Mountain Bike Trails in Morzine — 5 of Our Favourites

Avoriaz has the downhill black rated track into Les Lindarets, a bike park and a four cross course going for it. When you have had enough of that you can head for the winter home run, Les Crot, which is more commonly known as the Gravelanche in the summer. This is super fast and gravely, hence the name, and brings you out at the head of the Prodains valley where you can indulge in a freewheel race all the way back to Morzine.

Avoriaz

The downhill course into Lindarets from the top of Avoriaz is a relatively new addition to the area and hosted a French cup downhill race as its inaugural event. So if you fancy testing yourself on the same course negotiated by the likes of French star Fabien Barrel, give this a go. It is super technical and a little bit demanding for all but full on downhill rigs. Again there are plenty of trails traversing the mountain in a less vertiginous fashion, pick them out if you’re more of an all mountain rider. 

From Lindarets there is a great trail down to Montriond via the Parchets piste and onwards back to Avoriaz via the river trail – a most pleasant way to return to base. To access Les Crosets, try the Mossettes lift up to the high point of the Portes du Soleil. From here you can either drop down the fire roads to Les Crosets with a couple of obvious more technical trails dropping through Planachaux. Or try the Swiss cup downhill course from the ridge line - Grand Conche. This super steep black drops 470m in just 3km.

Plaine Dranse

There has been extensive trail building activity in recent years in this area, accessed via the Chaux Fleurie chairlift. The runs are graded as per a ski area, blue, red and black in order of ascending difficulty. There is numerous north shore dotted around the red and black runs with easier runs leading all the way to Pre-la-Joux. In terms of difficulty, the reds would suit an accomplished rider, the blacks are super difficult so be sure of your ability before tackling them.

Chatel

Chatel is accessed from the Plaine Dranse area via the terrace trail. There are two green runs (we recommend the Panoramique as it's fast and flowy and has great views of Lac Montriond) four really nice flowy blues, five red tracks, and eight black tracks. Over the past couple of years the bike park shapers have been busy putting in extra gap jumps and fun features, so definitely worth checking out.

Visit our Maps page for trail maps.

Avoriaz is a true bike-in, bike-out resort in summer, as it is entirely car-free. As part of the vast 650km Portes du Soleil mountain biking area, Avoriaz boasts its own dedicated downhill trails and a pump track in the resort centre.

Downhill trails in Avoriaz

From the Tour chairlift, riders can access trails leading down into Les Lindarets:

• Blue (Bleu de Brochaux) – ideal for beginners, featuring banked corners but minimal technical challenges
• Red (Dans le Forêt) – a step up in difficulty with jumps, drops, roots, and rocky sections
• Black (Coupe de France) – a demanding track used in the French National Series in 2007, suitable only for experienced riders

These trails can also be accessed via the Lindarets Express chairlift.

On the Châtel side of the valley, the blue track (Chesery) descends partway before merging with a winter piste. It can be reached from Châtel or via the Chaux Fleurie chairlift. Riders can also take the Mossettes lift to explore the Swiss side (Les Crosets, Champéry, Morgins) or follow an open, rocky "fire road" back to Les Lindarets, which takes around 15 minutes to descend.

Trail connections and scenic routes

• from Les Lindarets, follow the PDS route past Lac de Montriond and continue along the river into Morzine
• a new green trail (Les Alpages), built in 2014, links the Col de la Joux Verte to Super Morzine, eliminating the need to use the road

Super Morzine trails

Super Morzine offers a variety of tracks, accessible via the Super Morzine telecabine and Zore chairlift, or from Avoriaz via the new green track:

• Blue (Tutti Frutti, Cap Canaveral) – packed with jumps and berms, suitable for all ability levels
• Red (DA Trail) – tighter and more technical, with fewer jumps but more roots.
• Black (Hattock, racine Carré) – Challenging trails with plenty of roots, technical sections, and large gap jumps
• Fire road (L'Élé) – a wider trail leading back to Montriond/Morzine

Additional riding spots

A pump track is located near the Rustine bike school at the top of Avoriaz, and another wooden pump track sits in the resort centre.

From the bottom of Avoriaz, riders can take the winter piste Le Crot (known locally as the "Gravalanche") down to Prodains, where they can either return via the 3S lift or cycle back to Morzine.

A scenic trail from the top of Super Morzine leads down into Les Lindarets, forming part of the PDS route.

Trail maintenance and safety

The team at Avoriaz MTB ensures all trails are well signposted, including routes connecting to neighbouring resorts. A dedicated crew of six trail shapers works on continuous improvements, alongside two piste security staff who are available to assist in case of accidents.

Find trail maps here.

Morgins

Morgins is reached from the Mossettes lift out of Lindarets via a super long fourx track. This is most definitely not as simple as it sounds, with lots of opportunities for the more experienced rider to follow the various cut throughs to the next hairpin of the four track. Some of the latter is super fast with natural drop offs, berms and kickers should you wish to utilise them. Morgins sports the Freeride Xtreme downhill/northshore combo - definitely for experts only. Check it out from the lift accessing Champoussin - absolutely terrifying. You'll definitely find a variety of well maintained trails here, from fast and flowy to steep and technical, with a nice helping of wide smiles and great views to boot.

Champoussin

Champoussin links Morgins and Les Crosets on the Passport du Soleil route. The traverse over to the top of Les Crosets is very spectacular with the Dents Du Midi to your left. This is a technical single track trail slightly climbing for a while followed by a big and very entertaining drop into Les Crosets itself. Access is via the Aiguille des Champerys télésiège and a short but steep climb up to the trail start.

Les Crosets

Les Crosets offers downhill courses, the Grande Conche and Crosets, the latter is a blue and perfectly suited to a freeride/all mountain style bike whereas the former is black and more suited to a downhill rig. Take the Crosets II chairlift to access this excellent run or alternatively drop down to Champery via the old Freeraid route. This is an excellent single track trail through the meadows, negotiating roller coaster styles and intransigent cows (and their deposits) along the way. 

To negotiate your way back to Morzine try the Mossettes lift, followed by ‘Puncture Alley’ all the way into Lindarets itself. This is a steep rocky and very fast four track road with many a rain bar to impede the progress of the unwary by way of its moniker. Alternatively head to Les La Pissas and onwards to the infamous Col du Cou. This is a real test of a rider's uphill ability. 

Very few can ride it all the way without a rest stop. But at worst it will take 30 minutes to walk and push your bike. The reward is the super long decent into Morzine centre ville. This has everything from fast rutted sections, big drop offs, rocky rooty sections and finally super fast gravely four track. In addition Les Crosets has the best four-cross course in the area with some pretty scary near vertical drops and the usual assortment of kicker, table tops and berms.

Champery

Champery is accessed via a number of routes from Les Crosets, all equally entertaining, no need for a downhill rig here all though plenty of riders use one. The trails are more technical single track of varying difficulty but without the super steep gradient of the specific downhill courses. 

There are ‘secret’ trails out there for the hard core freeride enthusiast but these are definitely more hospital inducing unless your top rider. There is a great bike park area in Champery below the téléphérique for testing out and developing those essential skills. 

The trip up the cable car is a spectacular part of the day and brings you out above Les Crosets, perhaps another run down the red downhill course?

Find trail maps here.

Les Gets has long been a premier destination for mountain biking enthusiasts, offering a vast array of trails and facilities catering to all skill levels. Recent enhancements have further solidified its reputation as a top rated mountain biking destination.

Trail access and lifts:

The Chavannes Express chairlift provides swift access to numerous trails on this side of the valley. Riders can choose routes that loop back to the base or venture towards the Nauchets Express or even connect to Morzine.

Highlighted mountain bike trails and features:

La Roue Libre (red descent): this 3 km trail is renowned for its exhilarating high-speed sections, expansive berms, and a variety of table tops. For those not keen on jumps, alternative lines are available to bypass these features

Tomahawk (blue alternative): introduced to offer a less intense option, Tomahawk boasts a series of back-to-back table tops and well-crafted berms. Its consistent jump sizes make it an ideal spot for riders aiming to refine their aerial skills

Jump Park near Nauchets Express: this area continues to be a hub for riders looking to practice jumps and tricks, featuring a range of jumps, berms, and the notable helter-skelter section

Mont Chéry Sector: accessible via the Mont Chéry gondola, this area offers challenging terrains, including a black downhill track characterized by steep berms and gap jumps. The 'Gets Airline' trail, a North Shore-style jump line, presents large table tops, step-downs, drops, and gap jumps, catering exclusively to experienced riders

Additional facilities:

Coaching track: developed in collaboration with multiple World and European downhill champion Fabien Barel, this track features a series of modules designed to help riders hone specific techniques such as braking and jumping. Each module is accompanied by video explanations from Barel, enhancing the learning experience

Kids zone: situated in the village centre at Place de la Mairie, this 100% wood-constructed track offers a fun and safe environment for young riders and beginners. Regular free beginner sessions, pump track races, and night riding sessions with music are organized here, fostering a vibrant community atmosphere

Trail statistics:

• Les Gets boasts an impressive network of trails, including:
• 13 downhill tracks (DHI)
• one freeride track
• five enduro/cross-country tracks
• five electric mountain biking tracks
• an 80 km Portes du Soleil Enduro tour
• a jump park with bridges, jumps, forest passages, and wooden features
• a mini jump park
• a four-Cross track
• a dual slalom track
• two pump tracks
• a dedicated kids zone

These developments underscore Les Gets' commitment to providing a comprehensive and enjoyable mountain biking experience for riders of all ages and abilities.

Find trail maps here.

The best known MTB trail in Morzine is the Pleney downhill course sporting a vertical drop of 560m over a distance of 3.25km. This is a purpose built downhill course and is rated black. This and some other runs have choices between “facile” (easy) and “difficile” (difficult!) routes; take the latter only if you’re confident and have been riding within your ability level so far. But don’t make this your first run of the holiday, opt for one of the gentler runs down from the Pleney télécabine criss-crossing the hill to flatten the gradient.

Look out for a refreshment stop at d’Atray followed by the advanced super technical trail down the Atray gulley or the slightly less hair raising roller coaster ride. A more pedal oriented run will take you to the Grand Pre after negotiating “Heart Attack Hill” and onwards back to Morzine via the Lievre and Retour des Nants pistes. 

From the Super Morzine side of the valley try the Morzine switchbacks, generally super fast with a few technical sections in there for variety.

You can now also ride around 350km of trails dedicated specifically to electric mountain bikes, made up of greens, blues, reds and a black trail.

Find trail maps here.