Eat & Drink: Morzine in a glass

From cosy wine bars to bustling après ski parties, here’s our guide to the best drinking holes on and off the mountain. For Morzine’s foodie scene check out our earlier post, Morzine on a plate.

Where’s good for après?

The world famous après venue, La Folie Douce, opened its doors in Avoriaz this December. For extravagant performances, singers and live DJs, join the party any day of the week between 2pm and 6:30pm. You’ll hear the tunes bursting from the terrace before you see the venue’s new building next to the Yeti on the Plateau in Avoriaz.

Happy Hours Bar at the bottom of the Ardent lift, hosts another big slope-side après ski party on a Wednesday, with special guest DJs and a free taxi service to get people home safe after the last bus, which runs to 6pm. Sunday afternoon features a live band and more relaxed après vibes.

If skiing Pleney side, at the top of the gondola you’ll find a few bars that get lively in the afternoon for a drink, before skiing down and heading onto Le Tremplin’s terrace, which is a popular après haunt with live DJs.

Further into town, Morzine’s famous Bar Robinsons (Rue du Bourg), named fondly by locals as ‘Robbos’, is a non-fancy spot serving Morzine’s locally brewed beer, Mutzig. Be warned at 8% you may not make it home for dinner!

If finishing the day in Prodains La Kinkerne, on the main road out, is an unpretentious spot with occasional après parties.

Where to have a casual pint or two

Grab a flavoursome craft beer at Bec Jaune Brewery (220 Route de la Combe à Zore). They brew new and old style beers ranging from IPAs to lagers and porters, to traditional German and French styles.

Guests staying in Montriond, should head down to La Marmotte d’Or, for a pub like atmosphere, friendly staff and locals alike. Regular live music nights usually get everyone dancing, and later in the season the terrace is a great place for a pint in the sun.

Where to go for a cosy drink

Both La Chaudanne’s Bar a Vin (590 Route de la Plagne ) and Le Coup de Coeur (also Route de la Plagne, opposite La Chamade) are lovely spots for sharing a bottle or discovering a new favourite tipple. Bar a Vin is especially cosy, tucked away beneath the restaurant in a vaulted stone cellar.

Where to make mischief with a lively group

You’ll find a large collection of bars on the main street leading up to the Pleney. If doing dinner, L’Etale is a fun place for a boozy meal and will stay open serving drinks until late. The popular Crepu is a good drinking hole to start with, and is right next to the Tibertan Café, which is a great all-rounder playing party tunes to a lively bunch of locals, seasonaires and tourists. The nearby Cavern is a must on a night out; this friendly bar has live music from 5-7.30pm, a generous happy hour at 4pm and DJs from 10pm.

For late night dancing L’Opera (also on the Pleney strip) is the classic Morzine club that plays popular dance, DNB and techno tunes. Look out for special events and international DJs.

There’s lots of fun to be had at Dixie Bar (18 Rue de Bourg), a lively Irish bar where the renowned band Dixie Micks play once a month. This is when it really gets going and is not for the faint hearted! Dixie’s also shows all major sporting events and matches on its big screens.

For a more alternative vibe, where local beat loving French and Brits party together, Café Chaud (tucked away on Chemin du Couttetaz) boasts some of the biggest, most chaotic weekly parties in town, with some of Morzine’s best local DJs, Drum n Bass on Sundays and upbeat funk and house on Wednesdays.

Where to discover new cocktails

Martini classics, Mojitos, Long Island and a bunch of in-house specials, makes Beanies (Rue du Bourg) a great place for cocktail connoisseurs.

Locals love Laury’s bar (Route des Udrezants) where you can sit back and enjoy table service, an eclectic drinks menu and live jazz, funk and soul. On Tuesdays, one of the AliKats original chalet hosts, Ben Gc will be DJing his own brand of sophisticated disco! Open from 7pm to 2am.