Although not the most statistically robust of surveys (I haven’t biked anywhere else in the Alps!) I would challenge anyone to find anywhere better than the Portes du Soleil for downhill and cross country mountain biking .
Having completed the 80km Passport de Portes Soleil back in June along with 4,000 other addicted riders I am now back in Morgins on holiday with my bike exploring many of the amazing trials set out for walkers and bikers alike. The passport was just an amazing event to take part in with riders from all over Europe battling their way down single track, fireroads,downhill courses and the occasional road in perfect summer conditions. The event was brilliantly organised with food , drinks, bike mechanics, first aid( should you be unlucky!) and entertainment all for the price of a 40 euro entry fee – that includes your lift pass and a free bag and free one day winter lift pass which is worth at least 25 euros- they just couldn’t stop giving! It open to all levels of rider – you choose how far you want to ride, the lifts take the pain out of many of the climbs and they even have kids event too .(attached video gives you a feel for the event ) https://www.zapiks.fr/share/zapiks.swf?file=39212&lang=fr”></param
Today in Morgins is the “Big Ride” where top amateurs from all over France and Switzerland come to compete on 4 different downhill courses aiming to post the fastest combined time of the day. Each course is very different including a black the through the trees which will only be for the brave following of the wet overnight conditions .
For the slightly more “conservative” rider I can recommend a book written by Cedric Tassan where he has detailed 53 different bike routes ranging from very simple family rides to extreme decents. Every route is meticously mapped out and described with degrees of difficulty clearly explained . I have ridden two this week all away from the main lifts systems which have taken me into the high pasteures only visited by the occasional walker and lots of Alpine cows . The routes can be found on their website www.vtopo.com
I am off to watch the race and plan a ride this afternoon – feel free to e mail me via the website for any more advice or ideas for holidays around the Portes Du Soleil
Written by superadmin • 15/08/2010
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As many chalet or apartment owners will tell you, renting your property and holiday rental management involves more than just advertising and taking bookings. Mountain Plus Holidays has over 10 years of experience in the rental market in Morgins and the wider Portes du Soleil ski region, working with guests from across Europe and beyond. […]
Holidays / Special Offers
It’s a bizarre and difficult year for everyone, but for those lucky enough to be able to come to the mountains the conditions are magnificent. We still have last-minute availability and special offers for the February holidays and magnificent accommodation to discover in Morgins and the Dents du Midi region. Of course, this winter is […]
Holiday / Holidays / Special Offers
After a tough time for all there is some light at the end of the tunnel as Switzerland has announced the opening of borders to most Schengen countries. Whilst it might be a bit early to say we are completely out of the woods, this does mean that we can get back to some of […]
Holidays
Snow is falling across Europe, and it’s time to prepare for the season. The Portes du Soleil are already under a first layer of snow and there’s lots happening in the Morgins area: The legendary mountain restaurant, located at the top of the chairlift, 1814m above Morgins, has been renamed “Là Ô” and will open this […]
Holidays
After a great February with tons of snow followed by glorious sunshine, the seasonaires are having a bit of a breather whilst preparing for a sun and music filled end of season. We can’t let them have all the fun, which is why we’ve got a 10% discount deal on any bookings arriving before 31 […]
1. Book Early Get ahead of the game and lock in your booking early. Many agencies and operators will give you a discount for booking early and adding some certainty to their seasonal revenue. Don’t be afraid to ask! 2. Book Late Last minute bookings, whilst sometimes limited in terms of choice, can uncover some […]
Holidays / New Properties
We are proud to announce that we have added two wonderful new properties to our portfolio this month, in two new resorts, adding even more options for your holidays this winter. L’Eterlou is a 4 bedroom apartment, sleeping 8, in the scenic French mountain village of La Chapelle D’Abondance in the 650km Portes du Soleil […]
Holidays / Snow News
It’s the beginning of November and everyone is starting to get the skis and boards waxed and their jackets out of the cellar. And what better way to start the winter in the Portes du Soleil than an early first snowfall? It has been snowing even down to lake level over the past couple of […]
Holidays / Special Offers
Don’t miss out on our amazing Christmas Special Offer! With less than two months to go until Christmas, we only have a few properties left to book in the beautiful Swiss resort of Morgins in the Portes du Soleil ski area. Luckily for those who haven’t yet got around to booking their trip away, we […]
Cost In an increasingly fast growing holiday rental market, driven by ease of booking through any number of online platforms, times have never been better for the discerning traveler. Comparison sites abound, helping you find the best possible deal out there – and with the amazing savings to be had it is little wonder that […]
General / News
We’ve certainly been busy since the end of the winter, hiding ourselves away and working tirelessly on what we had identified as the next big thing for Mountain Plus – a new website and reservation system. Perhaps we should qualify that a little, as time has been found to pop down to Spain for a […]
As the winter season draws to a close, our minds are already turning to the long summer days here in the Alps. Some of you may be already counting down the days until next season, while others may be thinking that the mountains are best explored in shorts and t-shirts. Whatever the case may be, here’s […]
March has been kind to us here in the Alps – probably to make up for the unpredictable weather earlier in the season. Whatever the reason may be, it has been a couple of weeks of deep powder snow, bright blue skies and après-ski on sunny terraces. Sun tans and tired legs all round after some […]
It has been an interesting season so far – we have gone from excitement in November when the weather turned from a beautiful short-wearing Indian summer into a proper first early winter snowfall in the space of a couple of days. Enquiries for winter holidays took off, everyone in the resorts had a big smile on […]
20% off accommodation and lift passes for all January trips To celebrate the long awaited snowfall we have put together a special January offer for you to be able to make the most of the powder in Morgins in the Portes du Soleil. Any trips during the month of January 2016 will be 20% off the advertised […]
After a long wait, and a bit of worry about how much snow has fallen, the lifts are now finally open. The Mountain Plus team were lucky enough to go and check out how the Portes du Soleil pistes were looking yesterday, and were not disappointed! Starting from Chatel, we made our way over to […]
The program is out for the 6th annual Rock the Pistes Festival in the Portes du Soleil on 13-19 March 2016. Concerts on the slopes, apres-ski in the resorts, and general good times to be by all – and all you need is a lift pass to be part of the fun! Check out the […]
We had an amazing lunch in the sun last week at the wonderful alpage restaurant La Ferrage. The food and wine were delicious but the view ( and of course the company!) was what made this a very special experience. In the warm sunshine we sat in a calm and natural environment eating some local […]
lift news / News
Just in case you had reason to doubt it here is proof that new lift announced to replace the Old Pointe de l’Au lift is becoming, at last a reality. No more snake like queues or long slow rides in the cold – we will soon have a fast four man chair to take us […]
Morgins Life / News
If you haven’t stayed in the beautiful Swiss ski resort of Morgins yet then here are a few reasons why you should 1 Morgins is small,friendly picture post card village where everyone will make you feel welcome. 2 Although we are small, we have direct access to over 650KM of linked skiing across two countries […]
lift news / Morgins Life / News
Great news from Morgins ! The new lift replacing the old Pointe de l’Au 2 man chair in Champoussin was given the green light by the Federal Office for transport this week. Work will start immediately and the new 4 man lift will be ready to open by Christmas this year. This 4.2 million franc […]
Now there’s a brand new way to get to Morgins and the heart of the Swiss Alps.Eurostar and Lyria (the high speed train operator to Switzerland) have teamed up so you can get there in style calling at Aigle, Martigny, Visp and Brig. With a simple change of trains in Lille, you can take to […]
Morgins Events / Morgins Life / News
Well after really long and snowy winter the village has been taking a long earned rest from the frenetic ski season. Almost all the snow has gone from the village and the white peaks look beautiful against the green and flowering meadows. From tomorrow things are about to change. The lift re-opens for mountain-bikers and […]
News / Snow News
I left Morgins this morning by car to ski over in Chatel after fresh snow had fallen over night.People this week had told me how amazing the conditions are at the moment and they weren’t wrong. The temperatures have dropped and we have had snow almost every day this week making the conditions near perfect […]
Winter is back in Morgins with around 10cm of fresh snow falling over night – it should be a fantastic end to the season. Morgins lifts close on Sunday but Chatel and Avoriaz are open until 22nd April.What a season!. Bookings for next year are already coming in for peak weeks – so if you are planning […]
News
This morning I have woken up to one of the best bluebird days I have seen in Morgins and decided to take the day off and go and have some fun in the fresh snow that has fallen over the last 24 hours.The snow here in Morgins is amazing with so much, we will easily […]
Snow News
More snow forecast for Sunday and Monday in Morgins which should freshen up the pistes nicely ! mountain plus
Skied the Corbeau side of Morgins yesterday in temperatures of minus 15 after 24 hours of fresh snowfall on perfectly groomed pistes- probably the best on piste ski conditions I can ever remember.This area is great for cruising with wide empty pistes and an amazing red piste into La Chapelle ending with a great restaurant […]
Mountain-plus have partnered with Fresh Look Consulting to offer a unique team development programme in the mountains. Our bespoke 1 to 3 day programmes are designed around our “pint sized” three hour team training options. We can help teams understand themselves and others better ,improve their overall positivity and productivity or increase their business development and networking skills.This […]
News / Snow News
Snowed on and off all day today – amazing to see kids skiing down the pavements to the lift today.Sun forecast tomorrow could make it an amazing day on the piste
Morgins Life / Snow News
Lashings of new snow here in Morgins-can hear blasting this morning Croset-Champoussin linked closed while the area is made safe – looks like another great week-end in Morgins and
News
The skiing in the PDS is probably the best I have ever experienced. The pistes are packed powder,the skies are blue and the slopes are empty.Today we skied across to France for lunch in one of our favourite restaurants.Les Rhodos, in the goat village of Linderets,has an excellent new menu with a Plat du Jour […]
lift news / Snow News
I had a lovely day out skiing the Swiss side of the Portes de Soleil on Monday with empty pistes and empty restaurants. There is still plenty of off piste but you do need to be very careful. We saw a shocking avalanche covering the piste on our way into Les Croset. The pictures show […]
A complete white out today with heavy snow over the next 24 hours.This means all lifts in Morgins are closed today but the good news is for clearer and sunnier weather after the week-end.
With snow depths already at levels you would expect in Mid February we can already predict a great winter season in Morgins and the Portes du Soleil. For those tied to School holidays Mountain-plus can now offer a range of properties, both catered and self catered, at both budget and premium standards.Full details below:- Chalet […]
Well the good news is that the Swiss franc exchange rate is almost back to where it was last year against both the Euro and the English pound , however the recession continues to make the annual ski holiday something of a luxury; so mountain-plus.com are trying every way possible to make the annual family […]
Snow has fallen again today in Morgins as temperatures begin to drop after a slightly warmer previous two days. 15 out of 20 lifts are open in Morgins and 170 out of 197 are operating in the Portes de Soleil. The Morgins – Champoussin link is open and they are preparing the Champoussin – Croset […]
Morgins Events / Morgins Life
Tonight I was lucky enough to attend the traditional “Advent Calendar” event in Morgins.This is a series of evenings of hospitality provided by local people and businesses who, leading up to the 24 days of Christmas, invite you to their homes,hotels,shops etc for a glass of vin chaud and some great company.Tonight it was Didier Defago’s […]
Snow News
I spoke to Ernest at the M3S ski school today ,who has lived in Morgins all his life ~( which is probably 50 years) and he commented that today’s snow conditions were the best he had ever seen. It has snowed all week and there is still more forecast. There is deep powder everywhere and the pisteurs […]
Arrived back in Morgins last night to around 1-1.5m of snow in the village and who knows how much up top ? . It snowed all yesterday and last night and is forecast to continue on and off all week. I am here to prepare some Chalets for Christmas but in the interests of science, […]
Heavy snow fell this week in Morgins lifting the spirits of all of us there to witness it.Piste bashers were quick to get out and prepare the pistes and the good news is the first lifts will open this Saturday.Chatel will also start opeming lifts this week-end too. 🙂
We have snow at the top of the Foilleuse this morning – rain in the village this week end but heavy snow forecast at village level by Wednesday and getting colder – go to www.mountain-plus.com and click on the link for more info. View weather forecast
We still have some lovely chalets available for Xmas,New Year and Half Term – see below CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FLEXI DATES – arrival date flexible, please call to discuss when you would like to arrive – Up to 26th December Le Chesery Up to 28th December Chalet Chabelle Up to 29th December Chalet Corselis NEW YEAR […]
Took a break from work this afternoon and walked up the Corbeau side of Morgins in the warm afternoon sunshine where I saw the latest chalets being built right next to the Piste des Anglais – don’t look much now but when they are finished these will be amazing chalets with some fantastic views too.
lift news / News
Work has been completed on the latest new lifts in the Portes du Soleil. In Les Crosets there is a high speed 6 seat lift costing CHF13m replacing the old and very slow Grand-Conche chair and drag lift increasing capacity from 1,900 skiers per hour to 3,000.And in Chatel,on the French side,a new 6 seater […]
Morgins Life / News
Mountain plus have signed up a fantastic,3 bedroomed Swiss chalet in the centre of Morgins village,full of authentic charm and character.Available from January including half term.We also have a lovely,privately owned one bedroomed apartment that sleeps 4 available for February half term.
Special Offers
Winter offers for Mountain plus clients Chalets Early Booking 10 % discounts on all off peak bookings Ski Hire 25% off Lessons 10% off lessons If book lessons with M3s 30% discount on ski hire% Beginner Package: (-30%) 6day Adult basic ski and boots hire =122.- skis only 82.-/boots only 40.- 6day Adult snowboard and […]
News
Liz and I have just enjoyed a hectic and warm week-end in Morgins for the Desalpes Festival. All day the local farmers bring their prize cows down the mountain for the winter. Many dressed up with magnificent flower headdresses and children in traditional costume it was lovely time to celebrate the beauty of the mountains. […]
lift news / News
If you have not heard the latest news on lifts for Morgins here is a summary recently issued by Telemorgins.In short the Telemorgins board of directors have become very frustrated by all the delays and further objections to the Morgins part of the global plan for the Portes du Soleil.After the public consultation following the vote to […]
Morgins Events / Morgins Life
Another great day in Morgins – as well as the market in the square with the local stalls,food,bars and live music we had what can only be described as the Festival of Lumberjacks being held on the school field.A series of competitions shaping huge logs into all sorts of shapes,races with chain saws and lots […]
Morgins Life
Fun on the electric bikes yesterday with Sian,Liz,Maddy and Polly. You can have a free 30 min trial every Monday morning – great way to get back in the saddle !
lift news / News
Work has started on a new lift replacing the very old La Grande Conche in Les Crosets. This six man chair will also replace the old drag lift next to it, giving a total uplift capacity in the bowl of over 9,000 skiers per hour. Opening by Christmas, the lift will start lower down and […]
News
Yes sounds like a new Geordie drink doesn’t it – but it is stands for husky dog trekking – the new way to explore the mountains of Morgins.You just slip on the harness , make friends with your new Husky and off you go . I saw the dogs today and they are really friendly and […]
News
Tried out the new pump track at Rolf’s bar today and let’s just say -the safety netting does work thankfully. It is a lot harder than it looks but great fun. If you are here in the summer bring your bike down and have a go or have a drink in the M3s bar and […]
Despite the summer temperatures there is still skiing out here. Morgins is is basking in high 20’s sunshine for the last 3 weeks and Chatel – 15 minutes away still has skiing – amazing! I met for the director of Telemorgins this morning and he said that, subject to getting the authorisation, they hope to […]
It’s that time of year when you can ski in the morning and take a mountain walk,in shorts, amongst the spring flowers in the afternoon. Yesterday I had great day boarding at Pre Le Joux (just 15 minutes drive from Morgins) on empty and perfectly prepared pistes.The link to Avoriaz is now closed but you […]
If you are getting ready for your half term ski trip to Morgins and are wondering what the snow will be like then you will be pleased to hear the conditions are very good. Despite the unusual low snowfall since Christmas, the temperatures have remained low and the lift company have maintained the pistes superbly. […]
Morgins Events / Morgins Life
I saw this clip on u- tube today and was amazed by the skill and bravery of these speed flyers in Wengen. These guys (girls?) really know how to get a physical high and mental high both at the same time. Speed Flying Click on the link above and enjoy !
I have been asked by one of the readers of Morgins Life for an update on the Morgins lifts system. Although nothing is really clear I can share what I have heard around the village if that helps. When I last met with Jacque Nantermod, director of Telemorgins back in October, he showed me the […]
Morgins in the Portes du Soleil has seen the opening of three new businesses this week. Hotel Helvetia is a brand new 28 roomed bed and breakfast with spa and conference facilities only 100 metres from the main lift. This is a huge asset to Morgins offering single night accommodation for families and groups. There […]
Morgins Events / Morgins Life
Morgins village came to life today with 40cm of fresh snow overnight and temperatures plummeting, the locals have arrived for Christmas in the Alps. The conditions should be perfect for the New Years Holiday. Happy Christmas to everyone.
I have been in Morgins nearly a week now and have been lucky enough to have enjoyed two days skiing. One of those was in Verbier, the other in nearby Chatel. I can report that despite some changeable weather in early December the pistes are in very good condition. Although not a deep base, the cold […]
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V15OvwwgYM] Can you believe these outfits and tricks with no protection !
Low temperatures and some steady snowfall has seen an early start to the season across the Alps. In Morgins , Telemorgins has announced that La Foilleuse piste will be open from the 4th December and the resort opens proper from the 18th December. A friend of mine skied down from the top of Rochassons in Chatel […]
With some amazing Autumn weather of clear blue skies and warm temperatures Morgins again has looked its best this week-end for “ La Desalpe” This is when the cattle are brought down from high altitude pastures for the winter, it is a true celebration of the culture and traditional economy in the mountains that existed […]
Morgins Life
It’s just like golf , if you don’t take a lesson every so often you just develop more bad habits . After a nervous start I had a great days riding in Chatel, Avoriaz and Morgins today . Led by our guide Rolf Sigg from Snowline and Andre ,a rally cross test driver from Monaco […]
Although not the most statistically robust of surveys (I haven’t biked anywhere else in the Alps!) I would challenge anyone to find anywhere better than the Portes du Soleil for downhill and cross country mountain biking . Having completed the 80km Passport de Portes Soleil back in June along with 4,000 other addicted riders I […]
Easter 2009 Well I can only go from personal experience but for the last 5 years at least ,I have skied well into April on my annual Easter ski trip with my family and have yet to experience poor snow. In fact I can honestly say every year so far has got better. Last year […]
Thanks to one of the Morgin Life blog followers (Thank-you Peter) we now have a map outlining all the proposed changes and upgrades to the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil over the next 15 years – lets hope we all live long enough to enjoy it ! ( CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO […]
Morgins Life / News
In an historic meeting held last Monday evening ( 1st March) voters of the four communes Monthey, Troistorrents-Morgins,Val-d’Illiez and Champéry all agreed to support the new “planification” for the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil. The plan is to invest almost a 100 million francs over the next 15 years to significantly improve the […]
Morgins Life / News
I have always loved Morgins but then I’m biased ! But there is something about this village that seems to really charm almost everyone who stays here. Yes, there are some T bars and drag lifts, and the apres ski is not the wildest, but somehow that is what makes it so attractive.You really feel […]
Telemorgins has very quickly honored our new Gold Olympian by re-naming a black run after the hero.Today they were serving vin chaud at the top for anyone wanting to emulate that brilliant victory .
2010 Winter Olympics –Whistler Didier Defago , born and still living in Morgins is the 2010 Downhill Olympic Champion .In an incredibly close contest ,Defago skied the race of his life to take gold, beating one of the favourites, Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway, by just 0.07 seconds.There was nothing between them at the top […]
Just had a text from Rolf Sigg , owner of Snowline ski hire shop in Morgins – ” just back from skiing it’s absolutely fantastic,we have 40cm’s of fresh powder and -17 degrees “ Looks like some vintage skiing over the next few weeks – enjoy and be safe everyone !
Just in case you didn’t know the chairlift La Pointe de l’Au is working again and has resestablished the connection between Champoussin and Les Crosets. This is great news just before the approaching half term week. There is fantastic snow cover at the moment with everyting open and more snowfalls forecast over the next 7 days.
One of our guests staying at Chalet Sam Suphy has sent us this snow report from Morgins yesterday – looks like a lot of snow has fallen with more to come ! Conditions here in Morgins are very good. There have been regular light snowfalls over the last few days, and overnight it has snowed […]
La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc is the world’s most technical dog sled race and again this year the magnificent sight of these incredible huskie dogs graced Morgins this January. Our guests at Chalet Sam Suphy were lucky enough to watch the dog teams race past their front door in near perfect conditions. They commented […]
Morgins Life / News
Rolf Sigg Today, my 5th day in Morgins has been one of my most memorable. Setting off from the Foilleuse lift with Rolf my guide from the Morgins Ski and Snowboard School, I was wondering what was the plan for the day.When I asked how long we would be out, he just said “for as […]
On Tuesday I bought a half day lift ticket and took the Corbeau lift out of Morgins in bright sunshine and immediately made for the highest point in Super-Chatel ,the Morclan. From there I took off my skis and walked up for about ten minutes through fresh snow to the weather station and viewing point. […]
News / Snow News
Today I skied Morgins on perfectly prepared pistes in bright sunshine and sub zero temperatures keeping the snow powdery and helping to flatter my skiing somewhat! As we raced down long white trails of fresh corduroy snow with no one around I remembered why Morgins is such a lovely place to visit .After a difficult […]
News
Good news for everyone who had stopped going to the T Bar because of the smog – Valais is now smoke free! Unfortunately, they also banned patio heaters at the same time, but some of the bars offer you a cushion and blanket to take outside!
Morgins Life
Today is Christmas day and the end of a weeks holiday in Morgins .The weather has been a little unpredictable with rain followed by a decent dump of snow . The skiing has been good with packed powder on empty pistes. There have been some great times meeting friends new and old at Morgins’ […]
Committing to a ski trip in the current economic climate is a difficult decision; Switzerland has a reputation for being expensive anyway, so you may be surprised to hear that Switzerland and the Portes du Soleil region offer a great opportunity to ski on a more limited budget. The exchange rate is not quite as […]
Morgins Life
But the real surprise about Morgins is that you are just 25 minutes away from the “Swiss Riviera” on shores of Lake Geneva. There are some lovely small beaches on the lakeside with amazing views of the Alps and Mont Blanc. You can swim in clear water, dive from platforms, enjoy lunches at the many beach bars and picturesque towns such as Montreux
Morgins Life
A selection of events taking place during the season – from children’s events to freestyle competitions. January The Grand Odyssy – A long distance husky sledge race through the Alps will pass through Morgins. February Half Term T Bar free session – freestyle competition – details from Snowline Mid March Fete du Printemps An annual […]
Morgins Life
Snowline is a family owned English speaking business run by Clare and Rolf Sigg, you’re always guaranteed a warm welcome. Rolf Sigg and his English wife Clare, have been providing ski hire, lessons and running an equipment and clothing business in Morgins for 20 years. Not only can Rolf offer lessons in skiing, boarding and […]
Morgins Life
Loads of lovely Christmas events on in Morgins each year, from Carol services to Father Christmas Christmas is a wonderful time in Morgins in the snow with all the chalets decorated and the lights on. Each night in December, a local family or business open their doors for the Giant Advent Calender – everyone welcome […]
Morgins Life
After a recent holiday in Morgins ,Joanna Starkie , a young experienced horse rider from the Channel Islands took a ride into the mountains with the Morgins riding centre – afterwards she wrote about her experience. “Looking down on the chocolate box village of Morgins, the riding stable is in a prime location to take […]
Morgins Life
If your are a regular visitor to Morgins you will know there were 2 lift closures last season, both lifts going up to the Pointe de l’Au, one from Champoussin and one from Les Crosets. This resulted in a bit of a trek to get to Les Crosets via a temporary rope drag lift. The […]
Morgins Life
The Desalpe takes place on Saturday 3rd October, when the cows are welcomed back into the village after a summer spent on the high mountain pastures. With the cows wearing their bells and flowered headdresses, the farmers in traditional costume, and a small market of local produce, it is a truly Swiss day. As always […]
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