A Guide to skiing in Morzine for beginners

Are you a beginner skier travelling to Morzine for the first time? We hope so because we’ve got everything you need to know for your first ski trip in Morzine. From our recommendations on where to start, the best cruisey blue runs for practising turns and places to stop for a break. And we’ve even created accessible routes for you to follow as a beginner skier in Morzine.

You know you can trust us: We’re a ski school based in the Alps with over 25 years of experience. We know Morzine and the Portes du Soleil ski area like the back of our hand. Let’s get started.

3 quick tips for a first-time skier in Morzine:

1. Take your time buying a lift pass. Many of the beginner areas are free to use. If you’ve booked lessons with a ski school, check with them first to see if you’ll need a pass for your first day. You can always buy a lift pass mid-week when you require it.
2. Book your ski rental beforehand to reduce stress on your first ski trip to Morzine. Use our exclusive discount code ‘NewGeneration’ for up to 50% off SkiSet.
3. Book ski lessons. If you want to get moving on the mountain in a safe environment, then taking a ski lesson is the most efficient way to progress and enjoy your holiday. Find our various group or private lessons, live availability and prices in Morzine here.

Getting started: Your first experience on snow.

Search for “Zones Débutants,” otherwise known as beginner’s areas, on the Morzine piste map, as this is where beginners start. These designated zones are cordoned off from the faster skiers, providing a safe space where beginners can learn and practice without worry.

The four main ski areas beginners need to know about:

1. Pleney
2. Nyon
3. Super Morzine
4. Ardent

These lifts are the telecabines and bubbles that sweep you off the valley floor and into the various beginner-friendly ski areas on the mountain.

1) Pleney Beginner Zone

Pleney’s beginner area is at the top of the Pleney gondola. It offers an expansive flat space, plenty of fun tree-lined blue runs to enjoy and an enclosed rolling carpet lift (known as a magic carpet) with a gentle gradient. Perfect for learning to ski for the first time.

Piste B, C and D are good options and can all be accessed at the top of Pleney, visible on your right, as soon as you get off the gondola.

Once you feel confident turning in the Pleney area, you can progress to the Nabor and Belvedere chairlifts. From Pleney, the Belvedere chairlift leads to the top of a green run.

Nabor: Our favourite blue in Morzine

The Nabor run is a vast yet gentle blue slope starting from the top of Pleney, which provides a more extended route home for beginners. This long cruising piste is perfect for practising new skills and building rhythm.

Pleney is also a good option if the weather is terrible, as the trees provide some visibility, and you can get back into town pretty quickly for a vin chaud if it gets worse.

2) Nyon Magic Carpet

Nyon offers an excellent space for beginners with a magic carpet lift. It has various blue and red runs linking to Pleney and Les Gets. On a clear day, from the top of Pointe de Nyon, you can see Lake Geneva in one direction and Mont Blanc in the other. But be warned, there’s only red runs down from the top of the Pointe.

The most significant advantage of skiing in Nyon beginner zone:

It’s often less crowded than the Pleney side during peak weeks, and for those staying around Nyon, hopping on the Nyon cable car provides swift access to the Birds of Prey cafe if you need a break.

3) Super Morzine

The Super Morzine lift is a fast bubble lift on the opposite side of the valley to Pleney. This lift gains you access to Avoriaz. Avoriaz has some great runs, and it usually boasts better snow as it sits at a higher altitude than Morzine, so it’s well worth a visit.

It takes about 30 minutes to get to Avoriaz, and you can use this itinerary to get there:

Start in Morzine

• First, get on the Super Morzine bubble
• Take the Zore chairlift
• Choose between skiing down cruisey blue or green runs
• Hop on the Proclou chairlift

There is a whole network of blue runs to choose from. Head up to Col de Fornet or Chavanette and take in the view. Ski down to Les Brocheaux or Lindarets and explore the area. Or stay higher, jump on the Lac Intrets chairlift, and make the most of the interconnected blue runs on that side of the mountain.

4) Ardent

Ardent is a bubble lift that takes you directly into another ski area called Linderets. You can ski there via a network of green and blue runs, but you can also get there via bus. It’s on the opposite side of the hill to Pleney.

There are some fantastic blue runs, our favourite being from the top of the Linderets chair, nicknamed Star Wars. This run is an excellent blast through the trees down to the bottom of the Ardent bubble, which will leave you buzzing with adrenaline.

Another bonus of learning to ski near Ardent is the Happy Hours bar at the bottom of the lift. It also has tasty food and gets lively for Aprés drinks if you’re still on the mountain later into the afternoon.

Our favourite blue run in Linderets?

Prolays is an easy, vast blue with a nice gradient, ideal for practising turns, making it a firm favourite amongst our instructors. It’s quite a long run, making you feel like you’re travelling down the mountain, starting in Avoriaz and ending in Linderets.

Are you holidaying with more experienced friends? Share our guide to skiing in Morzine with them to get your group of mixed abilities moving around the mountain from day 1.

Ready to learn to ski in Morzine?

We hope this guide makes you feel more confident as a beginner skiing in Morzine for the first time. If you still need to get lessons sorted, it’s still possible. Head over to our ski lesson booking page, where you can see our live lesson availability and book your lessons online.

If you enjoyed our content, read more about learning to ski here, or share this article with a friend. See you on the slopes.