The weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. The good news is a wet day in Morzine is nowhere near the write-off most riders think it is, and some of our all-time favourite days out here have been in full waterproofs. Theres something about donning waterproofs, roll offs and mud tyres, heading into the elements that produce the funnest days riding you'll ever have.
Can You Still Ride in Morzine When It Rains?
Yes, absolutely. If you know where to go.
Theres 2 types of wet days as far as we're concerned. The most common is the afternoon thunder storm, throughout late June and July this rolls in like clockwork anytime from 4PM - 6PM. Some ominous thunder, flashes of lighting before the heavens open up for 30 minutes and then its gone like nothing ever happened. These thunderstorms are actually what keep Morzine so good for riding, they dampen down the dust of those 30 degree days and allow trail crews to fix braking bumps.
Then there are proper wet days, when a rain cloud sits over the alps for a full day or days on end. These are a lot rarer but still offer oppourtunities for some great riding.
Get the waterproof out , run some wet tyres, and a rainy day out here is some of the most fun you can have on a bike.
Which Trails Ride Best in the Wet?
The morning after an afternoon/evening thunderstorm, we have 2 pieces of advice.
Don't rush up the hill at 9AM, enjoy an extra beer the night before and a coffee and a croissant. Theres no rush in the morning after a storm, giving it a couple of extra hours to dry out and turn from slick turns into absolute hero dirt.
Keep out of the Tree's for the morning. Trails like Super Morzine and Les Gets are perfect as they start to dry out from the second that morning sun gets onto them, so by the time you get tyres on the dirt, they are grippy as hell!
For a proper settled in storm and some serious rain, its almost the opposit. Head for the trees and avoid Super Morzine/Les Gets as they become and icerink. Theres 2 trails that are arguablely better in the pissing wet than in the dry. Pleney mainline, the dirt gets grippier once you commit, the streep parts drain well and the bumps become softer. Mt Chery has super high grit/sand levels in the dirt meaning in a proper storm it becomes grippy as hell!
If you'd rather someone else does the thinking, our MTB guiding and coaching crew know exactly where the grip is hiding on any given morning. Money well spent on a mixed forecast.
What Kit Do You Need for a Wet Day?
A proper waterproof jacket that fits over your armour is the big one and helps with the clean up. Add wet-weather tyres, roll off goggles and a spare pair of gloves and you're laughing. All our hire bikes can be set up for the conditions, just ask.
If your heading out riding in the storms things will get a little loose so make sure your cover is sorted before you travel. Our partner Yellow Jersey handles bike insurance properly, and our Morzine MTB insurance page has the details.
What If It's a Proper Washout?
It happens once or twice a season. Thunderstorms parked over the valley, lifts on hold, that sort of thing. Morzine has you sorted. There's the swimming pool and spa, more good coffee than one town needs, bike shops to mooch around, and enough restaurants to plan an eating tour of (side note - we also fully condone spending the evening in Bar Robinson). It's also the perfect afternoon to plan tomorrow's big loop while the trails soak up all that lovely moisture.
Ready to Ride, Rain or Shine?
Don't let a forecast scare you off booking the trip. If you're new to all this, have a read of our first timers guide to a Morzine MTB holiday, check out our summer accommodation here >> and get in touch with our friendly team.
See you on the trails,
Bike Morzine
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