The geography of Morzine places it just on the French side of the Swiss/French border in the east of France. It is close to Lake Geneva, which can be seen from some of the higher points of the resort and it is also close to Mt Blanc, which can also be seen from various points on the mountains. It is in the Haute Savoie department in the Rhone Alpes region of France. It is the northern region of the Alps. The particular location of Morzine, lying as it does in the Mont Blanc Microclimate, helps provide excellent snowfall throughout winter contrasted with warm and usually sunny summer months. It is not a heavily populated region, although there are some large towns around. The town is surrounded by wooded slopes leading up to the high mountains that provide some of the best skiing in the area.
What's Around
There are many major towns around Morzine. As well as Lake Geneva and Mt Blanc, one of the other major natural features around is Lake Annecy, about 90 kilometres away. The closest major urban areas include Geneva, over the Swiss border, Annecy, Cluses, Annemasse and Thonon-Les-Bains. Thonon-Les-Bains is the closest major town, lying about 30 kilometres from Morzine with a population of about 35,000.
Population
Morzine's population fluctuates massively depending on the time of year. The winter brings in a lot of seasonal workers who will call Morzine their home for the five months of winter, plus high numbers of tourists. Similarly Summer brings in workers and tourists. Not including the more transient elements of the population, Morzine has approximately 3,000 permanent residents. It often tops the list of the most visited resorts in the French Alps in winter.
The population of Avoriaz is is not particularly high but it does rise massively during the winter.
Geopark Du Chablais
Morzine lies within the Geopark Du Chablais, a UNESCO listed Geopark. This is a result of the geological importance of the area and is highlighted by the outstanding natural beauty of the area as well as the integration of man and nature throughout the area. The Georoute runs throughout the area and includes 23 sites that explain the geological and historical significance of these sites. One of these can be found at the Montriond Lake.
The unique geography and geology of the area provides the stunning location for the Geopark Du Chablais - Stretching from the Joux Plane Pass above Morzine all the way to Lake Geneva, fifty kilometres in total. It tells the unique story of the formation of the surrounding landscape and the way in which man has worked with the environment and learnt to live in harmony with it. It is a part of the UNESCO Geoparks project and features twenty three different sites that all teach a different part of the history of the area. In Avoriaz itself the ski lifts are classed as one of the sites. After all, what better way to see the mountains that have been carved out here than by skiing them?