Eagle-Eye Cherry to headline Rock The Pistes in Portes du Soleil
Preparations are underway for the return of Rock the Pistes, the original music festival in the mountain, which celebrates its 11th anniversary this year. With well-known Eagle-Eye Cherry headlining, plus four concerts on the pistes, more than 30 après-concerts held throughout the Portes du Soleil area in both Switzerland and France, and more than 25,000 people expected to attend throughout the weeklong event, it is the largest music festival in the Alps, featuring performances at altitudes of 1,600 m to 1,950 m. Taking place from 12-18 March 2023, festivalgoers will be able to ski from one performance to the next, and with entry to the concerts free to lift pass holders, revellers can enjoy the freedom to dance, sing, and rock out where and when they please.
Rock the Pistes festival, originally named Festival des Concerts Sauvages before a rebranding in 2012, began in 2011, with the first festival having just 100 fans in attendance. Today there will be more than 5,000 people crowding around each stage. Each year, one Portes du Soleil resort is named the “Festival Village” and will host the opening night, press night, acts, media, sponsors and festival organisers, this year the host village will be Morzine. An authentic village in the heart of the Franco-Swiss Portes du Soleil ski area, Morzine has been a favourite for winter sports enthusiasts since the Pléney lift was put into service in 1934. Situated at an altitude of over 1,000 metres, it is one of the most northerly of the French Alpine resorts, enjoying panoramic mountain views and fantastic ski conditions.
The world’s oldest cross-border ski destination, the Portes du Soleil covers the neighbouring Alpine regions of French Chablais and Swiss Valais, encompassing two countries and 12 resorts. These include Avoriaz, Champéry, Les Gets and Morzine, with one lift pass providing access to them all. Located between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, this huge ski area has more than 600 km of pistes and 196 lifts. Portes du Soleil, or the ‘Gateway to the Sun’ as many refer to it, enjoys an annual average snowfall of nearly eight metres, with the region a flurry of activity throughout the winter and the ski season wrapping up in late April. More recently, however, it has been a ‘Gateway to powder’, with more than 60 cm having fallen within the past week.
Since 2011, the Rock the Pistes festival has been welcoming the big names of the Franco-Swiss and international pop rock scene for exceptional concerts across the entire Portes du Soleil area. Previous performers have included Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Babyshambles. For the 2023 fesitval Martin Solveig will open in Champery on Sunday 12th, Suzanne in Les Gets on Monday 13th and Mome in Chatel on Tuesday 14th. Swedish singer, Eagle-Eye Cherry, will headline this year’s festival. Cherry is known for a number of hits including ‘Save Tonight’ and ‘Falling in Love Again’. Eagle-Eye Cherry will perform on the big stage at the top of the Foilleuse on 17 March 2023.
Go to the Portes du Soleil
All 12 resorts in the Portes du Soleil can be easily accessed from Geneva Airport, which benefits from low cost, direct flight access from London, Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. Return flights from London Gatwick during the upcoming winter season cost from £43 pp with easyJet.
Inghams offers a seven-night stay in the Portes du Soleil at Chalet Matine Apartments in the French resort of Morzine, arriving 11 March 2023, from £982 pp based on two adults sharing a standard room on a self-catered basis. This Includes return flights from the UK to Geneva and airport transfers.
Or, Ski Solutions offers a seven-night stay in the Portes du Soleil at Hotel Suisse in the charming and rustic Swiss resort of Champéry, arriving 11 March 2023, from £1,515 pp based on two adults sharing a standard room on a self-catering basis. Includes return flights from London Gatwick to Geneva and rail transfers.
A six day lift pass for the Portes du Soleil area is priced from €292.50 / £256 for adults, €219.40 / £192 for children and €263.30 / £231 for seniors.
