We had been selected to feature in an article about cool and funky chalets in the Alps. Nice to see us up there with the £17,000 a week places where the likes of Robbie Williams have stayed – we are obviously doing something right and our prices are definitely a LOT more affordable!

This is what travel writer Tom Chesshyre had to say…

This season’s coolest places to stay have private pools, high-tech entertainment and seriously stylish interiors

France

No 1. The Loft, Morzine

“The look here is that of a slick Manhattan loft with exposed beams and lots of leather sofas. Covering two floors of a farmhouse, The Loft is a short walk from popular après-ski bars. There’s an open-plan kitchen as well as wireless internet, Sky television and iPod docking stations. A free shuttle bus to the main high-speed gondolas stops outside the property every 20 minutes. It sleeps eight and the price includes transfers from the airport.
Details The Loft (0033 686 02 1 805, www.moremountain.com) is from £4,792 a week (£599pp); dinner and B&B with afternoon tea included, flights excluded.”

If you subscribe to The Times, you can read more here.

Les Gets Bike Park Lifts Pre-open on May 28th-29th for a special pre-ride taster for the season followed by June 4th-5th where there will be a full range of Kona bikes and Marzocchi Suspensions to test for a weekend mini bike festival.

Morzine Les Gets Lift Access officially opens from June 10th until September 11th (9am-5.30pm). The Morzine and Les Gets MTB trails belong to the VTT area of Les Portes du Soleil, one of the biggest linked areas in the world with 12 resorts between France and Switzerland and 650 km of trails. For 15 years, the Portes du Soleil have been offering a unique network of 25 lifts open all summer long.

Lift Pass Prices are as follows:

1 day €21,
2 days €34,
3 days €46,
4 days €59,
5 days €71,
6 days €84,
7 days €95,
8 days €104,
9 days €113,
10 days €120,
11 days €126,
12 days €132,
13 days €137,
Season €210 (50% off with valid Winter Season Pass)

Multi Pass Morzine

This time round Summer in Morzine is even better as the Portes Du Soleil now combine access to a number of Alpine activities through the Multipass for those of you that fancy an alternative to hammering hard core downhill trails each day. More Mountain are an official accommodation provider who have signed up to the scheme. The Multi Pass is available to you all for just €1 Euro per day. All summer long, the Portes du Soleil area offers a host of fun outdoor activities: hiking, swimming in the lakes or pools, visits to cultural sites, tennis, ice rinks… all for just €1 Euro per day.

Portes du Soleil hasn’t forgotten those who live in the region and who would like to enjoy a multitude of activities all summer long thanks to the season pass: 50€

So… its time to get booking to stay this summer at More Mountain this summer…. check out all the fabulous deals we have on offer in our chalets this coming Summer.

Journalist Jon Secret came to Morzine to experience the delights of the Portes Du Soleil Ski area and experienced first hand the excellent service from our lovely chalet hosts, Sarah and Andy, great food, fun times and attention to detail at our luxury catered chalet in Central Morzine, The Loft.

Have a read here….

The Independent Snow Traveller does More Mountain

Jon says…

“I’d never been to Morzine, so it could hardly be my favourite place to ski, but a luxury fully catered chalet? I decided it was time to try something new.

Morzine is one of the more northerly resorts in the French Alps, and within easy reach of Europe’s winter-sports hub, Geneva. Just 80 minutes after leaving the airport, the transfer bus was pulling up outside The Loft, my home for the week. It’s run by the husband-and-wife team Jon and Sam Dredge of More Mountain, an independent chalet company specialising in what they call “non pretentious” luxury chalet holidays in Morzine.

The Loft occupies the top two floors of a traditional Savoyard farmhouse, now transformed into a place of slick luxury. There’s a games and a chill-out area on one level with a large flat-screen television, DVD and satellite, heated floors throughout, an iMac computer and WiFi running the sound system. The views from the balcony over the pretty town and soaring mountains are stunning.

My chalet hosts, Andy and Sarah, wasted no time inviting me to relax on the sumptuous leather sofas, where I drank champagne and ate canapés. Then it was on to the first gourmet meal of the week, washed down with wine and homemade toffee vodka.

It didn’t take long before I was mentally redrafting my list of favourite ski resorts. The task became easier as I learned how splendidly connected everything is, thanks to an extensive network of lifts. The Super Morzine and Pleney ski lifts are just a short walk in snowboard boots from the chalet or an even shorter ride in the complimentary chalet pick-up and drop-off service. A fuzzy head dictated the latter option, using the chalet’s private shuttle: an ex-military go anywhere and do anything Land Rover Defender called “The Baron”.

Happy Days!

“Thanks to its proximity to Geneva airport, snowboard-friendly pistes and parks, and less obscene drink pricing than many other resorts, Morzine has more independent chalets than most resorts. One such offering is More Mountain, run by husband-and-wife team Sam and John Dredge, who promise “luxury but not pretentious” sleek-looking chalets in the heart of town. Each is furnished with iPods, flatscreen TVs and Garmin GPS devices so you can plot where you’ve skied and, more crucially, see how fast you’ve gone. They make toffee vodka and provide hip flasks to take up the mountain, as well as serving bacon and eggs for breakfast, for when you’ve overdone it the night before.” Sam Haddad, The Observer Sunday 12th December 2011.

Read more here…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/dec/12/ski-travel-owner-run-chalets

"The Baron"

The time has come to replace our trusty Mazda Bongo and our not so t’rusty Mitsubishi Shogun!

We had been looking at various 4X4 vehicles that could comfortably transport 8 guests around Morzine, and to and from the ski lifts.

The decision was made. A classless yet quality vehicle, The Landrover Defender is an iconic and Uber Cool vehicle to ferry our guests about town and as their slogan says they are…

” The Best 4 X 4 by Far “

For those guests staying at The Loft “The Baron” – an ex RAF Landrover Defender 110, will play a big part in your winter holiday with us, transporting you to and from the lifts each day.

"Junior"

“Junior” – an ex “Cheshire Set” Landrover Defender 90, will be used as an additional vehicle to the 2 minibuses that we have at our larger chalets, Chalet Robin and La Cabine

Here’s hoping for plenty of snow this year, to put the 2 newbies to the test!

If you fancy your own Defender, contact Marple Road Garage in Stockport for some great advice and help. Ask for Pam!

Garmin^® the global leader in satellite navigation deliver the new must-have item for the slopes as it announces a series of GPS devices and a range of activities geared toward the snowsports enthusiast.

The wrist-worn Foretrex^® 401 is set to provide millions of recreational skiers and snowboarders with the fundamental statistics that they have long craved; how high, how far and how fast did we go today? Of course, this sophisticated, waterproof device is packed with extensive capabilities for the more inquisitive, but its simplicity makes it possible for everybody to get more from their time on the slopes.

Garmin has joined forces with More Mountain as a specialist chalet operator in the Alps to form an official Garmin Test Centre, offering More Mountain guests the opportunity to test-drive the latest GPS technology. At the end of the day, guests simply upload the day’s data, or ‘tracklog’, at Garmin Connect to review their movements and statistics including highest speed, total descent, total ascent, maximum elevation, total distance and much, much more.

To foster the competitive spirit that will no doubt arise, Garmin has created a season’s league table at www.garminsnowclub.co.uk to champion the persons that travel the fastest, the furthest, and the greatest descent. The victorious not only secure bragging rights for the year, but are then in with a chance of winning a week’s winter holiday at More Mountain so get riding!

Avoriaz is undertaking massive regeneration with the construction of two new districts.

Pierre & Vacances Group is undertaking the massive regeneration of the Alpine ski resort, giving investors the chance to purchase new-build property in the resort for the first time in 40 years.

Two entire districts will be built, and 460 ski-in ski-out apartments created, designed to meet the current shortfall of quality accommodation in the resort, which attracts large numbers of visitors each year. Avoriaz is the closest ski resort to Geneva and is completely south-facing, allowing unrivalled sunset views over the Morzine valley.

The new residences will be built in two new districts of Avoriaz: Amara, at the entrance of the resort, and Crozats, at the top. A wide range of properties will be constructed to cater to different types of investor, including Avoriaz’s first luxury accommodation under the MGM brand.

The rejuvenation of Avoriaz will be complemented by the construction of a new water fun centre, known as the ‘Aquariaz’. Nick Leach, head of business development for the Pierre & Vacances Group, said: “P&V created the ski station at Avoriaz in 1967 and has been managing investment property in the resort for individuals and institutions ever since.

“Now 40 years later, these new-build developments herald the start of a new era of luxury mountain living with modern alpine interiors, larger living spaces and spa facilities. Much of the infrastructure and facilities at the resort are also being upgraded, with the aim of cementing Avoriaz’s place as a premier year-round destination.”  The Amara project is scheduled for delivery in 2011.
Courtesy of www.aboutproperty.co.uk

Exciting stuff for Morzine Avoriaz we reckon….Bring it on!