What does a ski resort look like in the summer?

The summer months are long for a ski resort, and many of them are ghost towns at the moment. Particularly in the months directly before and after the ski season, there is nothing at all to do. Most of the hotels and restaurants are closed, no cafes, no bars. It is difficult to imagine that in a few short months this place will be packed with holidaymakers, whizzing between the slopes, the chalets and the apres ski parties.

We were in Avoriaz last weekend, and it was dead as a dodo. There were slightly more people out and about in Morzine, but even there we could not find anyplace to have a bite to eat at 3pm. Not even a cake or waffel. We resorted to ice cream, consumed sitting in the sun while watching the children play on the big square. There has been a lot of building work over the summer, it is almost finished and Morzine is ready to welcome the winter guests.