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Champery Ski Holidays

At a glance

  • Quiet village
  • Enormous ski area
  • Ski 2 countries

Great for

  • Experts
  • Off-piste
  • Intermediates

Ski Holidays in Champery

One of our favourite spots on the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil, Champéry is one long series of contradictions. A blissfully quiet village on the edge of one of the world’s largest ski areas, family-friendly fun beneath the terrifying “Swiss Wall”, a life’s worth of ski slopes but train rides and activities to tempt you off them… If you don’t fall for it, you’re one in a million.

  • Flight Time
  • 1.5 hours
  • From London
  • Nearest Airports
  • Geneva, Zurich
  • Time zone
  • GMT + 1 hour
  • Language
  • German, French, Italian, Romansh
  • Currency
  • Swiss Franc
  • Ski Season
  • Dec - April

Champery Stats

Top Altitude
2466m / 8090ft
Bottom Altitude
1055m / 3461ft
Resort Altitude
1055m / 3461ft
Total Piste
100km (Champery) 650km Portes Du Soleil
Longest Run
11km
Slope Orientation
S N E
Vertical Drop
1237m / 4058ft
Skiable Vertical
Night Skiing
Yes
Glacier Skiing
No

Lounging with coffees in cosy cafés, you get the feeling there’s nowhere Champéry’s locals would rather be. It’s hard to imagine that one of the world’s biggest ski areas sits just over the way. Hop on the 125-person cable car, zoom up and over the town and you’re in the Portes du Soleil, with 650km of runs and 200+ lifts splayed across the Swiss-French border. With big-timers like Avoriaz, Morzine and Les Gets to tempt you into France – don’t forget to bring euros as well as francs.

There’s no doubt you’re in Switzerland here. A 100-year-old, wooden-seated railway rolls through town, past balconied chalets and on an achingly picturesque journey through the Rhone Valley. Somehow, while only taking minutes to cross, this little wooden town crams in a clock tower, open-air museum, thermal baths and even a nightclub or two… It’s not hard to see why those locals are so laid-back. Super friendly too ? they make a habit of “bonjouring” you like long-time neighbours. Ask them which of the jagged mountains above are the “Dents du Midi” and which the “Dents Blanches”, if you don’t already recognise them from a few rather famous paintings.

You could hole up here for eternity, but the rickety railway beckons, leaving every 30 minutes for the fairy tale chateau at Aigle and the markets and plays at Monthey. The only problem with Champéry’s that you can’t do everything at once...

Winter Sports Ratings

Beginners

Intermediate

Advanced

Snowboarding

Champery Transfer Times

Geneva International Airport 100 min

The nearest airport to Champery is Geneva / Geneve at 127 km or about 2 hours 30 minutes by car

What's the ski area like in Champery?

Champéry is not ski-in/ski-out - you need to take the 5-minute telepherique to reach the Portes du Soleil - but no one’s complaining. That’s what keeps the village so wonderfully authentic, and soon enough the 650km of one of the biggest ski areas on planet earth sits before you. If 209 lifts sound like more than you can handle, opt for a cheaper lift pass to just the neighbouring Swiss villages of Les Crosets, Champoussin and Morgins – between which you’ll find 35 lifts and a network of blue, red and black pistes.

Which other ski resorts are near to Champery?

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

Ski Area Facts

LocationValais region, Switzerland
Established1857
Downhill100km (Champery) 650km Portes Du Soleil
Lift Pass49 CHF Domaine Suisse (adult single day pass) 57 CHF Portes du Soleil (adult single day pass)

Beginner Slopes

Intermediate Skiing

Advance & Expert Terrain

Snowboarding Trails

100km (Champery) 650km Portes Du Soleil100%

What is Champery like for Beginner skiers?

There are better resorts in this massive ski area for first time skiers (like Les Gets) and from the top of the Champéry cable car, a steep narrow path to the pistes might put a newbie off. But wobbly second-weekers will cope, and this area is packed with benign blues to push you to reach your potential. Earn serious bragging rights schussing between all 12 of the resorts in the Portes du Soleil from a quiet Swiss base.

What is Champery like for Intermediate skiers?

There are 100km of blues and reds on the Swiss side of the ski area alone and you could write a book about the possible intermediate circuits in the wider area. See what all the fuss is about at Pre La Joux in the Chatel area or the They Valley to Morgins and be sure to spend an afternoon lunching at Avoriaz before trying the Loop – just take the chairlift over the Swiss Wall to make it back in one piece. Night skiing twice a week provides further thrills letting you enjoy these spectacular hills after dark.

What is Champery like for Advanced skiers?

Any discussion of the expert skiing at Champéry starts and ends with the Swiss Wall. Orange rated as it’s too dangerous to be a black, this drops 400m in just a 1000m stretch and racks up moguls of up to 2m, putting it on many a ski-before-you-die list. Between the reds, the blacks, the off-piste and the heli-skiing – banned on the French side but not here in Switzerland, one week is definitely not enough time to do it all.

What is Champery like for snowboarding?

Thanks to the Superpark at Les Crosets (possibly one of Switzerland’s best), boardercross at La Foilleuse and all the parks at Avoriaz, boarders and freestyle skiers are well taken care of.

What is Champery like for off-piste skiing?

Champery is known for the infamous "Swiss Wall", a steep black piste which is great for freeriding after a fresh dump of powder.

What is Champery like for cross country skiing?

The is a 5km ski route, for both classic and skating typses of cross country skiing. Three circuits, Grand paradis and Les Couailles, more for beginner and intermediates, combine to about 2.4km. Also, floddl it unil 9pm. The third, about 2.6km, Les Plan

Champery Restaurants

Let your taste buds enjoy the fact you’re at the border of France and Switzerland in mountain restaurants like Le Toupin, the closest thing to heaven for a cheese fan, and don’t miss popular little Le Nord. Restaurant Le 42 is one of the most popular Michelin star restaurants in Champéry. It offers a selection of courses, dishes, and drinks to suit any palate, all served in a stunning Swiss-inspired dining area, with full food and drinks table service.

Champery Après Ski

Tiny Swiss towns with little red trains aren’t the places for flaming Sambuca and mountain madness, for that you’re better off in Morzine. Champéry, however, has perfected the art of little wooden bistros and low-key cafes, full of hearty mountain fare that’ll put you to sleep before you can think about a night out. The après hotspot is undoubtedly Mitchell’s, the sleekest sports bar we’ve laid eyes on to date. For all who make it through the food comas, La Crevasse nightclub puts on a good show.

Champery Activites for Non-skiers

Off the slopes, Champéry's biggest attraction is the Palladium sports hall, where you’ll find a gym, ice rink, curling rinks and swimming complex under one rather attractive roof. Don’t miss an afternoon floating about in calcium and magnesium enriched waters at the Therms Parcs. This should prep you for adventures out in the great outdoors, like cross country skiing, paragliding and snowshoe walks (on a massive 400km of marked paths in the PdS). Astronomy fans, take the planetary trail at nearby Morgins on a night hike. Sledging is also popular with a 4km (2.5 mile) run in neighbouring Champoussin and you can up the ante with snow kiting or ice climbing late at night in Grand-Paradis. When all the options in town start to overwhelm, hop on the rickety train and take a day out to Montreux on Lake Geneva, the turreted medieval castle at Aigle or the Roman remains at Martigny.

Clothing Food & Souvenir Shops

Unlike some other famous Swiss resorts, Champéry is not a mecca for lovers of haute couture, Swiss watches and jewellery with shopping options rather downscale in a choice of about 20 shops, a high proportion of them ski sports outlets. There is a very stylish speciality cheese outlet - aptly named Fromage etc, on the main street, which is definitely worth a visit.

Best Time to Visit Champery

Stretching between Mont Blanc and Geneva, a special microclimate brings a bounty of snowfall to the Portes du Soleil. The current figure for average snowfall at Avoriaz is a massive 800cm (giving Val Thorens a run for its money). When that needs a helping hand, 694 snow guns keep all lower pistes covered. One of the perks of a ski area this colossal is that you can hunt about for the best conditions and if the Swiss side is suffering, the French will often be good.

If quirky events take your fancy, head here in March when the Rock the Pistes Festival fills the hills with the sound of pop-rock and stomping ski boots. Concerts are held at strategic spots around the ski area and you ski down to them with your normal lift pass. Also in March, the Chavanette Session hits the hills above Champéry, when competitors go head-to-head hurtling down the dreaded Swiss Wall. A local ex-ski racer wins it every year. Stop by to cheer him on, or challenge him for the title…

What's Champery like at Christmas?

We can think of worse places to spend the 25th than with friendly locals in a blissfully Swiss mountain village. Christmas in Champery promises a beautiful blend of evenings by the fire and serious skiing on the PdS.

What's Champery like in the New Year?

The last day of the year sees all the locals gather in the middle of the village for DJs, bars and fireworks at New Year in Champery, while families fill the Palladium for the annual ice disco. This is the liveliest Champery gets all year, with the end of year blow-outs at La Crevasse usually being the biggest parties.

What's Champery like in Half-Term?

Skiing a massive area from a quiet village base with an arsenal of activities is a dream come true for Half term in Champery. If you’re a step or two above the nursery slopes, this Swiss spot couldn’t be better.

What's Champery like at Easter?

The ski slopes are usually in good condition for Easter in Champery, and if things should get slushy in the afternoons, you have the perfect excuse to hop on the train and explore Switzerland.

Champery Snow Conditions

Snow Report, History & Forecast

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

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

Champéry's intimate village and kiddie-friendly facilities make it a top choice for families and, to up the fun, the resort has special weekly itineraries with things like introductions to curling and walks around the village solving the puzzle of the "enchanted piste".

The Swiss Ski School operates a mini club for children aged between 3 and 7 years, with weekly slalom races that are lots of fun. Instructors with the Red Carpet Ski School teach tots aged 3 - 6 through a clever combination of fun and games. They also offer special family ski packages with an instructor who’ll make sure everyone has a blast together, no matter how varied the abilities.

Easy access to the Portes du Soleil and an authentic Swiss village to ski it from are a fantastic combination for a group ski trip. And if this 650km ski area doesn’t have something for each member of the party, we don’t know where does. Though very first timers may prefer a resort on the French side of the ski area, Champéry’s a charming base for all who’ve graduated bunny slopes.

For a sleepy town, it sure has a lot of quirky activities to keep you busy and a not half bad nightclub, La Crevasse. Between group paintball battles, frozen waterfall climbs and horse rides through the trees, you’ll work up quite the appetite for raclette parties at the Blue Yurt or igloo evenings at Grand-Paradis.

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Ski Extras

How much is a ski pass in Champery

Maximum and minimum adult Champery lift pass prices ranged from CHF270 to CHF300 for 6 days access to the Champery ski lift system at the start of the 2025 winter season. Our lift passes are part of a packaged Champery 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 CHF41 - CHF45 CHF54 - CHF60 CHF49 - CHF54
6 Day Price CHF203 - CHF225 CHF270 - CHF300 CHF243 - CHF270
Age Range 5 - 15 20 - 64 65+

Getting to Champery

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

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

Flights from London take about 1.5 hours to Geneva, Zurich. This table shows approximate transfer times to Champery from the nearest airports, smaller airports can be more prone to delays.

Airport Distance Transfer Time
Geneva / Geneve 127 km 2 hours 30 minutes
Zurich / Zürich 301 km 3 hours 40 minutes

How long does it take to drive to Champery 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.

How long is the transfer from nearest Switzerland train station to Champery?

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

Station Distance Transfer Time
Champéry ( via Aigle ) 0 km 0 minute

Champery Maps

Champery piste map
Click to Enlarge

Going to Champery under your own steam

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

Accomm-Only & Self-Drive

See driving directions to and from Champery in Switzerland.

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

Champery Ski Holiday Resources

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

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Similar Ski Resorts to Champery in Switzerland


Every Sno holiday packaged with flights is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. All our suppliers are ATOL bonded, so your money is safe. In addition to this, payments for your holiday are held in trust, by NatWest bank and the Travel Trust, who insure every booking against supplier failure.

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