If you like weather, then this is the place for you!
Mountain weather is notoriously difficult to forecast. Not only can the weather vary markedly from one valley to another, but it is also three-dimensional and geography, local effects and height above sea-level has to be taken into consideration when forecasting both temperature and precipitation. Here is a quick guide to what may happen in the next five days.
Morzine gets far more snow in winter than its altitude would suggest it should. This is partly due to its geographic location being midway between the large mass of cooling water known as Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) and the highest of the European peaks (Mont Blanc) and has resulted in historical average winter snow depths being much deeper in Morzine and Avoriaz than other European mountain towns of the same altitude. A quick independent check of historical statistics such as those published by the Ski Club Of Great Britian will confirm just how much more snow - especially early season - Morzine's geographical location brings.
Chalet Les Geckos is situated at 1200m in the vallee de la Manche in Morzine and the winter temperatures are consistently 4 to 5 degrees centigrade below the temperature in Morzine. This is a real bonus during the ski season (December to April) as the snow falls heavier and stays longer. The winter wonderland feeling is very much more pronounced than it can be in Morzine town centre and any winter rain in the town centre will most likely fall as snow at the chalet. Indeed, those looking for a white Christmas can be cheered by the fact that, since we have owned the land on which we built the chalet (i.e. since the year 2000), Christmas and New Year have always seen a thick white blanket of snow in the garden, sometimes when Morzine town centre has been bare of snow. If you are looking at alpine weather forecasts such as those available at www.snow-forecast.com or at www.chamonix.com then bear in mind that we seem to get the winter weather of a resort at circa 1300m of altitude (Chatel or Morgins for example). This is due to the valley effect of cooling the temperature. It's also worth noting that in our 20 year experience, the Chamonix web site has consistently provided the best forecasts - albeit over a shorter time range (typically upto one week maximum) than some other sites attempt.
Conversely, in summer the cooler temperature at the chalet (typically 2 degrees cooler than the town centre in summer) can be a real bonus too. Whilst we all love the sun, at times it can become just too hot and those extra two degrees of cool, along with a gentle valley breeze, make life more bearable.
The downside of all this is when it rains. If it is raining in the Alps at Morzine altitude then expect monsoon style downpours at the chalet. These are often punctuated by dramatic electrical storms and they can be a real experience!
The valley is a spectacularly green and beautiful place in summer and a winter wonderland in winter. Whatever the weather, you will love it here.
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