BikeMorzine: Dream Jobs are out There - Find Yours
Most of us can only dream of working in the French Alps and riding everyday. However, annoyingly, this is the reality for a lucky few. We caught up with latest recruits for BikeMorzine to learn a bit more about them and their plans for summer.
![www.bikemorzine.com]()
For those of you that don't know BikeMorzine, they are one of the original mountain biking only chalets in the French Alps specifically catering for the wants and needs of bikers riding Europe's best bikepark. Now, in their third year of operating they have grown to be much more; putting on epic events such as last years Rip Off Worlds, local mates races and generally pushing the resort to develop through their resort and online presence.
There definitely look like worse places to work, check out the 2014 staff edit:
And now lets meet the 2015 team:
Russell Paver – BikeMorzine Owner
![www.bikemorzine.com]()
Name/Age/ Location:
Russ, 22, Morzine
Current Bike(s):
Commencal Supreme V3 for Downhill and a Commencal Meta AM V4 for the ups and downs. Kitted out head to toe with Burgtec bling.
Favourite UK riding spot:
It's gotta be Llangollen.
Favourite track in the Portes Du Soleil:
Either smashing some #PleneyBangers with the boys or some singletracks that can't be mentioned on the internet.
Favourite biking product of all time:
The wheel.
What led you to start BikeMorzine?
I was tired of coming to Morzine in the summer with chalet companies that didn't care about mountain bikers and did very little to accommodate them. Sure summer doesn't bring the resort anywhere near as much money as winter (at the moment), but it is a great way to provide year round income to the people living here and keep the resort alive during the summers. I saw a gap in the market for affordable summer accommodation run by mountain bikers that know the wants/needs of riders in Europe's best bikepark.
![www.bikemorzine.com]()
Where do you see the future for BikeMorzine:
I'll have to keep my cards close to my chest on this one but there are some big things in the pipeline!
Exciting stuff, where do you see the future for biking in the Portes Du Soleil:
I think the resort is finally starting to see that it has the potential to be the best bikepark in the world; we have nearly 30 lifts over 7 different resorts with a huge variety of terrain, compared to Whistler which has just 3 lifts open during the summer. There is still a huge amount to change to happen before we are fighting for that top spot, with the amount of trails and the way they are built. In the past 2 years there has been a huge amount of progress with amazing new trails on Super Morzine, Mont Chery and Les Gets. Ive got the shout out to the Avoriaz MTB guys who build SuperMorzine as they have really stepped up their game building some world class trails and a lot of other trail crews have followed suit. However like I said, there is still a long way to go!
Worst job you've ever had:
I've been pretty lucky really, can't complain too much at all. However I once had to dig a 2 metre squared hole through bed rock, by hand. Sh*t jobs can be made good by good company.
Favourite meal:
Salmon Thai Green Curry
Drink of choice:
Rose's Jagermoo's
How would you like to be remembered?
Not taking life too seriously and surviving some sketchy moments
![www.bikemorzine.com]()
Thomas Gaffney - Chalet Videographer/Photographer
![Copyright Thomas Gaffney Photography]()
Name/Age/ Location:
Thomas Gaffney, 25, from Burton on Trent
Current Bike(s):
BikeMorzine spec Commencal V3's with Burgtec components
Nukeproof Mega AM
Current Camera Gear:
Canon 5D MKIII
Canon 7D
15 fisheye
24-105
70-200
Favourite UK riding spot:
Cwmcarn, flat out fun! One of the first tracks I ever rode and part of what got me hooked on mountain biking. The Portes Du Soleil reminds me of there, Chatel and Les Gets are real fast and wide, love those runs.
Favourite track in the Portes Du Soleil:
Any in Morgins, they are all so much fun with lots of options and lines. Is tough on the arms though and a longer trip on the lifts but totally worth it!
Favourite biking product of all time:
Knox knee pads, save me every time…number one piece of protection for me.
You've got a lot of experience shooting mountain biking, tell us your favourite memory:
Shooting on top of Aosta Valley, me and Elliot Machin took a few hours hike to the top as the lift was shut and it was so worth it, with Mt Blanc behind we rode the scariest ridge ever, went over the bars in the glacier and saw a bunch of Marmots, the beer at the top was good too. All captured on head cam and camera.
You've also been shooting for a newspaper recently, you must have seen a few strange things doing that:
Yeah definitely, mostly collectors….biggest milk bottle collection, pint glass collection etc. Also worked with the worlds fastest backwards runner, a Kim Kardashian look-alike and Britain's most tattooed man. But highlight was being called a c**t by Lee Latchford-Evans from Steps haha.
![Copyright Thomas Gaffney Photography]()
Worst job you've ever had:
Pizza place…was so awful a mate come to the counter and I hid under it in front of the manager and told her I did it because the job was so embarrassing….it was proper ropey.
Favourite meal:
Steak is life.
Drink of choice:
The mighty Mutzig
How would you like to be remembered?
When I die? Or leave Morzine? Ha. Most importantly I would like to be remembered for being good at what I do, make photos and videos! Other than that for any fun times and adventures would just be a complete plus.
What are you most excited for this summer with BikeMorzine:
Making lots of cool photos and video ideas happen, meeting new people and riding my bike until it or my body cannot take any more!
![Copyright Thomas Gaffney Photography]()
Rory Wood - BikeMorzine Chalet Host/Mechanic
Name/Age/ Location:
Rory Wood, 19 years young, Morzine, France and Perth, Scotland.
Current Bike(s):
Commencal Supreme DH 650b, Specialized Enduro
Favourite UK riding spot:
Dunkeld, Scotland.
Favourite track in the Portes Du Soleil:
Hattock on a dusty, dry day is hard to beat.
Favourite biking product of all time:
Tough choice, Rockshox Reverbs are pretty sick though!
You've done a fair bit of racing in the past, tell us some of your best results:
I reckon 13th at Scottish Champs, 2013, at my local track Dunkeld. I’ve proved pretty adept at crashing in race runs too.
You've been in Morzine for a while now, what keeps you coming back:
The community here is second to none. It’s the best place for me to speak French with the biking in summer and skiing in winter. Being able to go up the mountain, work and head to Bar Robbos in a single day leaves you with little to fault!
Why did you choose to work with BikeMorzine:
The way in which the company is run is awesome. Being a MTB specific company means everything runs smoothly, its lets both myself and the guests spend as much time on our bikes as possible. Getting to know the guys there last year meant I knew it was the job I wanted. All about good times!
What are you most excited for this summer with BikeMorzine:
Daily Pleney Bangers! As well as throwing spanners for guests in the chalet…and being 20 metres from L’Opera, the finest discotheque in Portes Du Soleil.
Worst job you've ever had:
All my jobs have been in Morzine, I don’t think I get to complain about that…
Favourite meal:
Out here, it’s definitely Tartiflette.
Drink of choice:
Don Papa Rum.
How would you like to be remembered?
-Sending Booters, Chasing Hooters
www.bikemorzine.com
MENTIONS: @BikeMorzine
For those of you that don't know BikeMorzine, they are one of the original mountain biking only chalets in the French Alps specifically catering for the wants and needs of bikers riding Europe's best bikepark. Now, in their third year of operating they have grown to be much more; putting on epic events such as last years Rip Off Worlds, local mates races and generally pushing the resort to develop through their resort and online presence.
There definitely look like worse places to work, check out the 2014 staff edit:
And now lets meet the 2015 team:
Russell Paver – BikeMorzine Owner
Name/Age/ Location:
Russ, 22, Morzine
Current Bike(s):
Commencal Supreme V3 for Downhill and a Commencal Meta AM V4 for the ups and downs. Kitted out head to toe with Burgtec bling.
Favourite UK riding spot:
It's gotta be Llangollen.
Favourite track in the Portes Du Soleil:
Either smashing some #PleneyBangers with the boys or some singletracks that can't be mentioned on the internet.
Favourite biking product of all time:
The wheel.
What led you to start BikeMorzine?
I was tired of coming to Morzine in the summer with chalet companies that didn't care about mountain bikers and did very little to accommodate them. Sure summer doesn't bring the resort anywhere near as much money as winter (at the moment), but it is a great way to provide year round income to the people living here and keep the resort alive during the summers. I saw a gap in the market for affordable summer accommodation run by mountain bikers that know the wants/needs of riders in Europe's best bikepark.
Where do you see the future for BikeMorzine:
I'll have to keep my cards close to my chest on this one but there are some big things in the pipeline!
Exciting stuff, where do you see the future for biking in the Portes Du Soleil:
I think the resort is finally starting to see that it has the potential to be the best bikepark in the world; we have nearly 30 lifts over 7 different resorts with a huge variety of terrain, compared to Whistler which has just 3 lifts open during the summer. There is still a huge amount to change to happen before we are fighting for that top spot, with the amount of trails and the way they are built. In the past 2 years there has been a huge amount of progress with amazing new trails on Super Morzine, Mont Chery and Les Gets. Ive got the shout out to the Avoriaz MTB guys who build SuperMorzine as they have really stepped up their game building some world class trails and a lot of other trail crews have followed suit. However like I said, there is still a long way to go!
Worst job you've ever had:
I've been pretty lucky really, can't complain too much at all. However I once had to dig a 2 metre squared hole through bed rock, by hand. Sh*t jobs can be made good by good company.
Favourite meal:
Salmon Thai Green Curry
Drink of choice:
Rose's Jagermoo's
How would you like to be remembered?
Not taking life too seriously and surviving some sketchy moments
Thomas Gaffney - Chalet Videographer/Photographer
Name/Age/ Location:
Thomas Gaffney, 25, from Burton on Trent
Current Bike(s):
BikeMorzine spec Commencal V3's with Burgtec components
Nukeproof Mega AM
Current Camera Gear:
Canon 5D MKIII
Canon 7D
15 fisheye
24-105
70-200
Favourite UK riding spot:
Cwmcarn, flat out fun! One of the first tracks I ever rode and part of what got me hooked on mountain biking. The Portes Du Soleil reminds me of there, Chatel and Les Gets are real fast and wide, love those runs.
Favourite track in the Portes Du Soleil:
Any in Morgins, they are all so much fun with lots of options and lines. Is tough on the arms though and a longer trip on the lifts but totally worth it!
Favourite biking product of all time:
Knox knee pads, save me every time…number one piece of protection for me.
You've got a lot of experience shooting mountain biking, tell us your favourite memory:
Shooting on top of Aosta Valley, me and Elliot Machin took a few hours hike to the top as the lift was shut and it was so worth it, with Mt Blanc behind we rode the scariest ridge ever, went over the bars in the glacier and saw a bunch of Marmots, the beer at the top was good too. All captured on head cam and camera.
You've also been shooting for a newspaper recently, you must have seen a few strange things doing that:
Yeah definitely, mostly collectors….biggest milk bottle collection, pint glass collection etc. Also worked with the worlds fastest backwards runner, a Kim Kardashian look-alike and Britain's most tattooed man. But highlight was being called a c**t by Lee Latchford-Evans from Steps haha.
Worst job you've ever had:
Pizza place…was so awful a mate come to the counter and I hid under it in front of the manager and told her I did it because the job was so embarrassing….it was proper ropey.
Favourite meal:
Steak is life.
Drink of choice:
The mighty Mutzig
How would you like to be remembered?
When I die? Or leave Morzine? Ha. Most importantly I would like to be remembered for being good at what I do, make photos and videos! Other than that for any fun times and adventures would just be a complete plus.
What are you most excited for this summer with BikeMorzine:
Making lots of cool photos and video ideas happen, meeting new people and riding my bike until it or my body cannot take any more!
Rory Wood - BikeMorzine Chalet Host/Mechanic
Name/Age/ Location:
Rory Wood, 19 years young, Morzine, France and Perth, Scotland.
Current Bike(s):
Commencal Supreme DH 650b, Specialized Enduro
Favourite UK riding spot:
Dunkeld, Scotland.
Favourite track in the Portes Du Soleil:
Hattock on a dusty, dry day is hard to beat.
Favourite biking product of all time:
Tough choice, Rockshox Reverbs are pretty sick though!
You've done a fair bit of racing in the past, tell us some of your best results:
I reckon 13th at Scottish Champs, 2013, at my local track Dunkeld. I’ve proved pretty adept at crashing in race runs too.
You've been in Morzine for a while now, what keeps you coming back:
The community here is second to none. It’s the best place for me to speak French with the biking in summer and skiing in winter. Being able to go up the mountain, work and head to Bar Robbos in a single day leaves you with little to fault!
Why did you choose to work with BikeMorzine:
The way in which the company is run is awesome. Being a MTB specific company means everything runs smoothly, its lets both myself and the guests spend as much time on our bikes as possible. Getting to know the guys there last year meant I knew it was the job I wanted. All about good times!
What are you most excited for this summer with BikeMorzine:
Daily Pleney Bangers! As well as throwing spanners for guests in the chalet…and being 20 metres from L’Opera, the finest discotheque in Portes Du Soleil.
Worst job you've ever had:
All my jobs have been in Morzine, I don’t think I get to complain about that…
Favourite meal:
Out here, it’s definitely Tartiflette.
Drink of choice:
Don Papa Rum.
How would you like to be remembered?
-Sending Booters, Chasing Hooters
www.bikemorzine.com
MENTIONS: @BikeMorzine
Author Info:
Member since Dec 29, 2012
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3 Comments
- 4 0
bigbluebike
FL (May 20, 2015 at 1:49)
Yes lads! Gunna miss it this summer. Rory had best keep up the quality of 'Bikemorzine Mechanic' from last year!
- 1 0
rorywood
(May 21, 2015 at 11:34)
Mate, ill be throwing bareeee spanners!
- 2 0
big-G-84
(May 20, 2015 at 6:28)
Yeah Tommo
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