Morillon:Ski resort guide

What is Morillon like?

Morillon is the small, quiet one. The village sits at 700 m on the floor of the Giffre valley, with traditional houses clad in local wood and a 16th-century church, Saint-Christophe, whose square bell tower carries an onion dome. A second base was built 400 m higher on the Plateau des Esserts: Morillon 1100, a cluster of chalet residences in the forest at the foot of the pistes.

The tourist office calls Morillon the favourite resort of families, and the pitch is simple: a gondola from the village, family-friendly skiing above it, a lake with a beach for summer, and none of the bustle of its bigger neighbour, Samoëns, under 4 km away. The weekly market runs on Sunday mornings, all year, in front of the tourist office.

Morillon suits you if you want a calm base for a family ski week, and you'll take the bus to Samoëns when you want more going on.

Skiing in Morillon

A 10-seat gondola climbs from the village to Morillon 1100, Les Esserts, where the skiing starts. The lift company puts the Morillon sector between 1,100 m and 2,100 m, with nine lifts, and from the top you can ski on to Les Carroz, Samoëns and Flaine. The long way up is the Coulouvrier chairlift, which the lift company calls the longest in Europe, at 2.9 km.

You can also drive to Les Esserts, where the car park is free.

The Morillon ski area

Morillon is on the Villages pass, which covers Morillon, Samoëns, Les Carroz and Sixt, and on the full Grand Massif pass, which adds Flaine and the Cascades run. The skiing here is built for families and intermediates:

• The Marvel run, a 5 km green, has life-size animal figures hidden along it.
• The Marvel toboggan run uses the same 5 km on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the school holidays.
• Ze Kidz Park, reached from the top of the Esserts chairlift, is for children.
• Ze Funky Park is off the Crête red run.

Beginners

The beginner area is at Les Esserts. The Morillon beginner pass covers two return trips on the gondola, the Télédébutant drag lift, the Esserts chairlift and the Essertoux carpet, and at the time of writing it costs less than the Samoëns equivalent.

The ESF is the ski school based in Morillon, with offices in the village and at Les Esserts. It teaches skiing, snowboarding, freestyle, telemark, ski touring, cross-country and handiski, and runs a children's village for 18-month to seven-year-olds, by the half-day or full day. The independent ZigZag school from Samoëns also has a meeting point at Morillon 1100.

Where to stay

You have two choices, and they suit different holidays:

• The village, at 700 m. Wooden houses and chalet-style residences, the church, the market and the Lac Bleu, and the gondola to the snow. Buses run to Samoëns and on to Sixt.
• Morillon 1100, Les Esserts. Chalet residences in the woods of the plateau, at the snow front, with the beginner area and the ski school on hand.

Despite its name, the Club Med Grand Massif Samoëns Morillon isn't in Morillon: it sits at 1,600 m on the Plateau des Saix above Samoëns.

Morillon for families

For families, Morillon offers the ESF children's village, which takes children from 18 months to seven years, the beginner area at Les Esserts, and the Marvel run. At the time of writing, children under eight ski free for the day if you buy their pass at a ticket office with proof of age.

In summer the family focus shifts to the Lac Bleu, 500 m from the village centre.

Things to do in Morillon

In winter, the tourist office lists fishing at the Lac Bleu. The free ski buses connect Morillon to Samoëns for its market, its Jaÿsinia garden and its restaurants.

Eating and drinking

At Les Esserts, La Combe is a family restaurant at the snow front, cooking bistro dishes and regional specialities such as tartiflette and fondue, with a large terrace looking across to the Criou. It opens from 18 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, from 10:00 until the evening.

Up the mountain, the lift company lists L'Igloo, which serves all day from the opening of the lifts, and Le Chalet, at the top of the Sairon chairlift, with burgers, a dish of the day and regional specialities. L'Igloo's tourist office listing gives 19 December to 4 April, daily; check Le Chalet's dates before you go.

In the village, La Covagne is the bar-restaurant at the Lac Bleu, cooking with fresh local produce and putting on concerts and events. It was open in October 2026; check its winter dates.

Morillon in summer

The gondola runs in summer: from 4 July to 30 August in 2026, at €2 for walkers. At the top, the Sairon chairlift climbs on to 1,700 m. From Les Esserts you can:

• ride the Marvel trail on a mountain bike, fatscoot or mountainboard
• taste cheese at the Ferme de la Vieille
• walk to the Croix des 7 Frères viewpoint
• hike on towards Samoëns, Les Carroz and the Agy plateau

Mountain bikers get two downhill trails for experienced riders and one for novices, and the tourist office also lists an enduro bike park and disc golf. Les Esserts has restaurants, bars, a small supermarket and a bakery in summer. The lifts close for the day in bad weather.

The Lac Bleu is Morillon's summer centre. It has a sandy beach and a swimming area with lifeguards every day in season, shaded lawns, picnic tables and a children's play area. Around it are a treetop adventure course, a riding centre, a pumptrack, minigolf, beach volleyball, pétanque, kayaking and a fishing lake.

How to get to Morillon

Geneva Airport is about 60 km away. Leave the A40 at the Cluses exit, and Morillon is about 15 minutes from the motorway. From 1 November to 31 March, French law requires winter tyres marked 3PMSF, or chains or snow socks in the car, everywhere in Haute-Savoie.

By public transport, the Y94 bus runs from Cluses station through Morillon to Samoëns and Sixt, but it stops in the village only, not at Morillon 1100: take the gondola up. Line 274 links Morillon and Samoëns with Geneva Airport. The free Navettes du Giffre ski buses connect Morillon with Samoëns, Verchaix and Sixt, including a loop from the Grand Massif Express in Samoëns to the Morillon gondola.

Getting to Samoëns covers the valley's buses and transfers in detail.

Weather, snow and webcams

The Haut-Giffre tourist office runs live webcams at the Lac Bleu, Morillon 1100 and the Sairon. Its live from the slopes page lists which runs and lifts are open, with the snow quality and avalanche risk. The office also publishes a forecast for Morillon for the coming days.

When to visit Morillon

For 2026/27 the Morillon lifts run from 19 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, a week shorter at each end than Samoëns. The whole Grand Massif links up from 19 December.

• December: the lifts open on 19 December, in time for Christmas.
• January: outside the New Year week, usually quieter.
• February: the French school holidays and British half-term, the busiest weeks.
• March: the last full month, and the lifts close on 4 April.
• Summer: July and August, when the gondola runs and the Lac Bleu has lifeguards.

Morillon vs Samoëns

Neighbours in the same valley, reaching the same ski area. The difference is size.

Choose Morillon if you want a smaller, quieter base, a cheaper start for beginners, and the Lac Bleu in summer.

Choose Samoëns if you want a lively village centre, more choice of ski schools and restaurants, and a longer season.

What's nearby

• Samoëns

  The bigger village next door, on the same free ski bus.

• Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval

  Up the valley, for the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval.

• Les Carroz

  Over the Tête des Saix on skis.

• Flaine

  The Grand Massif's high resort, across the Tête des Saix.