Robert Ashton and family took themselves off to the Savoie Mont Blanc region of France for a fantastic value holiday.

It was late July and the children were on holiday. Despite the recession their parents decided they too needed a holiday. We had planned a Staycation (that forceful welding of Stay and Vacation) in the UK, but by luck I found out about an adaptation of an old idea.


Village of Morzine

An established ski company (Ski Morzine) was operating one of their catered ski-chalets at Morzine in the Portes de Soleil area of Savoie Mont Blanc during the summer as well. At a wallet friendly cost of £38 per adult per night we secured an en-suite room (with adjoining room for the offspring), a three-course dinner with wine, coffee etc… and a freshly prepared buffet breakfast each day. It was payable in Sterling too, so no need to worry about the exchange rate for the majority of our costs. However, despite the excellent price, a catered chalet in summer isn’t unique. What seemed too good to be true was the fact that arrival and departure days were flexible ie, no need to fly or take a ferry on peak days, thereby saving a sizeable chunk of the childrens’ inheritance (although this was subsequently used on the return journey to ‘save’ money buying lots of cheaper wine)

As we had to travel with roof boxes of child related detritus we opted for Brittany Ferries Portsmouth-Caen overnight crossing. Although Morzine is just one hour from Geneva airport, for us self-drive really was the best way to start the holiday: a reasonable night’s sleep, a proper breakfast and arrival in Normandy at 06.30. Early enough to see us past Paris before most inhabitants have even had a coffee, let alone start their car. A long drive followed but thanks to the smooth and empty French roads we arrived in Morzine mid afternoon.

One of the other major attractions of Morzine is the Summer Multipass. For just €1 (yes, one) a day it gives access to pretty much everything in Morzine (as well as the other 11 resorts in the Portes du Soleil). For starters, the outdoor swimming complex is magnificent (and free). For adult swimmers there’s a 50metre pool, for children a safe, yet obstacle rich, play pool. For those in between a graduated smaller pool and for the thrill seekers a long, twisty water slide. Now add in the (all free) tennis courts, indoor ice rink, buses, tourist train and unlimited rides on the chair/bubble lifts up to the grassy pistes and you start to realise that Morzine has much to offer the family visitor in summer. For older children there are several shops renting out mountain bikes. In essence, it’s simply a playground for those of us who aspire to fresh air, great mountain views, an active lifestyle and a lively atmosphere (there are a lot of mountain bikers from all over the world and they know how to party).


Scenery surrounding Morzine

We could easily have spent a lot of money in one of the headline resorts but Morzine offered good value. After a three-course breakfast we often simply waddled around to the local shop, bought enough saucisson, cheese and bread for a picnic, filled our bottles up with free mountain water and headed up to altitude to watch the paragliders, mountain bikers et al whilst the children ran around in flowery meadows. Idyllic? Too right. Stress just cascades away in these peaceful and impossibly picturesque surroundings.

Weather can never be guaranteed, but we spent 10 days under deep blue skies, revelling in the 30 degree warmth and the fact that we didn’t have to use the car unless we wanted to. Chalet Flo is a ten-minute walk from the town centre (well away from any noisy bars) but the charming, shaded path along the riverbank makes the walk an enjoyable experience in itself. As an added bonus there is a free petting zoo, pony centre and aerial assault course en route, so the walk alone once took us over 3 hours!

As the main cook of our family, what made this holiday stand out for me was the knowledge that when I got back to the chalet, absolutely whacked after a hot and fun day, a freshly prepared, healthy and beautifully presented meal was waiting for the children (plus a large glass of chilled white wine for me). Once they were in bed it was time for us to join the other ‘grown ups’ for more great wines and some excellent food, once again courtesy of the affable and informative chalet hosts (a couple who were both retired PE teachers). No cooking, no clearing away, no washing up – and yet all the friendly, homely atmosphere you could ever hope for.

For my wife and I this was simply the most relaxing family holiday for over six years (our eldest is five). The cost was reasonable (cheap almost), the quality was excellent and the destination was second to none. Forget the Staycation, head to Morzine and take a Playcation instead.

Fact Box
Chalet Flo is available through Summer Morzine, 01932 837 639 www.summermorzine.com .
Brittany Ferries – www.brittany-ferries.co.uk
Morzine Tourist Office (for details of the Multipass)
www.morzine-avoriaz.com
Savoie Mont Blanc Tourist Office www.savoie-mont-blanc.com