safe hands for all your MTB, E-MTB and maintenance needs. Rentals start from €125 euros per day and booking is exclusively in-store or via email.
Visit the website of FB Freeride for more information.
Bike Morzine by Star Ski
With over 10 years of experience in bike rentals and repairs, Bike Morzine by Star Ski is a great option for your holiday bike rental. They have a fleet of bikes to suit all different riders, including a diverse offering for kid’s mountain bikes. Their kids bikes range in size from a 14 inch to a 26 inch, with a full suspension setup from 20 inches. For adults they have the Giant Reign SX downhill, the Kona Process 153 enduro and two types of Bergamont e-bike. All prices include protective equipment (helmet, knee and elbow pads), and back / chest protectors can be rented for an additional fee.
You can view what Bike Morzine by Star Ski have to offer on their website.
Mountain bike gear
Mountain biking, like most of the sports that we love here in the mountains, comes with some requirements in terms of gear. There are some non-negotiables that are an absolute necessity to keep you safe, some other items that are advisable, and some others that you can probably get away with not having.
As with everything, what you need really depends on exactly what you are planning on doing, but we’ve provided the basics below so you know what you need to get started.
First things first, the essentials that are going to keep you safe:
- Helmet - we recommend a full face for when you’re in the bike park. A half face will be sufficient if you’re doing the easier enduro routes and our recommended family friendly routes.
- Knee pads - these are an absolute must in the bike park.
Highly recommended gear that is going to help limit any bumps and bruises:
Elbow pads
Body armour
Grippy soled shoes
Gloves
Useful extras:
A bottle of water (that’ll fit in a bottle cage / bum bag)
A bum bag (for your snacks!)
Top tip - when you rent a bike you’ll also be able to rent all your protective equipment from the bike shop inc. helmet, knee and elbow pads, and body armour.
Section 6
Mountain bike guiding, lessons and away days
MTB lessons and guiding
If you’ve never done mountain biking and need some tips, your child needs a lesson or a group to ride with, or you just want someone to show you the best spots on the mountain, there are some great companies in Morzine that can help with this.
RideAbility
With an experienced group of local instructors / guides, we can personally recommend RideAbility. They offer:
Private half and full day MTB lessons and guiding
RAD Camps
RAD Camp Evo
The RAD Camp and RAD Camp Evo offer 4 days of tuition, with the former specifically catering to 12 to 15 year olds.
If you or one of your children would like to take part in one of the camps, check out our bike friendly accommodation options in Section 8.
For more information about their lessons and guiding, check out the RideAbility website.
Bike Progress
A great option for children's group lessons and private adult lessons. They offer:
Introductory children’s MTB lessons (from 4 years)
Children’s DH lessons (from 4 years)
2 hour private lessons
Half and full day private lessons
Please note, lessons are available in both French and English. The Bike Progress website does not have an English page, but you can contact them directly via email for more details.
Other MTB schools in Morzine:
- Ecole MCF Morzine - based out of Mathias Sports
- MTB Collective - based out of La Clinik
- ESI Morzine - children's MTB lessons
MTB away days
Looking to explore even further afield…you’ve got amazing day trips a short drive away and local transfer companies on hand to take you there.
Skiidy Gonzalez MTB away days
Our transfer partner Skiidy offers day trips to a variety of destinations for you and your bike:
Samoens from €30 euros pp
Bernex from €35 euros pp
Morgins from €40 euros pp
Verbier private bus from €480 euros (1-8 pax) with trailer
Pila: private bus from €560 euros (1-8 pax) with trailer
For more information, check out the Skiidy Gonzalez MTB Away Days webpage.
Atlas Ride Co
Atlas offers day trips to a variety of locations and can point you in the direction for local guides in each resort. Trips are priced between €35 and €60 euros per person (with a maximum of 8 people per bus) and the destinations are:
Samoens
Bernex
Morgins
Chamonix / Les Houches
Les Carroz
La Thuile
Pila
You can find out more information and book on the Atlas Ride Co MTB Day Trips webpage.
Section 7
MTB events in Morzine and the Portes du Soleil
Pass’Portes du Soleil 2027
Pass’Portes du Soleil is a yearly event which marks the full opening of the PDS mountain bike area. It involves a variety of curated, day-long tours in the region. This year it is taking place over the weekend from Friday 25th June through till Sunday 27th June, and Avoriaz is the host station. For summer 2027 there are seven different itineraries to choose from, all for an entry fee of €79 euros (plus a €3 euros booking fee).
There is also an option for kids aged 9 to 14, priced at €39 euros (plus a €3 euro booking fee). They are accompanied by an instructor for the day, and the distance and difficulty is based on their level.
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships 2027
Following on from the unbelievable scenes of the 2026 MTB World Cup in Les Gets, which saw 30,000 spectators descend on the downhill finals, the UCI will be back to the resort in 2027 for the world championships. This was last held here in 2022 and delivered the most electric atmosphere with an entirely French podium for the men’s downhill final.
We are expecting another iconic event, taking place over 13 days between the 26th August and 4th September 2027. The disciplines include:
- Downhill MTB: 26th to 28th August
- X-Country MTB (olympic, shorttrack, relay and E-MTB): 30th August to 4th September
Section 8
Mountain bike friendly accommodation in Morzine
At Pure Morzine we have a great range of properties with secure bike storage and bike wash facilities. We’ve put the spotlight on a selection below, but check out our apartment and chalet pages if you want to see everything that we have available.
Chalet Téléphérique
This is a beautiful chalet with lots of space. It’s location right opposite the Pléney lift is perfect if you want to get in lots of laps of the bike park.
5 en-suite bedrooms
Sleeps 12 people
Terrace with BBQ
Indoor hot tub
Private, secure bike store
Pressure washer
3x parking spaces
For more information, you can view our Chalet Téléphérique webpage.
Apartments Alpage
Brand new as of the winter season 2027; these two chalet style apartments offer a more luxurious mountain biking holiday. Their central location means you can be back from the Super Morzine lift in less than a one minute pedal, and the saunas will help with the post-ride recovery.
6 en-suite bedrooms
Sleeps 12
Large balcony
Private sauna
Private, secure bike store
Pressure washer
4x parking spaces
6 en-suite bedrooms
Sleeps 12
Garden with BBQ
Private sauna
Private, secure bike store
Pressure washer
4x parking spaces
Chalet Plénay
This might be one of our older properties, but it really is one of the best when it comes to mountain biking holidays. You’ve got the trails of the Pléney on your doorstep, all the facilities that you need for your bike, and a really spacious and comfortable chalet to relax in at the end of the day.
4 bedrooms
4 bathrooms
Sleeps 10
Terrace with BBQ
Private, secure bike store
Pressure washer
2x parking spaces
For more information, you can view our Chalet Plénay webpage.
Apartments Télébenne
This apartment building is always a hit with our two-wheeled enthusiast clients. The building occupies an amazing location next to the Super Morzine lift and is a short pedal from the Pléney lift. It also has an underground garage with secure bike storage and a pressure washer.
We've put the spotlight on Télébenne 1 here, but you can take a look at the links below for more information about the other apartments in the building.
3 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
Sleeps 6
Garden with hot tub and BBQ
Apartments Montana
Located opposite the Bec Jaune Brewery, these four apartments are in the prime position for a convenient post-ride beer. Both lifts are a stones throw away, there are secure options for bike storage and bike wash facilities, and ample indoor and outdoor parking on-site.
Apartments Avoudrues
You have to move fast if you want to book these three apartments. People return year after year because of their location, facilities and affordability. Equipped with secure bike storage, a pressure washer and plenty of outdoor parking, these apartments tick all the boxes for your MTB holiday.
Apartment Rhodos is taking centre stage here, but follow the links below to view Apartments Edelweiss and Gentianes.
2 bedrooms
1 bathroom
Sleeps 5
Balcony
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