You can fly, take the train or drive to France for your Morzine bike holiday. Every summer vacation needs to be exactly that, a break. So what is the easiest and most cost efficient way to get yourself and your team to Morzine for a mountain bike holiday?

When driving to Morzine, you have the freedom to bring as much equipment as you can fit in. You also allow yourself the freedom to move around the area in your own car should wish to. By the time you’ve split the costs it can work out cheaper than a flight to Geneva.

What is the best and most efficient crossing? How do you get from Calais to Morzine and what rules are in place post Brexit? Let us break it down for you.

The mountains are waiting for you!

THE CROSSING

CHANNEL TUNNEL

Journey time - 1 hour

The crossing itself takes 45 minutes, however the real speed in the tunnel crossing is in the check in. Your car registration is noted electronically on arrival, and you will usually be offered an earlier train if it’s available. They like move the cars through the terminal quickly, get them onto and off of the trains efficiently. There are several platforms meaning you do not need to wait for inbound rain to empty, before embarking the outbound. Folkestone is likely to save you half an hour from the trip on the English side, as it is further inland from Dover.

COSTS - £150 return (standard car with bikes on the roof)

A return trip on the tunnel can cost considerably more depending on the time of day you travel. The terms and conditions do stipulate that the same day return loop hole, where a ticket will be considerably cheaper, can carry a penalty should the return trip not be taken.

FERRY

Journey time – at least 3 hours

The journey time for the ferry is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. It does however take much longer to load, as you have to wait for the inbound ferry to fully disembark. The wait at the terminal in both your car and on the boat will usually be up to an hour. The timings are less flexible so you will most likely be on the ferry you have booked. They can also run into timing difficulties due to rough seas.

COSTS - £100 return (Source dfds.co.uk)

The ferry is a cheaper alternative to the tunnel, and you have the benefit of a break from the car. How much you spend on coffee and questionable fish and chips on board is up to you!

It's a long drive to Morzine and a mission to pack but the views are epic at the end!

TRAVEL ADVICE / BREXIT

Without being negative nellies, we've been hosting holidays in Morzine for a while now, and trust us we've seen it all. Here are a couple of big advice tips you would do well to follow.

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CALAIS TO MORZINE

The actual moving time at the national motorway speed limit of 130 km/h is approximately 8 ½ hours, however it will always take more time than this, due to breaks for food, toilet and fuel, so budget 10 hours.

It is 550 miles to Morzine from Calais. There is only 1 route worth considering, which is to use the excellent French motorways. These are very well maintained, unless the French are striking again, traffic free.

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Fly to Morzine? Drive to Morzine? Either way the trails are all time

Le Pleney singletrack

AVOIDING THE TOLLS

We wouldn't bother. Unless you want to make it into a road trip. Here's why.

Option 1, using the tolls takes you from Morzine to Calais at the quickest possible route, taking 8.5 - 10 hours on average, including stopping for fuel, snacks and a leg stretch, costing €72.40 in tolls.

Option 2, avoiding the tolls takes you through Belgium adding around 3 hours to the trip, budget 12 hours moving time and another 2 hours of stopping, snack breaks and fuel.

OPTION 1 W/TOLLS vs OPTION 2 NO TOLLS

Making the drive around 14/15 hours at best, from Calais, that almost guarantees a stop over somewhere, you've also just given up the easy part of the trip, just driving along the motorway, cruising. Taking the road less travelled to Morzine involves extra border crossings, villages, towns, roundabouts, cross roads, single carriageways and to be honest you can do without the hassle.

IF, you decided you wanted to make a road trip out of it that makes sense, leave afew days early and you could hit up some pretty cool bike parks on the way to Morzine....

ROAD TRIP?

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Off the Channel Tunnel next stop Morzine!

Beautiful Morzine

FOOD STOPS

Word of advice, French motorway stops are HORRIFIC. Expensive fridgey sandwiches, microwaved pasta, little choice and automatic coffee machines. If you want to be fed well pull into a town near the motorway such as Tinqueux near Reims or Dijon. The motorway stops are serviceable if all you need is something quick, average and bland.

French motorway stops are, to be frank, expensive and of the food on offer isn’t brilliant. You may find a microwave burger exciting, but many wouldn’t. The coffee is, however, cheap and useful on a long drive.

Due to Brexit, you won't be able to bring your Mums ham sandwiches with you, they will be confiscated at the border.

See the list of restrictions here.

HOTELS EN ROUTE

Should you wish to stop overnight before making your way to Morzine, two good hotel stops, just off the motorway can be found just outside Reims Tinqueux, See here and Dijon, See here.

Both of these options allow you to leave late before your day of arrival, check into a 24 hour hotel for rest before the 5 hour (Reims) and 3 hour (Dijon) drive onto Morzine.

POSTIVIES | NEGATIVES

Positives of driving to Morzine

  • Cheap when 2 or more of you travel
  • Can bring your spares
  • Potential for a road trip visiting other bike parks
  • You can use your vehicle when in Morzine

Negatives of driving to Morzine

  • It takes ages
  • You need a solid vehicle
  • You usually arrive knackered if you don't take a rest stop

See more information on FLYING and taking the TRAIN.

We'll be there, ready to welcome you with a cold beer in hand however you choose to travel, our team can't wait to introduce you or welcome you back you to Morzine.

 

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