Location and accessibility

Activity and Research 2

2. Location and accessibility

Morzine is located in one of the mountain areas of the French Alps, called the Haute Savoie. Some of the mountains in the area are over 3,000 metres high.

In the last 20 years or so, a number of motorways have been built to and through the mountain areas of the French Alps and so the region is much more accessible than it was in the past.

The A40 motorway is only 30 kilometres from Morzine, so it is possible for visitors to drive to the resort easily without having to drive for a long time through mountain roads. Also every effort is made to keep the roads open in winter, even after heavy snowfall, maintaining good access to the resort.

The nearest airport to Morzine is at Geneva in Switzerland, about an hour and a half away by road. Coaches and minibuses are used to transfer visitors from the airport to the resort. Airports at Lyon, Champery and Grenoble can also be used, but the transfer time is longer.

A number of airlines offer flights to Geneva, including easyJet and British Airways. However, flights to Morzine, and other resorts, are expensive during the main winter sports season, due to the high demand.

Within Morzine a very good system of public transport is provided during the winter sports season. The navette buses are free and can be used by visitors to get from one part of the resort to another. A free tourist train is also provided. Good public transport is available in the summer as well.

The system of ski lifts, telecabins and cable cars is a specialist form of transport used within Morzine and other winter sports destinations. This system takes skiers up the mountain so that they can ski or snowboard down. In the summer months, some of the lifts are opened so that mountain bikers and walkers can be transported up the mountains.

Activity 2

People who want to visit a winter sports destination in Europe can choose to fly or drive a car. (They could also travel by coach or by train). Those who drive either use the Shuttle through the Channel Tunnel or a sea crossing to Calais or another ferry port.

There are lots of factors which will affect a person’s choice of flying or driving to a winter sports resort. Consider the factors below and decide if they are an advantage of driving or flying.

Additional Research

1. Use AA Route planner, Via Michelin or another website to plan the journey from your home town to Morzine. 
2. Compare the route to with other resorts in France, such as Les Arcs or Les Deux Alps.
3. Carry out the same exercise for a resort in Austria, such as Zell am Zee or Schladming.
4. Use the BA or easyJet websites ( www.ba.com ) (www.easyJet.com )  to find out the cost of flights to Geneva and Lyon on a Saturday in February or March.
5. Find out how much a ferry crossing would be from Dover to Calais on the same day.  ( www.seafrance.com )
6. Find out how much airlines charge to carry ski equipment and cabin luggage.