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Afbeelding - chatel_14
© Châtel Tourisme / Jean-François Vuarand
France

Châtel (France)

Based on 5 reviews

Châtel in short

  • Height: 1200 metres
  • A charming, authentic ski resort
  • Central location in the Portes du Soleil
  • Cozy apres-ski and restaurants

Châtel is part of the vast Les Portes du Soleil ski area, which is famous for being among the largest in Europe with no less than 12 different ski resorts. Located in the Abondance valley practically on the border of Switzerland, you can easily cross to the other side of the border to visit villages such as Morgins and Torgon. Don't forget your passport or your Swiss Francs! Châtel has retained a strong connection to its roots and still has a museum where you can learn all about the history of smuggling in the area.

Châtel’s own ski area has a healthy 130km of pistes divided over two areas: Barbossine-Super-Châtel and Linga-Pré-la-Loux. Via Avoriaz, Châtel also gives access to the 650km of ski slopes, almost 200 ski lifts, which can be accessed with the Portes du Soleil ski pass. It goes without saying that skiers and snowboarders of all levels will find what they are looking for on their ski holidays in Châtel. In terms of the village, Châtel is a rather spread-out ski resort, meaning that a lot of accommodation is not located in the resort centre. This can be an advantage for those seeking some peace and quiet. This authentic mountain village has a real winter sports atmosphere with numerous après-ski bars, restaurants and chalets giving a very welcoming and cosy feel. Even off the slopes it’s impossible to get bored in Châtel, which has a long list of activities to please every personality, from adrenaline junkie to history buff.

Review of Châtel

Snowplaza.co.uk review
  • Winter hiking
  • Cross-country skiing
  • Aprés-ski
  • Family/children
  • Price level
7.6
Visitors' reviews

based on 5 visitor reviews

Latest review by John

“ Having worked one winter season in Chatel i can call myself an expert and even at the end of the season I was still not bored with the area. Really beautiful area but it is true that the ski lifts are old-fashioned compared to other...”

Show all reviews

Skiing in Les Portes du Soleil

Châtel has a varied ski area with terrain for every level of skier and boarder. That's not to mention, of course, the fact that this ski resort gives access to the vast Portes du Soleil linked ski area! Start in Super-Châtel, which is a great place for beginners and freestylers. The snow park has an 800m-long boardercross track as well as a halfpipe and many other features. Via Linga and Pré la Joux, you have access to Avoriaz and from there the entire ski area of Les Portes du Soleil. If you fancy covering a lot of ground, you can let yourself go wild in the huge Portes du Soleil ski area and even cross the border into Switzerland! Châtel is the perfect base for a ski holiday in Les Portes du Soleil.

Winter hiking and cross-country skiing

Châtel is surrounded by lovely cross-country skiing trails shared with nearby Abondance and La Chapelle d'Abondance. Even experienced cross-country skiers will find no shortage of terrain to explore here. And of course, if you run out of trails, you can always explore the other trails within the vast Portes du Soleil ski area. Châtel likewise proposes a good network of hiking trails, about 80km in total, in the Abondance valley. Trails are regularly maintained and are a fantastic way to discover the winter landscapes in peace and tranquility.

Châtel and the Famille Plus label

Families are guaranteed a fun ski holiday at Châtel, which has the Famille Plus label. The Piou Piou club for kids aged 3-6, the jardin des Pitchounes for kids aged 4-5 and finally proper child-friendly ski lessons for the older kids are all available. In addition, Châtel Tourisme has a sophisticated calendar of daily events for children, including painting, wood carving and other activities. The youngest tots will be well taken care of in the Les Mouflets nursery, which has age-appropriate activities to keep them interested and occupied! Purchasing family lift passes gets a little cheaper thanks to the "tribu" discount.

Off the slopes at Châtel

There are plenty of original activities to partake in at Châtel. Visit a cheese farm, try paragliding, go bowling, catch a movie, dare to go ice diving or take a dip at the aquatic leisure centre. There are plenty of shops to explore, and for a unique experience you can even visit the Vieille Douane museum and learn all about the cross-border smuggling that used to happen here! Châtel has an excellent dining scene with tasty local specialties such as fondue and raclette, as may be expected from a French-Swiss ski area. If you're looking for après-ski, Châtel has you covered, with many cosy pubs for sharing memories of the ski day over a drink or two. Châtel also takes part in the annual Rock the Pistes music festival that takes over the Portes du Soleil with some of the biggest DJs in France.

Photo gallery of Châtel

Afbeelding - chatel_13
© Châtel Tourisme / Jean-François Vuarand
Afbeelding - chatel_14
© Châtel Tourisme / Jean-François Vuarand
Afbeelding - chatel_15
© Châtel Tourisme / Jean-François Vuarand
Afbeelding - chatel_16
© Châtel Tourisme / Jean-François Vuarand
Afbeelding - Lac des Vonnes
© Châtel Tourisme / Jean-François Vuarand

Weather in Châtel

Today

Regular sunshine with some clouds

Regular sunshine with some clouds
-2 / 2

Frost line

1248 metres

Rain

0 mm

Tomorrow

Regular sunshine with some clouds

Regular sunshine with some clouds
-3 / 4

Frost line

1234 metres

Rain

0 mm
Châtel Village
Châtel
Après-ski & nightlife in Châtel
Restaurants 45
Bars & cafés 7
Discos 1
Cinema 2
Theater
Casino
Concert Hall
Ski schools & ski lessons in Châtel
Number of Ski Schools 5
Number of Ski Instructors 127
Instruction slope
Ski lessons in Nederlands
Private ski lessons 51
Ski lessons 6 days, 15 hours, € 152,00
Snowboard lessons 6 days, 15 hours, € 174,00
Cross-country skiing 6 days, 15 hours, € 142,00
Book your ski school online in Châtel
Kids Ski Lessons 3 offers available
Adult Ski Lessons 2 offers available
Snowboard Lessons 2 offers available
Facilities in Châtel
Number of hotels 24
Number of hotel beds 1055
Number of tourist beds 1055
Supermarkets 2
Bank
Tourist information for Châtel
Name Châtel Tourisme
Telephone 732244
Distance to Châtel
Distance from Brussels approx. km
Airport Genève approx. 72 km with bus service
Train station Thonon les Bains approx. 40 km with bus service
From the highway approx. 30 km 40-minutes drive
Châtel for the children
Childcare
Childcare from 36 months
Number of hours of childcare 8 hours a day
Price without lunch € 58,00
Price with lunch
Children's Carousel
Magic Carpet
Child Lift 1
Adventure Park
Playground
Mascot
Mascot Name Rivari
After skiing in Châtel
Public sauna
Fitness Centre
Public solarium
Massage
Spa & Wellness
Indoor pool
Balloon flight
Paragliding
Indoor tennis
Squash court
Hiking trails
Torchlight Tours
Indoor skating rink
Ice skating rink
Curling
Snow rafting
Dog sledge
Snowmobiles
Toboggan run