Throughout its recent history as a centre of tourism Morzine has looked to host events that will help promote the town to the rest of the world.
FIS Races
For many years Morzine has been one of the resorts that can be used for FIS world cup ski races. It is always a testament to the ambition of any ski resort when the effort it made to build a track worthy of the FIS world cup events. The FIS races bring in visitors, although not as many as some other events, but they serve as a great advert for the ski slopes and the town itself as they will be seen worldwide on television. It also raises the prestige of the town to be included at such an event.
Passportes Du Soleil
Going from winter into summer, the Passportes Du Soleil is a famous event in the mountain biking calendar. In 2016 it entered its 13th year and continues to go from strength to strength. The event marks the full opening of the Portes Du Soleil bike trails every summer. It ranges from 1000 metres to 2250 metres, crossing the border from France to Switzerland and back again. It is an 80 km route that incorporates 15 lifts along the route. It shows the huge range of riding in the Portes Du Soleil and the vast distances that can be covered. The aim of the event is to cover the distance in one day, either on the Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Every year town fills up for the event and the mountain gets very busy! Keeping up with the times, this year saw an e-bike event run in conjunction with the rest of the Passportes.
Harley Days
Once every two years, in July, The Harley-Davidson Owners Group (HOG) come to Morzine for Harley Days. Normally approximately 3000 Harleys come to town as well as thousands of visitors to soak up the atmosphere. There are stalls along the Rue Du Bourg, bike shows and other entertainment throughout the day. In the evening there are bands playing in the main square by the Tourist Information Office. Previous bands who have played include Toto and Status Quo. The large square always gets completely packed out for the headliners.
Tour de France
The Tour De France, one of the most famous sporting spectacles in the world, has visited Morzine on numerous occasions. In 2016 Morzine enjoyed the prestige of hosting the penultimate stage before the final ride into Paris. There are a number of different climbs that can be used to add variety each year, including the road to Avoriaz, the Col Du Joux Plane and the Col Du Joux Verte. In 2010 Lance Armstrongís attempted comeback ended with a crash in Morzine. The story of the Tour De France will now always be linked to Morzine, as Morzine has featured so prominently in the history of the Tour.
Avoriaz Film Festival
Starting in 1973 the Film Festival ìFantastiqueî has showcased the films of some of the top directors in the world. These have included, over the years, Brian De Palma, David Cronenburg, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, George Miller and Luc Besson. The last edition of the festival was in 1993. Some notable films to have won the prize in the past include Carrie, Elephant Man, Terminator, Mad Max 2 and Blue Velvet. The Blue Velvet ski run which opened in December 2015 was named to commemorate the film of the same name.
Music festivals
In 2016 the Snowboxx music festival moved to Avoriaz. The festival features world famous music acts, as well as other events on and off the slopes and brings in approximately 3,000 visitors. The Transition festival, run by the same people as Snowbombing, is a similar festival at the start of the winter.
Rock The Pistes is a festival that runs throughout the Portes Du Soleil, with Morzine just one of the venues. It features free concerts on the slopes and après concerts in the village.
National holidays
Other national events, such as Christmas, New Year and Bastille Day (July 14th), are celebrated with fireworks and music. Fête de la Musique also features live music throughout town.
The future
All of these events will continue to come to Morzine and more events will be added to the calendar to see if they prove popular. It is important to continue to innovate to help boost tourism in the town.