There’s no denying that Morzine is one of the best destinations for mountain biking, hiking, lake swimming and straight-up chilling in the summer. But the sad truth is…. sometimes it rains. But don’t worry, there are still plenty of activities to keep you occupied when the heavens open. And they’re all heaps of fun. You won’t find going to the cinema or curling up with a good book on our list (although they’re legit activities in their own right); Morzine really brings the goods in wet weather. From the adventurous to the downright cosy, here are our top rainy day activities in Morzine:
Image: Frogs Rafting
White Water Rafting
Rafting is great because it doesn’t have to be hot and sunny to make the most of it. In fact, the more it’s rained before you go, the more exciting your river journey is likely to be. Obviously you can’t raft in the middle of a massive storm because that’s pretty dangerous, but if it’s cloudy, muddy, windy and drizzly, get yourself down to the river stat for some mega rafting fun! We recommend you use our friends down at Frogs Rafting and 7Aventures for a fun-filled day out on La Dranse, and check out all the other adventurous activities they have on offer, too!
Canyoning
Another adventurous rainy day activity that gets you out the chalet is canyoning. If you’re gonna get wet anyway you may as well rappel into a waterfall right? If you’re not familiar with canyoning it’s basically putting on a wetsuit and climbing around / up / sliding down / lowering yourself into natural rock formations which have water running through them – very fun. Morzine and the surrounding areas have some great canyoning terrain, and again, the ideal people to take you are the guys from 7Adventures or Frogs. They will provide you with all the equipment you need and provide you with a fun, safe and unique mountain experience.
Get a Relaxing Massage
If you’re here in the summer, chances are you may have been hitting it pretty hard on the action sport front, so why not take some time out to wind down and smooth out those aches and pains when the rain comes? Nicole and her team at Mobile Mountain Massage have a lovely treatment room and also come to your accommodation so you and your crew can get a relaxing treatment without even having to leave the chalet. If you’ve got really sore legs and you want them to be back in tip top shape for the next sunny day, you can go and see Jude at Ridge Recovery Room and try out her selection of Normatec leg massage devices. They’re specially designed to aid recovery so you can get back to doing your favourite sports faster!
Recharge with Some Yoga
Want to make the most of your time indoors? Yoga is a great way to recharge your batteries ready for the next sunny day. It also stretches, strengthens and tones your muscles in a non-impactful way, and improves your balance. If you’ve had a beastly few days on the bike, a bit of yoga could work wonders, and even help reduce your risk of injury next time you go up. Our friends at Yoga in the Alps have compiled a handy list of all the yoga classes that take place in the area each week, so you can pick a class to suit your schedule. You can also organise private sessions with local yoga instructors who will come to your chalet and teach you there – did you know the aforementioned Nicole of Mobile Mountain Massage is also an awesome yoga teacher?
Image: La Grange
Enjoy Some Culinary Delights
Whether you’re indulging in some cake at Wild Beets Kitchen in Les Gets, having a traditional raclette at La Grange in Morzine or getting a damn fine meal cooked for you in your chalet by Chez Toi or Chalet Chefs, a bad weather day is the perfect excuse to veg out and try some new and exciting dishes. The possibilities are endless – pizza at Bar Nash in Saint Jean d’Aulps or Le Rocher in Montriond; tasty lunches at Le Colibri or Le Tremplin in Morzine, or Lac’Tuel on Lac de Montriond; Sunday brunch at Hotel le Dahu or Hotel la Marmotte in Les Gets, while for a real treat you can head for a private group dinner at the oldest building in Morzine, the Farmhouse. You could even visit the local fromageries in Morzine and Les Gets to discover how your favourite French cheeses are made.
Try to Escape Le Room
The ultimate rainy day activity, Le Room is Morzine’s very own escape game, and having escaped Le Room ourselves, we can tell you it’s mega fun! For those not familiar with the concept, the idea is that you’re locked in a room and have to follow a series of clues and puzzles (all relating back to a strange and compelling story, of course) that will lead to your eventual escape. But you only have an hour to work it all out! You can play with up to eight people and we’d recommend booking to avoid disappointment.
Kick Back at the Spa
When it’s raining, there’s no better place to be than relaxing by the pool, swimming some lengths or chilling in the sauna. Luckily there are plenty of places in Morzine to oblige. If you’re with your kids the Morzine swimming pool is definitely the best option; the indoor pool is nice and big for the kids and there’s a wellness area for the adults. If you fancy a more intimate setting, Hotel le Dahu in Morzine has an indoor and outdoor pool, and wellness area that’s open to the public as well as residents – perfect for spending a relaxing morning or afternoon when the weather’s not playing ball. Hotel la Marmotte also has a very relaxing wellness area for you to kick back in (think hammam and sauna!) along with a choice of massages and treatments.
