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Ski & snowboard lessons in Morzine and Avoriaz: A definitive guide

I think you'll agree with us when we say: There are a lot of ski schools in Morzine and Avoriaz... and trying to work out which one to book can be confusing.

This guide will help you to decide what you need from your ski lessons, where is the best place to take them, and top tips for booking. And most importantly, we have provided a list of our top recommended ski and snowboard schools so that you can choose the best school for your needs.

Section 1

Tips for booking ski lessons in Morzine and Avoriaz

There are a lot of factors that come into play when deciding which ski / snowboard school you want to book with, so before you even think about choosing, we recommend asking yourself the following questions:

Who needs lessons and what is their level of skiing / snowboarding?
Private vs. group lessons?
How many lessons do you want?

Who needs lessons and what is their level of skiing / snowboarding?

Have you ever skied before and if you have, how many times? Was this in a mountain environment or at the snow dome?
What colour pistes were you doing (green / blue / red / black / off-piste) and how comfortable were you on them?
Can you parallel ski and do a controlled stop on a variety of slopes?
Are you comfortable getting on and off chair lifts?

As well as asking yourself these questions, when you are booking your lessons we highly recommend discussing your level with the school, to ensure that you end up doing the correct lessons for your ability (particularly if you are joining group ski lessons).

Private vs. group lessons

Private lessons are a great way to get tuition focused on your individual needs. They mean the instructor is solely focused on you, your needs and your goals, which allows for faster progression and most importantly, more skiing!

Private group lessons (i.e. a private lesson for a small group of friends or family members of a similar level) are a good option to bring the cost down, whilst still benefitting from more focused tuition. However, as much as you want to be with your friends, be careful not to mix abilities within one group, as this will limit the benefits of the lesson.

Group lessons are a cheaper option for individuals or mixed ability groups. Different ski schools offer different options and group sizes, so you can still tailor your experience to suit you. It’s also a great way to meet other skiers at your level and make new friends while you learn.

For most people it comes down to cost and availability, so we recommend getting in touch with ski schools early so you have plenty of options to choose from.

How many lessons would you like?

Every day
Full day vs. half day
Morning or afternoon (morning ski lessons are the most popular and tend to get booked up the furthest in advance.)

When deciding on this, some good things to consider are:

Your fitness levels
How much time you want to spend with the rest of your group (if you are not in lessons together). Will you be meeting for lunch or reconvening at the end of the day?
How much money you want to spend
How comfortable you are skiing without an instructor
If you’re having private or group lessons - most private lessons last two to three hours as tuition is much more focused, and there’s less waiting compared to a group lessons

Top tip - Now you’re almost ready to book your ski lessons! Most ski schools have the option to book online, but if there’s something you’re unsure of, don’t hesitate to contact them to ask.

A ski instructor’s primary responsibility is to keep you safe in a mountain environment, so it’s always helpful for them to have some knowledge of your concerns or questions before your lessons start.

Section 2

Where should I have my ski lessons: Morzine vs. Avoriaz?

The Morzine-Les Gets ski area is a great location for children’s and beginners’ lessons. Ski schools generally meet at the top of the Pléney Télécabine, which is easily accessible for those who have never skied before, or for non-skiers dropping off kids.

There is a learners’ slope just above the ski school meeting point serviced by a magic carpet. Once you have conquered this, there is a lovely range of wide, tree-lined pistes across the connected Pléney and Les Gets ski areas.

Avoriaz is the gateway to the majority of the Portes du Soleil ski area, which means hundreds of kilometres of pistes and a variety of terrain.

If you are an intermediate or advanced skier, we would recommend booking your ski lessons from here as you have a larger range of pistes, as well as more consistent off-piste options.

Avoriaz has great options for beginners as well, but if you’re staying in Morzine it can be more complicated and time consuming to access.

When deciding which area to book your lessons, particularly if you have a variety of abilities and ages, it is important to consider things like whether you would like to ski together as a group, meeting up for lunch or après, or who will be dropping off / picking up the children from ski school.

If any of these are a point of consideration for you, we would recommend basing your ski lessons from the area that you will be spending most of your time i.e. if you are an advanced skier but your child is in ski school 5 mornings a week, you might consider booking them in Avoriaz so that you can profit from the wider ski area in the morning before collecting them for lunch.

Don't forget, you'll need a lift pass covering the area that you will be skiing. If you're unsure of what you need, ask your ski school.

When are you coming?

The ski slopes in Avoriaz are higher than those in Morzine-Les Gets and therefore the snow conditions are generally better during the late season. If you're visiting Morzine in the spring you might want to consider booking your ski lessons in Avoriaz for this reason.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE - Throughout the season, in the event that you have booked your lessons in Morzine but there isn’t sufficient snow, your instructors will relocate your lessons to Avoriaz.

TOP TIP - Getting to Avoriaz for your lessons

We get asked this question a lot, and it is an important consideration if you are booking morning ski lessons. Most ski schools start from the Avoriaz Plateau at either 9am or 9.15am, meaning you have to plan carefully to arrive on time. We have made a step by step breakdown so that you don’t miss out on any valuable time:

If you have a lesson at the Plateau at 9am

While you can access the Avoriaz ski area from the Super Morzine Télécabine in the centre of Morzine, it opens at 08.45am, which will not give you enough time to get to the centre of Avoriaz by 9am, or even 09.15. As this route involves taking two chairlifts and some skiing it’s also not advisable for first-time or beginner skiers.

To reach your lesson in time for a 9am start you will need to go via the Prodains lift, which will involve catching the A bus from Morzine. The first buses leave the Pléney bus stop at 8.00, 8.15 & 8.30, after which they depart every 7 minutes.

The A bus will drop you outside the Prodains Express, which opens for skiers at 08.45 and pedestrians at 07.00 but skiers using the lift before this time to go to ski lessons will be permitted.

At the top you have the option to take one of two lifts to the reach the plateau:

TSG Plateau

Opens 08.45

No skiing required (except to dismount from the lift)
Skier and pedestrian access permitted (ideal for dropping off kids!)
Arrives directly on the plateau

TSG Tour

Opens 08.45

Skiing required (you will need to be able to ski blue runs and confidently turn and stop)

Skier access only (no pedestrian access)
Arrives above the plateau, with some skiing required to reach the plateau.

Important reminder - if you are coming in the school holidays, make sure that you leave plenty of time in case of queues.

Section 3

Kid's ski lessons in Morzine and Avoriaz

Depending on the ages and abilities of your children, there are different options ranging from Club Piou Piou (a ski-based creche) all the way up to more advanced ski school lessons. In this section you can find out more information about the different offerings and we will provide our recommendations for our favourite kid’s ski schools in Morzine and Avoriaz.

Club Piou Piou and early years lessons

Run by ESF and located at the foot of the Pléney slopes (opposite the ESF Morzine office), Club Piou Piou is an early years creche and ski school for ages 3-5 years. The aim is to give children their first taste of skiing in a fun and safe environment, with qualified ESF instructors and supervisors. Bookings are for 6 days and run from Sunday to Friday, and you can choose morning, afternoon or full-day lessons.

Kids' ski lessons

From ages 5-6 years (ski school dependent), your child can join group ski school lessons for the week. We can recommend:

ESF Morzine - meeting point at either the ESF office, Club Piou Piou or the Pléney lift. ESF offers affordable group lessons with flexible options (morning, afternoon or full-day). Group sizes can be larger than other schools. For lessons in Avoriaz, contact ESF Avoriaz.

Supreme Ski School - meeting point at the top of the Pléney lift at 9h. Lessons are offered in the mornings, six days a week. Group sizes are smaller, with a maximum of 5 children per group. They can also offer lessons in Avoriaz.

Avoriaz Alpine Ski School - meeting point at the Plateau in Avoriaz at 9h15. They offer five mornings of ski lessons for children from the age of six who have already done some skiing (they recommend around one week of experience). These lessons are only offered during the school holidays.

Section 4

The best ski schools in Morzine and Avoriaz

ESF Morzine / Avoriaz

ESF Morzine and ESF Avoriaz have highly qualified (the French ski instructor qualification is the international benchmark), multilingual and local instructors, meaning the level of tuition is exceptional. Plus, with over 360 ski and snowboard instructors in the resort, there are more options for lessons, so that you can find a time that suits you best. They are also one of the best value options on our list.

Supreme Ski School

Supreme Ski School offers good-value, small group and private lessons for both children and adults in Morzine and Avoriaz. Private lessons are offered for up to 8 people for either a half day (morning or afternoon) or a full day. Adult group lessons are between 4 and 6 people and run from either Sunday or Monday until Friday. They also offer private snowboard instruction.

Morzine Avoriaz Ski School

The Morzine Avoriaz Ski School is about as local as it gets, comprising three instructors all from Morzine. Not only does this mean that you benefit from a wealth of local knowledge, with over 20 years of teaching experience each, you will be learning from the very best. They offer private child and adult ski lessons, as well as guided off-piste and ski touring. Lessons are available in French and English.

Avoriaz Alpine Ski School

Avoriaz Alpine Ski School is a small ski school based at the plateau in Avoriaz. They only offer children’s ski school lessons in the school holidays, meaning the rest of the time is dedicated to private group and individual lessons. This small but mighty team of international instructors has a wealth of experience, from teaching beginners to leading ski touring days and avalanche safety courses.

Mark McKellar

Mark McKellar can usually be found teaching with Avoriaz Alpine Ski School, but he also offers private individual and group lessons independently. For those looking to learn the basics in a safe and confidence-inspiring environment, look no further. He is also brilliant for those looking to improve their technique, practice on more difficult terrain, or even to have as a guide for an off-piste day.

Evolution 2

Evolution 2 Morzine and Evolution 2 Avoriaz have a diverse offering, so in addition to your usual ski lessons, they can offer lessons in freestyle and off-piste skiing, as well as guided touring days, cross country skiing and speed riding. They offer lessons in both French and English.

Section 5

The best snowboard schools in Morzine and Avoriaz

Legend Snowboard School

Legend Snowboard School is an independent snowboarding school offering private and group lessons in either Morzine or Avoriaz. They offer private and small group lessons (3-5 people) and specialist lessons including freestyle and freeride lessons. Kids are catered to from 3 years old, with lessons tailored to their individual ages and needs. Valerio is both the owner and instructor, and with just one other experienced instructor, you can expect a very personal service.

REAL Snowboarding

REAL Snowboarding offers private and group lessons for all abilities in both Morzine and Avoriaz. Group lessons are for between 4 and 6 people and take place Monday to Thursday/Friday. They also offer off-piste guided days and come well recommended for freestyle lessons.

Avoriaz Snowboard School

Avoriaz Snowboard School offers good value private and small group lessons in Avoriaz. Group lessons take place between Monday and Friday, with a minimum of 3 participants and a maximum of 5-7 (depending on the level). Private children’s lessons are offered exclusively between the ages of 2 and 5, and from 5 children can also join small group sessions.

Section 6

Advanced, off-piste and freestyle ski and snowboard lessons

Once you can ski to a decent level it would be fair to opt for days spent cruising around the mountain, making the most of the different pistes and stunning views. However, for those who need a bit more of a challenge, this is the section for you. Here we will be talking all things advanced, from technical lessons to off-piste and freestyle.

Advanced lessons

For those who have reached an intermediate/advanced level of skiing / snowboarding, you may be looking to improve particular skills. For this, we would highly recommend a private individual or group lesson where you can specify what you’d like to work on. Some examples are: carving technique, moguls, steeps and off-piste.

Our recommendations for advanced, private lessons are:

Off-piste guiding

If you already have the skills needed to safely manage off-piste terrain, the next option to maximise your holiday could be a guided off-piste day, whether it be in-resort or further afield with touring skis or even heli-skiing. Think fresh tracks, varied terrain, and peace and quiet off the beaten track.

Our recommendations for guides:

Morzine Avoriaz Ski School
Avoriaz Alpine Ski School
Mark Mckellar
Evolution 2 Avoriaz
Legend Snowboarding (off-piste guiding)
REAL Snowboarding (off-piste guiding)
Mint Snowboarding (off-piste guiding and splitboard guiding)

Heliskiing is not permitted in France, but it is possible to arrange excursions into Switzerland and Italy. You can organise this with the Morzine Avoriaz Bureau de Guides.

Top tip - Safety is key when going off-piste, so make sure to check with your guide what extra safety equipment you need in advance of your holiday. Some schools provide the equipment (transceiver, probe and shovel) whilst others require you to bring your own.

Freestyle lessons

If skiing in one direction with your skis planted firmly on the ground isn't enough for you, freestyle could be the answer. Les Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz in particular) has lots of snowparks, catering to all levels, so it’s a really great place to learn.

Our recommendations for freestyle ski lessons:

One last top tip… snowsports can be dangerous, so whether you’re picking up a pair of skis for the first time, learning to ride switch, or skiing off the side of a mountain into fresh powder, you must have the correct insurance with appropriate cover for your planned activities. And remember, not all insurance is made equal, so make sure you check what’s covered!

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