Skiing in Morzine and Les Gets | how I stayed warm and cosy to celebrate the new year with a family ski trip in the Portes du Soleil

We’ve just returned from a brilliant family New Year ski trip to Morzine and Les Gets, celebrating the start of the year in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. This time, we weren’t just skiing with our grown-up children, their partners joined us too, making it a really special trip.  I felt very emotional and extremely blessed.

A New Year ski holiday is something I can wholeheartedly recommend. Getting away during the quieter days between Christmas and New Year felt like the perfect escape, with my favourite blue-sky days, stunning Alpine views and beautifully groomed pistes. While we didn’t have fresh snowfall, conditions were still excellent, although the temperatures were very cold at times!

We’ve been skiing in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz for twenty years and this trip marked our first stay in Les Gets itself. It was an ideal base for exploring the Portes du Soleil and a reminder that staying warm and comfortable on the slopes is just as important as good snow.  My last ski trip was in April 2024 and that was the other extreme - very hot!  You can read my spring skiing tips here!
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In this post, I’m sharing highlights from our family ski trip, along with how I stayed warm and cosy on the mountain, including the winter essentials that made such a difference on those freezing New Year days and evenings.

This blog post contains gifted items and affiliate links.

Reaching the highest point on a beautiful but cold day in the Portes du Soleil skiing region

Where we stayed in Les Gets

For this New Year ski trip, we stayed in Les Gets for the first time, choosing Annapurna by Alpine Resorts. It proved to be a fantastic base for our week in the Portes du Soleil with a (fairly) easy walk to the main lifts (gondola or chair lift) in Les Gets.  We always hire a car so we mixed between the Les Gets lifts and driving to Ardent and parking.

The apartment was warm, comfortable and well laid out for a family group, it was maybe a little smaller than we'd have chosen for 6 adults (my daughter and her boyfriend were in the 'cabine' room with no window - fortunately it had a double bed rather than bunk beds, but it did lack furniture)!  There was one small double room with an en-suite shower and a larger double bedroom which shared the main family bathroom with the cabine room.  It had a luxurious large bath, lots of hot water, a wood burner and plenty of space to play games.  Annapurna also has a spa (with hot tub, pool and sauna/steam room) which we made use of.

Having stayed around Morzine for many years, it was lovely to experience Les Gets properly this time, it felt slightly quieter than Morzine, very pretty but still brilliantly connected to the wider ski area.
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If you’re travelling as a family or mixed-ability group, Les Gets is a great option, especially if you want easy access to the slopes but a more traditional village feel.  

New Year's Eve in Morzine

We decided not to book a restaurant due to the very high prices and because last year my son and his girlfriend enjoyed the community spirit of joining the outdoor events in Morzine centre.  We played a few fun games at the apartment, opened a bottle of Champagne and headed out about 9.30 pm, we had drinks in an aprés ski bar (outside but heated) and then went to the main square for music, dancing and fireworks at midnight!  It was the best atmosphere and we loved it!

We heard the news from Crans Montana the next morning, we were shocked and upset and being in a ski resort full of young people having fun, even more real, Our hearts go out to the families affected and the young people who lost their lives or who are so badly hurt and in hospital.

Fireworks and music for New Year's Eve in Morzine

Skiing in Morzine and Les Gets during a busy period

New Year is peak season and always a busy time to ski and Les Gets is no exception. While the main Les Chavannes area can feel congested during peak hours, one of the joys of skiing here is how easy it is to move away from the crowds but still benefit from the easier blue runs.

We’d strongly recommend heading towards Chatel, Ranfoilly as well as over to Switzerland (via Ardent and Avoriaz).  Nyon is also looking lovely and has a new lease of life with the with a viewing platform on the Nyon plateau.

If you’re not a complete beginner, these areas tend to be quieter, with longer, more flowing runs and a much more relaxed feel even during peak holiday weeks. It’s a good reminder of just how vast the Portes du Soleil ski area really is.  Our ski instructor told us if all the runs in the Portes du Soleil were joined together it totals over 600 km of skiing.

One of my favourite views from the chairlift as we head to Switzerland from Les Gets

Book early and especially at New Year

If you’re planning a New Year ski trip, booking ahead makes a huge difference. Accommodation, ski hire and restaurants fill up quickly and having everything organised before you arrive takes so much pressure off.
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We’d recommend:

• booking ski hire well in advance,
• booking ski lessons (private) or ski school in plenty of time too,
• reserving restaurants for popular evenings,
• sorting lift passes early to avoid queues (ask your accommodation or book online).

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It makes the whole experience feel calmer particularly when travelling as a group.

It is also a more expensive time of the year to ski so be aware that accomodation prices are high, which is why we were in a smaller apartment that we'd have liked, the larger one literally got booked 10 minutes before I confirmed our reservation!  Flights went up considerably in price too, my son and his girlfriend skied last new year but this year even with Jet2 and EasyJet we paid far more.  It was worth it!

My TOP restaurant recommendation - Le Clin d'Oeil in Morzine!

Lunch in Switzerland, a bright day but very cold!

How I stayed warm on the slopes (and off them)

With temperatures dropping well below freezing, staying warm was essential this year. Rather than over-layering, I focused on a few key thermal layers from Heat Holders, which made a real difference.
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Their ski socks kept my feet warm and comfortable all day without feeling bulky in ski boots, I was very impressed as I suffer badly from cold toes, the thermal sleeveless vest worked perfectly as a base layer under my fleece and extra thermal layer, and the thermal gloves and thermal headband were great for après ski and evening walks around the village. These were simple, practical pieces that did exactly what they promised and earned their place in my ski wardrobe.

My powder blue ski jacket is from Poivre Blanc, I purchased mine in Avoriaz in a sale last April and this was my first time wearing it.  TOP TIP - choose bright colours for your ski wear especially if you are skiing in a group, it means it is easier to spot your family and friends when you are behind!  

If you live near the High Wycombe/Marlow area I really recommend SportCrest in High Wycombe for skiwear and exceptional customer service.

A word of warning: ski theft (sadly on the rise)

One thing I feel is really important to mention, because it’s becoming increasingly common, is ski theft. On the first day of our trip, my husband’s skis 'disappeared' while we were waiting at the ticket office to collect lift passes.

We hadn’t taken out the additional ski insurance sadly, but thankfully Ski Mobile were absolutely brilliant and replaced them very quickly, and our travel insurance later paid out.

It’s a good reminder to:

• always split skis when leaving them unattended,
• keep them close by in restaurants, where you can see them,
• or consider using a ski lock if you’re stopping for lunch.

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It’s not something you want to think about on holiday, but it’s far better to be aware.

Skiing with my son and husband - I am the slowest!

Final thoughts on our family New Year ski trip

Skiing in Morzine and Les Gets at New Year was such a special time for our family, we made memories and had the best fun together.  Despite the cold (and the crowds), it was a memorable and enjoyable way to start the year.

I feel really blessed and I hope we can all go again soon!  

Love from
Michelle xx


Disclaimer: I was gifted the Heat Holders products featured in this post, all thoughts and experiences shared are my own.  This blog post contains some affiliate links.

Happy moments from our new year ski trip to Les Gets