Shopping in Morzine

If you are on the hunt for some local and regional produce on your shopping trip then head to any of the foody shops where you can pick up cheeses, saucisson, wine, beer, biscuits and lots of other culinary treats.

If you are looking for gifts, souvenirs or toys then there is an array of shops where you can find what you are looking for. Besides the Tabacs dotted around the resort where you can usually collect knick knacky souvenirs such as mugs and magnets, there are a few other 'touristy' places where you'll find souvenirs, toys and gifts. For younger shoppers and some great gifts for little ones back home there is a old fashioned toy shop with some very beautiful hand made wooden toys as well as games and gifts.

You should head up the Rue du Bourg towards the centre of town for more traditional shopping and there is a very nice little perfumerie.

If you have space in your luggage, or if you have bought a place in Morzine and are looking to furnish it, then there are a couple of interiors stores on the Route de la Plagne which will help you give your home an Alpine chalet feel. You'll also find some great homewares at the other end of the Route de la Plagne where more traditional Savoyard styled interior trappings await.

In the area around the tourist office there are a couple of shops that stock high street label clothing with brands like Superdry and Pull-In. If you're after some perfume and beauty goods you can head to the pharmacies - there's nothing quite like the French pharmacy beauty brands, they are known for their high quality with a whole host of great brands that are unavailable in the UK.

As you would expect from a ski resort there are ski and snowboard shops aplenty. Some are very large with everything you will need, from socks and thermals to helmets, goggles, as well a clothing for both on and off the hill. You'll also find smaller more specialist stores for snowboard or back country equipment on Rue de Bourg. There are independent snowboard shops here where you will find very knowledgeable staff and kit from Jones, Lib Tech, Burton, Volcom, Slash, Nikita and Holden to name but a few. If you want a snowboard or some cool new clothes in Morzine these are the places to visit.

For back country and Freeride skis you'll also find shops that stock skis from Faction and Volkl and offer rentals also.

If you're planning on shopping during the sales to pick up a discounted Gore-Tex jacket or designer handbag, you need to plan your visit to a very specific time of year. Unlike the UK when it appears that shops have almost permanent sales on, sale or “solde” time in France is strictly regulated by department and shop owners are not allowed to discount their products at any other time. End of the line (“Fin de serie”) and “Promo” is acceptable but the real bargains are to be found at the specifically designated sale times, when you can get your hands on all the big brands for 40-70% less than the normal retail price.

Opening hours vary to the UK with many shops and all service providers (banks, post office etc) closing for lunch.

You'll also find the banks are closed on Mondays, although they are open for business on Saturday morning to compensate. Most of the shops open between 09:00-10:00 and then close from 12.30 until 14:00 or 15:00 for lunch, re-opening again until 19:00 or 19:30, which allows you to browse the shops of an evening or on your way to dinner.