2 Guests

Countries

Lapland

Ski Areas

Ski Resorts

No matches found

Region

Airport

No matches found

Chatel Ski Holidays

At a glance

  • Portes du Soleil area
  • Traditional village

Great for

  • Families
  • Pretty village
  • Short transfers

Ski Holidays in Chatel

Up on the Franco-Swiss border in the Chablais region (a UNESCO Global Geopark), Châtel’s a pretty mountain village with excellent links to the Portes du Soleil resorts of Avoriaz in France and Morgins and Torgon in Switzerland.

  • Flight Time
  • 1h 45m
  • From London
  • Nearest Airports
  • Geneva, Grenoble
  • Chambery, Lyon
  • Time zone
  • GMT + 1 hour
  • Language
  • French
  • Currency
  • Euros
  • Ski Season
  • Dec - April

Chatel Stats

Top Altitude
2200m
Bottom Altitude
1100m
Resort Altitude
1200m
Total Piste
130km
Longest Run
11km
Slope Orientation
N, S, E, W
Vertical Drop
Skiable Vertical
Night Skiing
Yes
Glacier Skiing
No

Châtel’s architecture is gloriously traditional, built using local resources in classic chalet style with huts and houses dotted on the hillside. Though ski tourism has picked up over the last seventy years or so, it feels as much of a farming village as a ski hub - a lot of Châtellans continue to work in agriculture like generations did before them.

The skiing is split between two sectors – the first is Super-Châtel Barbossine, which links over to Morgins and Torgon in Switzerland via the Super-Châtel and Petit Châtel/Barboussine lifts. The second, Linga Pre-la-Joux, stays on French terrain, taking you over towards Avoriaz via the Du Linga Telecabine from the Villapeyron / Quartier du Linga area. All are covered by the Espace Liberte pass, which covers a total of 130km of pistes. It’s also possible to upgrade to the Portes du Soleil pass, for access to Morzine, Les Gets and a number of other resorts.

Geneva airport is an hour and a quarter’s drive and Thonon is the closest rail station, just under an hour away.

Winter Sports Ratings

Beginners

Intermediate

Advanced

Snowboarding

Chatel Transfer Times

Geneva 1h50

The nearest airport to Chatel is Geneva / Geneve at 72 km or about ? by car

What's the ski area like in Chatel?

In the heart of the Portes du Soleil, Chatel has 43 slopes with 39 lifts, mostly for beginner and intermediate skiers.

Which other ski resorts are near to Chatel?

The nearest ski resorts to Chatel include Avoriaz, Portes du Soleil, Les Gets, Morzine.

Ski Area Facts

LocationPortes du Soleil, France
Established1947
Downhill130km
Lift Pass€195 (adult 6 day)

Beginner Slopes

43 runs

Intermediate Skiing

23 runs

Advance & Expert Terrain

7 runs

Snowboarding Trails

130km100%

What is Chatel like for Beginner skiers?

The Super-Châtel telecabine transports skiers and boarders from the village to beginner’s and kid’s areas, which have links to a number of green, blue and red slopes. On the Linga side, we like blue graded La Leiche which leads through the forest back to the village.

What is Chatel like for Intermediate skiers?

For a spot of Swiss skiing, intermediates can use lifts and red runs to connect to Morgins or explore Torgon via the Petit Châtel and Barboussine lifts. For red run skiers, Le Linga is a fabulous valley descent from Tete du Linga at 2156m.

What is Chatel like for Advanced skiers?

Experts will find the biggest variety of challenging terrain around Linga and Pré-la-Joux. There’s also the black Barbossine run – a seriously steep and bumpy ride down to the chairlift.

What is Chatel like for snowboarding?

Exciting additions to the area include a fun zone where you can record your speed and the Smoothpark, with its rails, kickers, boxes and a boardercross for every level of freestyler.

What is Chatel like for off-piste skiing?

If you’re heading off piste, the DVA Park run avalanche safety courses.

Chatel Restaurants

You can’t stay in the region without trying Abondance cheese - whether it’s part of a raclette, vacherin or fondue, it makes for the ultimate post ski feast. Creperie Bretonne La Galettiere create some of the best pancakes in the Portes du Soleil, with dozens of different varieties. La Poya does traditional French food with a twist (try one of the set menus), while Hors Piste is good for pizzas and burgers.

Chatel Après Ski

It might not have the party reputation of Val d’Isere, but there are some brilliant bars in Châtel when it strikes après ski o’clock. L’Avalanche on Route du Linga is a cracking bar with live music and DJ’s playing until late and Nazca has a sun terrace for when the weather’s good, with drinks, dancing and themed nights.

Chatel Activites for Non-skiers

There’s no shortage of activities here, from the ice rink by Lake Vonnes (its tearoom serves amazing waffles!) to airboarding and yoonering on the Pierre-Longue chairlift slope. The Forme d’O Centre aquatique has pools, spa facilities and more and you can learn local history in the old Customs House.

Clothing Food & Souvenir Shops

Shopping opportunities in Châtel are much above average for a French ski area, and will particularly please those searching for wonderful French farm food products and crafts. The choice includes a dozen souvenir and gift shops, several butchers, bakeries, grocers, newsagents, photographic stores, supermarkets and a dozen shops selling local food products.

There are more than 20 ski shops and about 15 fashion boutiques, as well as a florist, a chemist and a host of businesses supplying services like gardening, joinery and everything else you need if you're actually in charge of a property. There are four banks or other financial institutions, a post office and a catholic church.

Chatel Package Ski Holidays

Loading holidays

Best Time to Visit Chatel

40% of the local area has snowmaking if Mother Nature ever needs a helping hand. The highest pistes can be found at 2200m, with the nearby French resort of Avoriaz holding onto the white stuff the longest.

What's Chatel like at Christmas?

Santa’s little helpers are usually on hand over the build up to Christmas in Châtel, running workshops and performing in shows before the arrival of the man himself on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

What's Chatel like in the New Year?

New Years in Châtel is traditionally celebrated with fireworks, live music and a DJ (there’s been free mulled wine and hot chocolate on previous years too!).

What's Chatel like in Half-Term?

The brilliant family facilities here make for a cracking Half Term in Châtel, and it’s likely to be less busy than the bigger Portes du Soleil resorts.

What's Chatel like at Easter?

Easter in Châtel is usually fabulously sunny – feast on Abondance cheese, enjoy the sights of the Portes du Soleil and make the most of the high slopes around Avoriaz.

Chatel Snow Conditions

Snow Report, History & Forecast

View our detailed Chatel snow report to see skiing confitions now. Our Chatel snow history shows you what snow depths have been in recent years month-by-month. If you're visiting soon, use the Chatel snow forecast to see predicted snowfall over the coming days.

  • Sunny skies Today
  • Partly cloudy skies Saturday
  • Partly cloudy skies Sunday
  • Sunny skies Monday
  • Heavy snow Tuesday
  • Heavy snow Wednesday
  • Current snow depth at top
    152 cm
  • Alternate Text
  • Current snow depth at base
    43 cm

Ski Accommodation in Chatel

We have 388 ski holidays in Chatel. Search all Chatel ski deals or pick your preferred accommodation type below:

We love Châtel for families, from the easy slopes up in Super-Châtel to the likes of air boarding and ice skating for post-ski fun. The events over Christmas and New Year cater brilliantly for children – ask us to help you find the best accommodation for your clan for an amazing week all round.

Groups of all shapes and sizes will love Châtel and the Portes du Soleil – learners can stick to the local pistes while more experienced skiers and snowboarders head over the border to Switzerland and explore the wider ski area.

Chatel
Reviews
no Reviews yet
be the First to

Ski Extras

How much is a ski pass in Chatel

Maximum and minimum adult Chatel lift pass prices ranged from €? to €199 for 6 days access to the Chatel ski lift system at the start of the 2025 winter season. Our lift passes are part of a packaged Chatel holiday with accommodation, so prices vary depending on chalet or hotel suppliers. Confirm price for the lift ticket before booking your holiday.

Lift Tickets Child Adult Senior
1 Day Price N / A N / A N / A
6 Day Price N / A N / A N / A
Age Range 5 - 15 20 - 64 65+

Getting to Chatel

Most of our ski holidays to Chatel packaged with flights include airport transfers. We can also arrange private transfers to Chatel from nearby airports

How long does it take to fly to Chatel from the UK?

Flights from London take about 1h 45m to Geneva, Grenoble, Chambery, Lyon. This table shows approximate transfer times to Chatel from the nearest airports, smaller airports can be more prone to delays.

Airport Distance Transfer Time
Geneva / Geneve 72 km ?

How long does it take to drive to Chatel from the UK?

Browse our self-drive ski holidays which include your car channel crossing, or go choose accom-only and book your car ferry or tunnel later.

Self-Drive Ski Holidays
INCL CAR WITHOUT
Accommodation-Only

How long is the transfer from nearest France train station to Chatel?

The transfer time from alpine train stations are generally shorter than from airports, Call us for details of Chatel transfers.

Station Distance Transfer Time
Thonon-Les-Bains 39 km 39 minutes

Chatel Maps

Chatel piste map
Click to Enlarge

Going to Chatel under your own steam

For independant travel to France, compare accommodation only with Chatel self-drive packages which include Eurotunnel or ferry.

Accomm-Only & Self-Drive

See driving directions to and from Chatel in France.

Enter your start location and click "Get Directions" to view the route:

Chatel Ski Holiday Resources

Need help choose your Chatel ski holiday? Call us on 020 7770 6888 or click Enquire - we love to help!


← online or call ↴
020 7770 6888
more