Passportes du Soleil Mountain Bike Festival
Every year at the end of June, thousands of mountain bikers descend on Morzine for the Passportes du Soleil mountain bike festival which marks the official summer opening of the lifts and mountain bike area. The main event is an 80 km ride that tours the whole Portes du Soleil bike area taking in both the French and Swiss trails and is a great way to explore the area in all its summer glory.
This year’s event takes place over the weekend of the 28th-30th June 2019 and although 80km seems like a long distance to cover, which of course it is, the route does however utilise 15 bike friendly ski lifts. Although there is most definitely some uphill sections, the focus is on the joy of descending on two wheels with 1000m of climbing rewarded with 6000m of descent.
The Passportes du Soleil riders tackle the route in one day and can choose to start from any one of nine resorts (Morzine of course being the most popular) and there are organised refreshment stops along the route. The route is circular so riders start and finish the day in the same resort making logistics nice and easy.
Why Make Life Hard On Yourself …….. Take An E-Bike
E-Bike’s, or electrically assisted bikes in layman’s terms, are revolutionizing the sport of mountain biking, opening it up to a wider range of people. The bikes have a battery which powers a pedal assist function within the bike which essentially makes struggling up hills a thing of the past. You still have to physically turn the cranks as per normal however the pedal assist takes the strain and you wil pedal uphills as if you are on the flat.
The bike park has a network of e-bike specific trails and there is a special e-bike route for the Passportes du Soleil event which covers even more terrain and uses less lifts, so why not go further,see more and suffer less?!
There is also a kids specific ride which is shorter and the kids are accompanied by guides which takes place on the Saturday and then for those that haven’t had quite enough time in the saddle, there is also a guided night ride with complementary lights from Hope.
There is also a huge exhibition with trade stalls from all the big brands, demonstrations from some of the best riders in the world and demo bikes for riders to test out on the trails.
Passportes du Soleil Pedestre – Walking Tour
If cycling isn’t your thing then you can still take part in the Passportes du Soleil festival by doing the walking tour which allows you to explore the area on foot. The route is different from the bike route and far shorter but it still allows participants to explore the beauty of the area, use the ski lifts to help with the ascents, experience the flora and fauna of the alpine landscape and sample local produce at the organised stops.
Pre-booking for any off the Passportes events is essential and you can book online on the Passportes du Soleil official website
The Passportes du Soleil Festival Is A Great time to Visit Morzine
Although tourists visit Morzine throughout June, the Passportes du Soleil weekend is when the town really comes back to life for the start of the summer season. It’s a great time to visit and there is a real buzz about the town. If your thinking about visiting Morzine this summer then take a look at our exclusive portfolio of luxury Morzine self catered chalets and apartments here