About Chatel - presentation, information, photos and recommendations
Châtel - fun in the snow at the gateway to the sun!
The winter sports resort Châtel is located at 1,191 m altitude in the Northern Savoyard Alps and close to the Swiss border. The traditional village has only developed to a real winter sports gem throughout the past few years and therefore still has a lot of its original charm. Châtel benefits greatly from the larger, neighbouring resorts of the ski area Portes fu Soleil: it offers perfect access to winter sports and further services, but at the same time it can provide tranquillity and relaxation many people are looking for during their holiday.
The small chalets are designed with lots of wood and the many churches and chapels dominate the resort character. The locals still lay a lot of emphasis on hand-made products and so you can find many small shops or visit the markets where you can find these originally made objects. Local festivities let you take part in this amazing traditional culture. A visit to the spa facilities in the newly built public swimming pool or the local farms is also highly recommendable.
SkiWith the lift pass "Châtel" you have access to approx. 83 km of piste which are all connected via 43 lifts, right in the heart of Les Portes du Soleil. The skiable terrain is located between 1,100 and 2,200 m altitude. Due to the close proximity of Lake Geneva there is regular precipitation and therefore lots of snow during winter. Should the snow not come as expected there are 170 snow canons which guarantee winter fun from mid December until the end of April (provided the temperatures allow it). Besides the Châtel area there are also pistes in the areas of Torgon, Morgins and La Chapelle d'Abondance, which are included in the lift pass.
With the lift pass "Portes du Soleil" you can find 650 km of pure slope enjoyment, which can be accessed via the connections to Avoriaz or the Swiss resorts Torgon and Morgins (see ski region).
In Châtel itself there is a special highlight available once per week: you can extend your day on the Linga piste right into the evening hours until approx. 21:30 with flood lights and music to keep you entertained. In Châtel also the little ones will find entertainment: on the ski playground they will have the chance to learn how to manage their skis playfully, or they can participate in one of the 5 children's ski schools. A crêche for babies from 3 months to kids of 6 years is special service offered in Châtel.
The possibilities for making use of the evening in Châtel reach from sporty activity right up to culinary highlights. Popular leisure time activities such as ice skating, snowshoe hiking and night skiing are part of the programme, just as trying out new trends. How about a ride on the mini snowcart Yooner or testing the bodyboard on snow? If you don't mind the cold you can also go ice fishing or even ice diving in Châtel.
French cheese enthusiasts should not miss out on a visit to the local dairy farms, where you can watch how traditional cheese is made. The local speciality of course is the excellent French cheese fondue, which is prepared here with lots of traditional influence and enjoyed in a sociable gathering.
A newly built public swimming pool is available since the summer of 2014. There you and your family can enjoy fun and relaxing moments. Several pools in the indoor area as well as an outdoor pool invite you to spend a beautiful time off piste.
The Nordic area around Châtel offers 8 cross-country skiing track and 9 winter hiking trails which are all suitable for cross-country skiing, walking and snowshoe hiking. Special beginner tracks and a biathlon trail can also be found here. In total there approx. 42 km of trails which cover the entire area of Vallée d'Abondance.
Châtel is the perfect starting point for extensive cross-country tours, due to its location, and offers access to 4 trails from one central point. From here you can easily get to the Foyer Nordique, a meeting point and starting point for many further trails. With approx. 9 km the red track "Grand Circuit" is the longest and connects the resorts Châtel and La Chapelle d'Abondance.
| Skiing region |
|---|
| Highest point ski area | 2.200 m |
| Lowest point ski area | 1.100m |
| Village height | 1.191m |
| Number of lifts | 43 |
| Number of drag lifts | 28 |
| Number of chair lifts | 13 |
| Number of cable cars | 2 |
| Total pistes | 83 km |
| Green/blue pistes | 47 km |
| Red pistes | 27,5 km |
| Black pistes | 83 km |
Chatel | The winter sports resort Châtel is located at 1,191 m altitude in the Northern Savoyard Alps and close to the Swiss border. The traditional village has only developed to a real winter sports gem throughout the past few years and therefore still has a lot
of its original charm
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