Want to hear about our ski trip to Morzine in March 2022? In short it was brilliant. You can stop reading now unless you want to hear about my luggage disaster, the drinks downed, the fab restaurants discovered and the dramas of playing games with your family!
Where better to choose for our first ski trip in two years than to the spot we last went to way back in March 2019. You'll remember this as a time when Covid was just starting to wreak its havoc on the world. We naively looked at Italy which was going into full lockdown and didn't know what was going to hit us all in just a week or two. A Ski trip to Morzine was just what was needed for a busy family who live and work all over the world!
Winter 2020 was a bit of a blank canvas where skiing was concerned, in Europe anyhow. Some resorts in the US and in Canada remained open to those who lived nearby. But we had not skied in so long, like most of you and we were desperate to get back on the ski slopes and have a wonderful ski trip. One downside to running a ski wear business is that it is not always easy to get away during the ski season and so I chose a quiet(ish) week for us to get away and have a real break. So read on to hear all about our ski trip to Morzine in March 2022.
Where we stayed
Our experience in Morzine in March 2019 had been so lovely that we decided to rent the same beautiful chalet. Looking back I can safely say our ski trip to Morzine in March 2022 was a wonderful holiday. As we were a group of 6 adults we decided to go for the self catering option. We knew we would eat in for some evenings and take it in turns to cook and for other evenings we would head out to Morzine and beyond. The Cote d'Arbroz is an aesthetically pleasing chalet that's newly built using the same footprint of an old barn. The chalet looks out over the valley and towards Mont Chery. The owners are charm personified. They're British and live in Morzine year round and so have amazing recommendations of restaurants and ski routes as well as other activities. The chalet is their labour of love and they have continued to develop the site with a beautiful and very intimate mazot for just two people. We have yet to try some of the winter walks mentioned....shame, we will have to come back!
The arrangement of the chalet with its multiple bathrooms and spacious bedrooms plus covered sunlit terrace suited our group very well. There is enough space to be quiet as well as being cozy enough to be all together. Several terraces offer lovely sunspots and a garden with petanque set up was a real bonus. Daily games were played as the snow had melted in the late winter sun down in the valley. It was a perfect base for our ski trip to Morzine in March 2022.
What we wore
Unfortunately I am that person whose baggage went missing at the airport so I didn't have my normal couple of ski outfits to wear. Luckily I had with me a ski jacket, ski pants and helmet plus gorgeous base layers so I was ok. I'm only being vain in wanting to show off more of the lovely ski wear that I sell in Winternational. I mean it is an excellent opportunity, but vain or an entrepreneur, you be the judge! What also was in the suitcase that didn't arrive were the international adaptors as well as medicines, plasters and the like. But if the suitcase had arrived you would have seen me wearing this beautiful ski suit as also worn by Holly Willoughby on her recent tv show with Wim Hof. I'm not bitter honest!
Ski Trip to Morzine March 2022
Ski Trip to Morzine March 2022
Ski Trip to Morzine March 2022
Ski Trip to Morzine March 2022
But what I did wear this March was my favourite black ski jacket Hida by Goldbergh which I teamed with Fusalp's state of the art Schoeller ski pants. They're called Elancia and are four way stretch and warm despite being very slim and lightweight. I also wore this lovely ski helmet appropriately called Glam. Katie wore her beloved Soldis ski jacket, Goldbergh's bestselling ski pant Pippa and her Salice goggles. Plus we both wore heated ski mittens. These wonderful devices have small rechargeable battery packs in them. They slowly release warmth all day long and we swear by them as two people who suffer from cold fingers.
What we did on our ski trip
No prizes for guessing this...we skied! Our favourite runs were those that scored early sunshine so that we could enjoy the peace and quiet before others reached them. But the resort is large enough to allow all visitors to spread out and enjoy the stunning slopes. There is 650km of skiable terrain. I guess it is most suited to intermediate skiers although Morzine does boast the one of the steepest runs in Europe. Sorry to disappoint but I didnt do it! But if you are interested its called the Swiss Wall...and please let me know how you get on, you brave person you! Photographic evidence will be required (!) and if you like you will be featured in an article called "Brave and Beautiful!"
One of our favourite runs was probably Arbis. It is a long and winding red with enough bumps and turns to keep you on your toes. Starting off steep and narrow it soon widens out to offer enough space for carving. Choucas should also have a mention as well as Aigle Rouge over in the Nyon area. The ski out we used too is lovely, threading through the trees and with dappled sunlight creating shadows at every turn. One of our group is a snowboarder too and he was happy with the slopes in the Portes du Soleil area.
The snow was icy in parts, certainly in the mornings. Probably the snow coverage was not as good as previous years but as we all know, each season is different in the mountains. I have skied in Italy in January in baking sunshine and in Austria in March in full white outs for a week! March 2022 was warm and sunny and fresh in the mornings. Beats being in the office for sure.
Cheeky après stops!
No ski trip is complete without a few cheeky après drinks. And certainly not our ski trip to Morzine in March 2022. This ski resort is wonderful place for an après or two, even if you have the little ones in tow. My little ones are no longer little and so we were able to party for a while before heading home for a bit of r and r. Our top tips would have to include the lovely and lively Bec Jaune as they produce their own beers as well as offering a wide selection from other local suppliers. My family are very keen on their craft beers so this bar suited them. Me I am more of a hot choc girl...guilty pleasures. By the way, if you are a scotch egg fan then this is the place for you but if you have a sweet tooth (like moi!) their hot chocolate is supposed to be the best in Morzine. I can honestly say it was right up there amongst the many I sampled. I'd return to Bec Jaune for that alone. Hey I'm a poet and I didnt even know it.
The Coup de Coeur with its views of both Pleney and Nyon is a great spot to watch the torchlight ski school descent on a Thursday evening plus it has a collection of wines local to Morzine and the surrounding areas. One other top mention is the swanky wine bar in the Chaudanne. They have a great cellar and it is a pretty special spot. The setting is beautiful luxurious stone lined bar underground. Tempted you yet? It is well worth a visit as far as I am concerned as I'm all about a bit of luxury and tranquility amongst the hustle and bustle of a ski holiday. It is cosy and beautifully lit and each table is individually styled and inset with glass packed with corks. If you are a wine buff you will be pleased to note there are 350 wines to choose from. Some might prefer to visit this bar after having showered and dressed up post ski. You could always pop in here for a delicious pre-supper or aperitif and afterwards visit the wonderful Chaudanne restaurant above which is a Morzine institution.
Where we ate (and ate!)
There are a lot of restaurants both on and off the slopes in Morzine. You'll be spoilt for choice. I should make it clear that our holiday in Morzine involved eating a lot of cheese. Cheese in many forms. Fondue, raclette, paninis and pizza! You name it...we ate it. We aren't so fussed about our lunchtime stops as we are always happy to be skiing. So if we find anywhere with a table in the sun, we are happy. So our lunchtimes on this ski trip Morzine in March 2022 involved finding wonderful sun traps where we could sit back in the sunshine, eat filling food and play a game or two of Uno - it is a holiday after all!
We focused on finding nice places to eat out in the evenings for our family ski trip to Morzine in March 2022. On our second night we went to a cute little place called Flamme. With cowhide rugs and chair coverings and cool artwork and lighting, this place was modern and fun. We sat in a semi outdoor area with fab heaters and enjoyed burgers and pizzas. It was funky and fun ad we probably made a bit too much noise. There were lots of stories of heroics and acrobatics from our day on the mountains to share.
One night we ventured to one of our favourite restaurants! It is a tiny family run place called Chalet d'Alpage and is nestled deep in the mountains. For most of the winter this restaurant is not accessible by road and you have to take a long stroll on an occasionally haphazard path through the woods to reach it.
We all put on our walking boots and set off from the Col de l'Encrenaz car park which is quite near our chalet. I was lucky enough to be wearing my wonderful Olang boots which are simply the warmest and most comfy boots I have ever had the pleasure of owning. The moonlight was striking. Shadows played on the trees and icy snow on the path. There was less snow than on our previous trip here in 2019, but the walk was no less fun. When we arrived at the restaurant, owners Michel and Robin and their new dog were there to great us. We had pre-ordered our food - it is that kind of place! The evening we visited we were their only guests although the next night they were fully booked. We were spoiled with delicious cheese fondue, green salad and cheese beignets followed by a crisp light tarte aux pommes and ice cream or fruit compote. As always digestifs were generously poured and we then pretty much poured ourselves out of the restaurant to head back on the path to wend our way back to the chalet.
On our last night we visited the lovely Etale restaurant. It was busy so I would strongly recommend booking. Everyone was cheerful and there was a great atmosphere. Most of us opted for the reblochon raclette and it was generous, authentic and hearty and served with a platter of gherkins, cold meats and chutneys. We were sat downstairs in the cellar where the walls are unfinished making you feel as if you are in a cave. My tip...the heat from the raclettes was intense - don't wear too many layers.
Eating in and games
To make the most of our ski trip to Morzine in 2022 and our beautiful cosy chalet, we decided to eat in some evenings. We take it in turns to cook in a Come Dine with Me style. There's a great supermarket in Taninges on the way to Morzine and we stopped there to pick up some delicious ingredients. We were all menu planning as we wandered around. It was not the quickest visit to a supermarket ever! The supermarkets in Morzine are also well stocked so if you don't do this, dining in would not be a problem.
Our home cooked meals ranged from chicken wrapped in proscuitto to a reblochon baked in bread but the piece de resistance was a spicy nduja risotto with a wonderful salad. One of my sons did a ski season a few years ago and has learned a lot of the tricks to baking at altitude. He treated us to an amazing yoghurt lemon drizzle cake.
We tend to play a lot of games on holiday. Uno, Get the McGuffin and Code Names are the usual suspects. But this time we also experimented with Uno Reverse and honestly it brought family discussions (!) to a new level. We are all still friends....just!
If you want to know any more about our Ski Trip to Morzine in March 2022 just drop me a line at lookgood@winternational.co.uk and I will try to help. Otherwise I can suggest contacting The Chalet Edit for amazing chalets and advice. Their small team are the best and they know much more than I do! You can also go directly to our wonderful hosts at Chalet d'Arbroz who we found on Airb'n'b. But if you go and I hope you do, have a wonderful time. It is a great place and there are lots of hidden delights. Who knows...might see you there!
Happy skiing folks,
