The Portes Du Soleil is such a big ski area that most weeks its easy to find quieter pistes and lifts. But in February, Morzine skiing can feel busy pretty much every where you go. But there are a couple of places the locals head to when the going gets tough….
Mont Chery is a wonderfully quiet spur of the Morzine/Les Gets ski area. It tends to be quiet because its not directly linked to the main set of pistes but its really easy to get to on the free hop on little train. The other thing that keep Mont Chery off the lists for some, is that it only has red and black runs. But dont let that put you off, the red pistes are wide and flat so if you are a confident intermediate skiier they dont pose any issue. You rarely see the ski school at Mont Chery so it can feel like the grown ups special place.
Its a fantastic area to spend the day, as well as the plentiful amount of quiet pistes there are two excellent restaurants. La Grande Ourse is on the Les Gets side of the hill, run by a British family, its got a great atmosphere with a roaring fire. Their Sunday lunch is popular with the expats, so much so, you really must book if you want to be ensured a table.
On the back side of the hill is the La Chanterelle, with a relaxed atmosphere and generous portions.
But to top it all, Mont Chery is the very best place to view Mont Blanc. The viewing spot is just next to the Belvedere restaurant and at the start of a gentle walk towards Magy which is perfect for any non skiers in your party.
Another suggestion is Roc D’enfer. Its a 15 minute drive away but still part of the Portes de Soleil area pass. There is a pretty obvious circuit route around the area and there is a lovely plateau at the top of the Turche bubble which is fantastic for young children and beginners.
There are a couple of good restaurants on that plateau. L’Escale Blanche has a large viewing platform of the child friendly plateau is does good food for reasonable prices.
Contact information:
Restaurant La Grande Ourse Tel: +33 6 79 42 58 86 email: reservationslgo@gmail.com
Le Chalet Chanterelle Tel: +33 450 75 7057 info@lechaletchanterelle.com
L’Escale Blanche Tel: +33 4 50 79 62 76