Morzine vs Les Gets: Which Village for Your Season?

Morzine and Les Gets share a lift connection and both sit within the Portes du Soleil — 600km of linked terrain across France and Switzerland, taking in Avoriaz, Châtel, Champéry, and more. Both attract significant numbers of British seasonaires. Both are in Haute-Savoie, 90 minutes from Geneva.

And yet doing a season in one versus the other feels noticeably different. If you're trying to choose between them, here's what actually separates them.

What They Share

The same Portes du Soleil pass covers both villages — Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Châtel, Champéry, Morgins, and the connecting Swiss resorts. The circuit is the same from either base. Avoriaz (1,800m, car-free) is the highest point on the French side and the go-to when snow is thin lower down — it's accessible from both villages and functions as the main hub of the pass.

Both have an established British seasonaire community and British tour operator presence. Both are year-round villages with non-resort economies, which keeps infrastructure and living costs more grounded than fully purpose-built stations.

Morzine (1,000m)

Morzine is a genuine French town: 3,000 permanent residents, a large Casino supermarket, pharmacy, GP, bank, and enough year-round life that it doesn't feel hollowed out in spring. It has the best airport connection of any resort in the Portes du Soleil area — Geneva is roughly 1.5 hours by road, which matters if you're flying home mid-season or between seasons (and seasonaires do this more than tourists).

It also has the highest concentration of British seasonaire workers in the Portes du Soleil area. Some estimates put British nationals at 30–40% of winter seasonaires. The employer landscape reflects this: Peak Retreats, Scott Dunn, and dozens of independent chalet companies are all based here. The social scene is heavily English-speaking, the bars are full of people in the same situation you're in, and finding work through word of mouth is easier than in most French resorts.

That British density is either a feature or a drawback depending on what you want. If you're arriving for your first season and want an easy landing — recognisable social structures, English-speaking employers, a ready-made seasonaire community — Morzine is the lower-friction option. If you came to France specifically to improve your French and immerse yourself in French mountain culture, Morzine in January can feel more like a British resort that happens to be in France.

Accommodation: €380–650/month shared. Wide variety of employer accommodation options given the density of British operators.

Les Gets (1,172m)

Les Gets is smaller — around 2,000 permanent residents — and feels more French. The British presence exists but is less dominant; the French and Swiss domestic market has stronger representation here. The village has traditional Savoyard character: stone chalets, a Baroque church, a smaller pedestrianised centre. It's quieter than Morzine in a way that reads as more authentic depending on your outlook.

Les Gets has its own ski area directly from the village (the Chavannes and Mont Chéry sectors), and a gondola connection to Morzine that gives access to the full Portes du Soleil. Mont Chéry is south-facing — good for spring snow and sun, different skiing character from the Morzine-side terrain.

The practical tradeoffs: smaller supermarket, fewer facilities, slightly fewer employer options. But if you're comfortable sourcing your own accommodation and housing arrangements (rather than relying on a British operator to sort it), the village character is noticeably different.

Accommodation: €350–600/month — slightly cheaper than Morzine on average.

The Skiing

The Portes du Soleil pass is identical from both villages. The terrain you access directly from each differs in character — Morzine's Pleney and Super-Morzine areas versus Les Gets' Chavannes and Mont Chéry — but the full circuit is the same. The iconic Portes du Soleil day out (Morzine → Avoriaz → Champéry → Swiss circuit → back) is a full-day route accessible from either base.

Both villages run bus services to Avoriaz. If you're in Les Gets, the connection goes via Morzine — a minor logistical consideration on early-morning powder days, but not a significant barrier.

The Decision

Choose Morzine if: you want the largest British seasonaire social scene in the Portes du Soleil, the broadest range of British employer options, and the best Geneva airport connection. Also if it's your first season and a built-in English-speaking community matters.

Choose Les Gets if: you want a smaller, more French village character, are comfortable arranging your own accommodation, and prefer a quieter (but still internationally social) base. Also if you're specifically trying to limit the English-speaking bubble effect.

The terrain is effectively identical. The village experience is the real variable here.