Morgins Ski Resort Switzerland
Morgins is one of the ‘forgotten’ Swiss ski resorts but happens to be part of the gargantuan Portes du Soleil, which straddles the border of Switzerland & France, a hop skip & a jump from Geneva & Montreux. Sitting pretty between Torgon, Châtel & Champoussin, the village of Morgins is a Swiss chalet filled beauty with surprising affordability. We found during our travels that the Swiss sector of the broader Portes du Soleil is quieter & generally more pleasant than the French side. Another bonus is its easterly aspect slopes soak up some lovely morning sun………. which is perfect when skiing the ‘Doors of the Sun’!
Pros & Cons for Morgins Ski Resort
Pros
- Part of a huge snow holiday destination with access to vast terrain & diversity straddling the French-Swiss border.
- High snowfall area, particularly in the upper alpine.
- Generally quiet & no lift lines.
- Exceptionally good value lift pass for the entire resort, but also within local sectors - i.e. Espace Liberté & the Swiss CLCF pass.
- Superb beginner & intermediate piste trails, including some super long valley trails.
- Massive off-piste & freeride terrain options for everyone from beginner to expert in the broader Portes du Soleil.
- Lift & piste connections to numerous nearby French & Swiss ski resorts.
- Untracked snow in the off-piste can be found several days after a snowfall.
- Close to Geneva & Montreux.
- Surprisingly well-priced accommodation with good availability in the full-service village that strikes the balance between affordability & convenience plus has nearby alpine options in Champoussin.
- Several wonderful mountain huts dotted throughout the landscape.
- Ski two countries but speak one language - French (the Swiss sector is in the French speaking part of Valais).
Cons
- Limited advanced terrain in the immediate area.
- Part of a huge snow holiday destination with high numbers of visitors transiting through the resort on occasions during the day!
- Lifts & terrain in the Corbeau sector are underwhelming at best - view them as a means to a better end!
- The high number of surface lifts in the Espace Liberté sector may challenge beginner snowboarders.
- Easy to get ‘lost’ - pay close attention to signage as people have been known to end the day stuck in the wrong country!
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- No high-end (5-star et al) accommodation in the area (if this is a problem, go to Verbier).
- Part of a huge, interlinked ski area that can make it hard to decide where to slide (a nice problem to have!).
- Quiet après ski in Morgins.
- Public transport to the resort is good by most countries’ standards, but not so good by Swiss standards!
- Village lacks the stupendous views of others nearby - not the prettiest Swiss mountain village, but by no means ugly.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
A tale of two quite different sectors, Morgins is one of the ‘forgotten’ Swiss ski areas - a good thing in our book - less people on the slopes. The resort’s mainly north & east-aspect slopes are great for beginners & intermediates, but before even putting on a ski boot, the most important thing to know when staying in Morgins is that the two terrain sectors, Corbeau & Foilleuse, are on different ‘local’ ski lift passes. WTF? Anyone wishing to ski both sectors in the one day needs to have a full Portes du Soleil pass (see below). Note that skiing between the two sectors through the town is a true test of one’s ‘urban cross-country’ ski/skate technique - doable if there is snow on the roads, or you just don’t care about your skis!
To the south of the village, the Foilleuse sector has far & away the better terrain, including some fun off-piste into a ‘remote’ valley below the Col de Portes du Soleil allowing for long (8km+) returns to the village. The sector also has the Didier Défago piste, often touted as the best advanced trail in the region (its ok!). It is part of the CLCF ski pass area which beyond the Foilleuse, includes the magnificent contiguous Swiss resorts of Champoussin, Les Crosets & Champery.
See the Champery-Les Crosets-Champoussin-Foilleuse/Morgins ski trail map (CLCF).
To the north of town, the Corbeau sector is a confusing mix of pleasant beginner trails amongst forest leading to long, tiresome surface tow linkages with Torgon & Châtel. The return trail into Morgins is rated beginner, but we found it would sorely challenge many, if not all, beginners. At the far end of Morgins' Corbeau sector near the Alpage d'Onnaz, some delightful off-piste powder sits for days below the ridge on the frontier with France.
See the Corbeau/Morgins (Espace Libertè) ski trail map below.
The skiing & snowboarding terrain in the immediate Morgins area is best suited to beginners & intermediates. But as with the rest of the region, this area is about more than just the local ski sectors. Interconnections in all directions as part of the Portes du Soleil make the resort good enough for all abilities & are the real reason to ski & stay here. From Morgins, direct connections can be made to Chatel, Torgon & Champoussin, plus fun off & on-piste returns from Avoriaz via the Col de Portes du Soleil.
Ski lifts in the resort's Corbeau sector are amongst the worst in the region. The Foilleuse sector has some fine, modern chairs in the upper reaches, and recently the super slow, old Morgins-Foilleuse access chair was replaced by a new gondola, which has vastly improved amenity in the resort. Snowboarders heading to Corbeau & Espace Liberte need to be proficient at riding surface tows (T-bars & J-bars etc.).
Interlinked with Portes du Soleil
Whilst a large ski area in and of itself, Morgins & the Espace Liberté / CLCF ski pass areas are only a fraction of the terrain available within the vast interconnected Portes du Soleil. Lift passes for the entire Portes du Soleil (a.k.a. Doors of the Sun) are 10 to 16 Swiss Francs (CHF) more than local lift passes, however forays into the broader region are absolutely worth the extra coin & indeed a must when skiing the region.
See the Portes du Soleil ski trail map.
Where is Morgins Switzerland?
The Morgins ski resort is located above the Vieze River valley, on the west side of the Rhône valley south of Lac leman (Lake Geneva) in the Swiss canton of Valais. The lakeside city of Montreux is only 22km as the crow flies to the north & Geneva a mere 55km to the west. The closest airport is Geneva (GVA). Whilst it possible to get quick and convenient private transfers from the airport to Morgins, we prefer, & recommend, using the train & bus. When in Switzerland, use the public transport!
From Geneva airport, the IR15 train in the direction of Brig, runs several times every hour to Aigle, usually taking around 1½hr depending on how many stops are along the way. Trains from other European cities arrive at Aigle via Lausanne or Brig.
At Aigle, trains (in the direction of Champéry) leave from the platforms directly outside the main Aigle railway station. Rail lines up to ski resorts at Leysin & Les Diablerets also depart from these outside platforms. Trains to Champery stop at Troistorrents Gare, taking between 36 to 43min for the journey, depending on stops. From Troistorrents Gare station, the route 61 bus gets to Morgins in around 25min. Services run 7 or 8 times a day depending on the day of the week.
Search & book here for train tickets to Aigle & Troistorrents.
With due consideration of connections & timetables, the full journey on train & bus to Morgins from Geneva airport can take between 2½ to 4¾hr.
By rental car or private transfer, Morgins is accessible from Geneva airport via France or Switzerland. The full 127km road journey from Geneva airport is around 1½hr via the northern side of Lac Leman & Montreux. A shorter route via France & the south side of Lake Geneva actually takes longer via Châtel & the 1,369m Pas de Morgins - the only road link between the two sides of the Portes du Soleil open in winter. It can be done in 1¾hr. Using the Pas de Morgins, Châtel is only a 4½km drive from Morgins.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Swiss ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Morgins Accommodation
Morgins is a typical Swiss mountain village, sited snugly in a forested alpine valley. Geared toward tourism, but not as busy as it may have been in the past, Morgins is surprisingly affordable. Accommodations tend to be more chalet-apartments than hotels. With a full range of services, a chair lift and new gondola leaving from either end of town & multiple valley trails leading to it, Morgins is a comfortable & convenient place from which to launch forays into the fabulous Portes du Soleil. Just make sure you buy the right lift pass! If you enjoy the sun, look at accommodation closer to the Corbeau chair, as the northern part of the village can be in the shade for long periods during winter. The new Morgins-Foilleuse gondola makes staying here an even more attractive proposition as it will slash waiting/travel times getting up to the goods!
Search & book here for all Morgins ski accommodation.
Alternative accommodations can be sought in the nearby alpine village of Champoussin, or the charming & lively French village of Chatel, only 5km by road away.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals from our local partners are available in two locations near the lifts in the Morgins village. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Morgins Ski & Snowboard Equipment Rentals page.
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Switzerland Portes du Soleil" subcategory="Morgins Guiding"]
Reviews
The Powderhounds reviewed Morgins in 2019. We loved its convenient location & quiet slopes and will return next season. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Morgins & the ‘Doors of the Sun’ compare to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
Follow Powderhounds Europe on Instagram to see where we are currently skiing. Follow our main Powderhounds page on Facebook to stay in touch with up-to-date info, tours, and discussions.