Experience Autumn in Morzine

Autumn in the French Alps is an opportunity to see the mountains in a new light. The beautiful forests around Morzine turn a gorgeous blend of autumnal orange, yellow and all shades of red.

The temperature remains warm in the day for hiking, cycling and sightseeing but gets cooler in the evening, so we retreat indoors for comfort from food and warmth from the fireplace. This makes returning to a cosy chalet and hot tub all the more rewarding.

Morzine is traditionally a farming region, and harvest is a great time to discover and celebrate the regional produce of the area. Fruits, nuts and vegetables (apples, berries, plums, pumpkin, courgettes, chestnuts) make their way into the local cuisine, accompanied by the many varieties of mountain cheese and charcuterie.

Certain areas of the mountainside become dotted with people foraging for mushrooms, which are sold to restaurants and at local markets. There are a host of local markets to explore in the towns and villages of the region, including Morzine’s own market, Samoëns and Thonon-Les-Bains. Try local products and leisurely shop for interesting ingredients to cook in your self catered chalet.

Hiking and cycling in Autumn

Autumn is a spectacular and peaceful time to hike in the mountains, and a great number of routes are accessible directly from our chalets.

The lifts do not operate at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you need to be super fit to walk in the mountains. There are gentle walks along the river Dereches, Lac des Mines D’Or in the vallee de la Manche and around Lac Montriond, where you will see the colourful autumn trees reflected in the water. At the top of the Col de Joux Plane, overlooking the Samoëns valley, there is a short walk that leads to La Bourgeoise, which is marked by a cross and offers stunning views of Mont Blanc and the Grand Massif mountains.

For those who are fairly fit, there is nothing more rewarding than conquering some of the great peaks of the area. Nantaux, which can be hiked from Montriond in around 4 hours, is the tallest mountain in Morzine meaning the views are spectacular. The Point de Nyon, Roc D’Enfer, Mont Ouzon and the more challenging 5 hour return hike to Ressachaux are all summits that should be added to your must-hike list.

Road biking in autumn may require a few extra layers, but is highly rewarding with beautiful colours and quiet roads in the Alps. Morzine is a great base for cycling the famous cols of the region, such as the Col de Joux Verte and the Col de Joux Plane.

Day Trips

With the busy summer season over and the ski season still a while away, autumn is a great time of year to explore the sights, authentic villages and towns of the Haute Savoie region. Visit lakeside Annecy, with its historic old town and wonderful restaurants, explore the medieval town of Yvoire on Lake Geneva or head in the direction of Chamonix to board the Aiguille du Midi cable car for an up-close view of Mont Blanc.

During the harvest season you will find some interesting local festivals, including the Saint Jean d’Aulps annual wine festival, where you can taste a variety of French wines and cheeses, and the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days), which is widely celebrated in farming towns and villages of the region with a range of activities.

Luxury Self Catered Chalets

Our luxury chalets are available to be booked on a self catered basis for a minimum of 2 nights in the Autumn. Beautiful interiors and bathrooms, incredible views, hot tub, quality linen and fluffy towels are all included in your stay in one of our chalets or apartments. Superbly located in the Morzine and Montriond area, all of our chalets are in excellent locations for walking, running and biking on the mountain trails and roads.

Meal Services for Self Catered Guests

For a relaxing holiday, consider booking one of our meal services so you need not worry about shopping or cooking during your stay. Choose from a Private Chef , where our chef will come and cook delicious meals for you in your chalet; our meal delivery services, for a different meal and dessert to be delivered to your chalet each day of the week; or pre-order your shopping [link to shopping extras page] to be delivered directly to your chalet and unpacked into the fridge ready for your arrival at the chalet.

AliKats’ Mountain Retreats

We run personal and business mountain wellness retreats in all seasons, including autumn. Our small group, four-night Back to Nature retreats combine yoga, meditation, mountain hikes, Qi Gong, forest bathing and life coaching and are available on set dates, please find more information here.

Our Bespoke for Business mountain retreats are designed around each client’s specific needs and can run across 3, 4 or 5 days. On these retreats business teams escape the daily grind and discover how to express their fullest potential under the guidance of life and leadership coach Caitlin Cockerton (PhD, CPCC). They combine mindfulness, nature, yoga and other uplifting mountain activities, with a menu of wholesome, seasonal food and accommodation in our flagship chalet Ferme a Jules.

Business events, workshops, team building and retreat venues

We have a number of large, impressive chalets that can be booked exclusively for business meetings and events. Whether your aim is to incentivise, team build, impress clients or hold an off-site meeting, we will work with you to build an itinerary that is best for your group. Discover how we can help you create awesome corporate holidays and events here.

If you are looking to host your own yoga, personal growth or business retreat, our chalets offer beautiful interiors with stunning mountain views and outside spaces.

Please contact us for more information.