Avoriaz Apres Ski Report: 22nd December 2011

Last Wednesday saw the opening night of Le Tremplin, which is located at the bottom of the Pleney slopes. There were live DJs on the outside terrace and the guys from Retro Rentals brightened up the place in their 80s ‘onesies’ (all in one ski suits). In spite of a very rainy day with not many people out for skiing, with us being two of those people, it started off a little quiet. However, by the time we decided that we had sunk enough après drinks to deserve some dinner, at around 8pm, the place was pretty packed.

Tremplin has live DJs all season from 4-8pm on Wednesdays and Fridays and live music on Sundays. We then headed to the nearby restaurant and bar L’Etale. A cross between traditional Savoyard cuisine and a pizzeria there is plenty on the menu to satisfy all tastes…and not to mention the nicest toilets we’ve come across in Morzine so far! Situated along Taille de mas du Pleney, which is the main street running from the Pleney lifts down to the tourist office, it is open daily and serves food until midnight.

After devouring a range of delicacies from moreish tartiflettes to pizzas loaded with a host of French cheeses, we were each presented with a rather milky looking shot that seemed to taste of coconut and some unknown alcohol. Once they went down, we continued to play a variety of drinking games until it was time to depart for our next venue. A short stroll and we were in the Cavern again, ordering jugs of beer and singing along to the non stop cheesy tunes. A lively and fun atmosphere as usual although we did seem to knock over more beer than we managed to drink!

As part of the Christmas events in town we went to the Morzine Welcome Drinks on Monday and checked out local band The Bloodies playing outside the Tourist Office. We eagerly sampled some free Green Chaud (hot chocolate and Chartreuse Verte) and some local cheese. Mixed reviews for the Green Chaud but the cheese was a sure winner. We also caught a glimpse of the ESF Instructors’ torch lit descent of the Pleney on Tuesday night which, from our balcony across the town, looked quite spectacular.

For those of you who enjoy the luxury of being able to ski directly into a bar (well…almost!), then we’d highly recommend the Kinkerne. Ideally located at the end of the blue Crot run back from Avoriaz and right by the Prodains cable car, it’s a cosy bar perfect for that instant vin chaud satisfaction after a hard days skiing. From there you can easily hop on the regular buses back to Morzine centre.

Christmas is fast approaching and, with only three days to go, it’s definitely time to dust of your Santa hats and throw yourself into the party spirit. Christmas Eve is always a big night in Morzine, so if you’re only going to venture out one night over the weekend then make sure it’s Saturday. There will be plenty going on with all the bars in full swing and most open until 2am, so get yourselves out and about as it’s the perfect time to experience the best of Morzine nightlife.

If you’re still craving more when the main bars shut then head to L’Opera nightclub, located along the main street Route du Pleney, for it’s Christmas Eve party where you can celebrate until 5am. There are also a wide range of events happening in town for all to enjoy over the festive period. A full list, including daily events for children, can be obtained from the tourist office but here’s a few to get you started. On Thursday 22nd The Frosted Fruits, a band playing a diverse range of music from jazz to funk to reggae and even nursery rhymes will be playing in the village streets from 4.30pm. On Friday 23rd from 4.30-6pm the Great Musical Quiz will be hosted at the Office de Tourisme, with prizes to be won for naming the soundtracks to famous TV shows and series. And on Christmas Eve the Christmas Parade will start at 6pm outside the Office de Tourisme.

One other event we’ll definitely be checking out is the Boxing day Morzine-Avoriaz Penguins Ice Hockey match against Neuilly/Marne. With plenty of action, goals and even a few fights, it’s sure to provide some good entertainment not to mention a welcome break from all the Christmas eating and drinking! Held at the Palais du Sport the game starts at 8:30pm and tickets can be bought from the tourist office or on the door (Adult 15€, Child 10€).

Well this week has certainly flown by and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down so enjoy the next week, have a wonderful Christmas and of course… Bon Après!