Morzine: An Adventure Playground!
“Skiing is the absolute WORST. I feel like a drunken octopus, on rollerskates!”
It’s Day 1 of my ski holiday in Morzine and things are off to a clumsy start. I’ve never been skiing before but I’m here for a week with my friend Tamsyn, who incidentally has been skiing since she was about 4 years old.
As per usual, I was operating under a “dive in with lots of enthusiasm now, figure out the details later” mentality.
Morzine itself is nestled in the heart of the French Alps and Chilly Powder, the incredible chalet where we’re lucky enough to be staying for the week, is perfectly placed a short walk away from the express cable car that takes you up to the resort of Avoriaz. You can actually also ski directly back to the chalet via the blue “home run” that links to the garden!
Our skis had been delivered directly to the chalet via Doorstep Skis by breakfast time on the first morning, so the idea was that Tam and I would head out for a taster session, allowing me to get familiarised with skiing before my official lessons started the next day. Despite embodying the very definition of “all the gear and no idea”, being so close to the mountains, I couldn’t resist taking a peak! Overexcited and completely intoxicated by the stunning surroundings, I was sure I’d pick things up quickly; with enough enthusiasm and an expert skier by my side — how hard could it be ?
Turns out, surprisingly hard.
After giving myself a pep talk to get on my first ever ski lift, I was boldly zooming off down my first slope. It was only then — already in motion — that it occurred to me that I had no idea how to either slow down or stop. Tamsyn’s coaching, whilst well intentioned, was sadly completely useless — “Put a turn in”, she repeatedly yelled as I careened downhill away from her at a ridiculous speed, not appreciating that I had no idea how to put a turn in.
That first afternoon, I was either travelling incredibly fast or I was on my bottom — there was absolutely no middle ground. With skiing being second nature to Tamsyn, she struggled to break down her technique and teach me how to do anything — we were comically at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Consistently hilarious, frequently terrifying but ultimately something I found deeply frustrating! After a couple of hours of zealously crashing myself into snow banks (my only way of stopping), I decided it was probably best to call it a day before I injured myself and/or someone else.
24 hours into life in the Alps and I absolutely adored the concept of skiing holidays (the phenomenal views, the crisp mountain air, the luxurious chalet to return to, the hot chocolates…the list goes on!), I just wasn’t sold on the actual skiing. In my mind, I would give official lessons the next day a chance but I was already tentatively planning to switch over to a snowboard, something I’d had some experience of before and knew I’d be much better at.
After another hearty breakfast the next morning, it was time to head back into the mountains for my first lesson with Avioriaz Alpine Ski School, kindly chaperoned by Tamsyn who dropped me off, wished me luck at school and then sped gracefully off into the distance to explore some of the more challenging routes that the resort had to offer.
It was a relief to find myself with other beginners, all feeling similarly nervous and many displaying the same awkward clumsiness on their skis as I was. Our amazing instructor, Mark, instantly put us all at ease and by the time Tamsyn had returned to pick me up a couple of hours later, everything had changed. I was completely euphoric at the fact that I a) hadn’t fallen down once and b) I’d managed to both slow down and stop — it was a whole new world! A complete reversal from my initial assessment of skiing: Day 2 and I was officially hooked!
I had a constant grin on my face for the rest of the week as I focussed on improving. After my bumpy introduction to skiing, the novelty of being able to both stop and steer away from the edge of the mountain never really wore off.
With those things more under control, I could take in the breathtaking views and enjoy the unique sensation of gliding down the mountain, feeling totally free. Having never spent any time in the mountains before, I was in awe throughout.
Even when there was poor visibility and incredibly strong winds that shut down most of the ski lifts, we still managed to get out under the careful guidance of Mark. In fact, the worse the weather got, the more satisfied I felt to be out in it.
On Day 3, I completed the same run that looked completely insane to me on that first day and it reminded me how important it is to embrace being a beginner and to give yourself permission to learn new things — how important it is to fall back down and literally pick yourself back up to try again. After 4 mornings of lessons, I finished the beginners course with enough confidence to explore some of the resort by myself, whilst Tamsyn was checking out more advanced routes with some new friends we’d made at the chalet. These mini solo missions were something I’d have deemed utterly impossible at the start of the week — how brilliant it is to prove yourself wrong!
We’d head out early and after a few hours of skiing, we usually spent our late afternoons recharging in front of the fire of Chilly Powder. Absolute bliss.
Built from scratch in 1996, it’s easy to see why Chilly Powder has grown from word of mouth and welcomes back many of its loyal guests year after year — it really does feel like a home away from home, only arguably much better…
The friendly and welcoming staff always went above and beyond to look after us and every detail is carefully considered to make sure that those visiting have the best possible experience. Taking some time to chat to Francesca, who owns Chilly Powder with her husband Paul, I found a kindred spirit — her zest for adventure and her passion for building a life on her terms was something I found really inspiring. Her ability to balance family life (with three amazing children!) as well as running a thriving business was something I found especially impressive, too!
I can’t possibly write about our stay without mentioning the food! It was consistently great. Every night, there were delicious 5 course dinners (which include wine as part of the booking!) that we sat down to enjoy as a group. Dinner is a social time at the resort and that definitely adds to the welcoming charm of staying there. Children are taken care of by in-house nannies and they’re in bed by the time the adults eat, so the parents get some time to relax, too.
I haven’t always found France to be the most accommodating for a vegan diet but I needn’t have worried; Francesca used to be a gourmet chef and that is clearly reflected in the menu planning. I was especially impressed that they do a “Meat Free Monday” every week, too — highlighting some of the environmental and health benefits to be found in adopting a more plant based diet.
Regardless of your dietary choice, I can confirm it’s quite impossible to go to hungry when staying at Chilly Powder! The same can be said for breakfast time, too. Our snowy adventures were definitely well fuelled!
Whilst Morzine caters for skiers of all abilities, there are also plenty of non-skiing activities you can enjoy, too. Check out some ideas here.
Tamsyn and I opted for evening sledding — 4km straight down an eerily quiet slope, with only our group on it! Our instructions seemed worryingly brief (“Don’t let go of your sledge at any point, dig your feet in to stop”) but, even though the lines blurred between exhilaration and panic throughout our descent, by the time we reached the bottom we all agreed it was incredibly fun and we’d instantly do it all over again. It also boasted stunning views throughout — views that as a beginner, I wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance to see!
In many ways, the magical cocktail of excitement, fear, triumph and complete awe sums up our wonderful week in Morzine. Comfort zones are totally overrated!
An hour from Geneva airport, Morzine is an adventure playground waiting to be explored and I can think of no better basecamp than the incredible Chilly Powder. I can’t wait to go back!
— -
Chilly Powder operates all year round, so it’s perfect whether you’re looking to hit the ski slopes or hop on your mountain bike. There are extensive winter holiday packages on offer for individuals, groups and families with winter prices starting from £850 per week based on two adults sharing a standard bedroom or £2,300 per week for two adults and two children sharing a standard family room. Prices based on a half board basis with wine included in evening meals.
Childcare facilities also available with prices starting at £275 per week and ski school for £250 per week. The chalet also runs a summer program and is available for weddings and events.
Chilly Powder is offering a 100% credit note for all new bookings, should a booking have to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions in place during dates of a scheduled trip. To learn more about the guest guarantee or to making a booking, contact Chilly Powder on info@chillypowder.com or 020 7289 6958 or visit www.chillypowder.com
— — —
** We visited in January 2020, before the outbreak of Covid-19. Please note that in response to the outbreak, Chilly Powder have since updated their cleaning, Health & Safety policy and staff training to follow the local and international hospitality guidelines for managing Covid-19 risks — and will comply with updates as and when they are introduced. **
