The Chatel ski resort is located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, between Geneva and Mont Blanc, just twelve miles from the French-Swiss border.
Chatel, a small Savoy village, which occupies a serious position in the ranking of ski resorts. The first reason is that it belongs to the huge skiing region of Port du Soleil. The second is geographical location. The chalet was successfully located between Geneva and Mont Blanc, not far from the border of France and Switzerland.
How to get there
Despite the fact that Chatel is located on the territory of France, it is most convenient to get to it from Geneva, Switzerland. The transfer time from the airport will take only one hour.
The nearest airport is Geneva (54 km).
The nearest railway station is Monte.
Skiing area, lifts
The tracks lie in the upper part of the valley, quite far from the village, but the terrain is more interesting than in Avoriaz , and much less crowded.
Alpine skiing tracks – 72: green – 15%, blue – 40%, red – 40%, black – 5%.
Chatel and its Swiss neighbors, Torgon and Corbo, offer their guests 130 km of tracks, located at an altitude of 1100 to 2200 m. Athletes of any level will not get bored of them.
The height difference is 1100 m
Alpine skiing tracks – 72
green – 11
blue – 27
red – 28
black – 6
The total length of the tracks is 130 km
Tracks for cross-country skiing – 49 km
Artificial snow – 180 snow cannons
Châtel is part of the Portes du Soleil ski region, which combines 400 km of slopes with 285 pistes and 196 lifts. From Châtel you can move to other tracks, the appropriate lift will take you to the most diverse resorts of the Portes du Soleil zone.
When skiing at an altitude of more than 2000 m, there is no need to worry about the condition of the snow cover.
The Châtel divides the Portes du Soleil into 2 large parts: from the Linga, a lift takes you straight up to Avoriaz, and another Super Châtel lift takes you straight to the Swiss resort of Torgon. In addition, there are separate cable lifts that are perfect for beginner skiers and snowboarders. The most optimal place for beginners is the top of Super Châtel.
With so many ski lifts located throughout the valley, it’s quite difficult to navigate where one resort ends and another begins. Thanks to the incredible scenery of rocky mountains and snow-covered slopes, many skiers and snowboarders prefer to admire the scenery for which this resort is so famous. Skiing in Châtel is also suitable for intermediate skiers, thanks to the widest selection of slopes for every taste. For advanced skiers there is Linga, this is the place where professionals will be able to try difficult tracks that pass directly under the lift. To date, there are 6 ski schools in the resort, among which you can find instructors for training snowboarding and off-piste skiing, thanks to which you can experience areas far from people, in the silence of snow-covered mountains.
Châtel has an excellent halfpipe snowboard park, from where most major lifts (chair or gondola) can take you to the even more famous snowboard location of Avoriaz. Châtel has a well-developed equipment rental and a large number of snowboard schools, including such schools as Ski Surf Ecole International and l’Ecole de Ski Snow Ride.
Chatel has a snow park with ski jumps, handrails, a quarter pipe and a border cross and half pipe track.
Chatel is part of the ski region of Port du Soleil – 266 pistes with a length of 650 km.
Resort hotels
CGH Résidences & Spa Les Chalets d’Angèle 4 star hotel
Résidence CGH Les Chalets d’Angèle is located just 800 meters from the Super Châtel ski lift. It offers an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna and fitness center.
All apartments are equipped with a private balcony, a seating area with satellite TV and a private bathroom with a hairdryer. The fully equipped kitchen offers a dishwasher, ceramic hob and oven.
The hotel offers rocket and fondue for guests to sample traditional Alpine cuisine. Newspapers and luggage storage are also available at the residence.
Massages can be provided upon request, and wireless internet is available in public areas. Tons-les-Bains is 40 km away. Private parking is available on the hotel premises.
3-star hotel Le Panoramic
Located in Chatelet, Hotel Le Panoramic offers rooms with free Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV, as well as a bar and a shared lounge.
There is a fully equipped private bathroom with a bathtub and free toiletries. Bed linen and towels are included.
At the aparthotels, guests can enjoy a continental or a buffet breakfast.
Hotel Le Panoramic has a terrace.
Hiking, skiing and cycling are possible within the area.
Popular points of interest near Le Panoramic include Chatel Ski School, TS DE Super Châtel Ski Lift and Tc Super Chatel Ski Lift. The nearest airport is Mayette Airport, 113 km from the aparthotel.
Maison Famille Macchi, Hôtel Restaurant & Spa 4-star hotel
Macchi, The Originals Relais is located in Chatelet, in the Port du Soleil ski area. It offers rooms with balconies overlooking the mountains of Abonda Valley and a spa. A free shuttle to the slopes is available.
The rooms also have a reading corner and a refrigerator. All rooms have free Wi-Fi.
Mackie’s Chalet Hotel, The Originals Relais is renowned for its Savoyard cuisine at Le Cerf restaurant. Guests can enjoy gourmet cuisine both in the hotel’s restaurants and in La Biche and Le Cerf.
The spa has an indoor heated pool, sauna, hammam, hot tub and fitness center.
3-star hotel Au Bois de Lune
Located in the Châtel ski resort, just 1 mile from the city center, this hotel offers a free shuttle service to the ski slopes and the city center and free Wi-Fi. The hotel is 38 km from Morzine and Evian.
Featuring typical Savoyard décor, each spacious room at Au Bois De Lune connects and overlooks the countryside from a private terrace. They are equipped with a private bathroom, satellite TV and wooden furniture.
Au Bois De Lune offers a daily breakfast buffet. Guests can have access to a private equipped kitchenette for an additional fee.
Guests can relax with free newspapers in the garden or on the terrace.
It is located 100 meters from 8 tennis courts. A Multipass card offering access to many local activities is sold at the hotel (only available in summer).
Au Bois De Lune is 1 hour by car from Avoriaz and 30 minutes by cable car. Free private parking is available on site for guests exploring the Rhône-Alpes region by car. Montreux is 40 km away.
Apres-ski and nightlife
Dozens of bars and nightclubs will be happy to welcome you until four in the morning. The new Forme D’O Aqua Center has indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, a spa center, a beauty salon, and massage rooms.
Le Vieux Four – excellent food, fast and friendly service. Good price/quality ratio. Some dishes are simply exquisite. It is impossible to eat a portion of raclette alone, it is a very large portion. Nice decor. A great place to end the day. We recommend ordering a table in advance, the restaurant can be full in the evening.
Le Pierrier – excellent local cuisine and specialties. If you like steak, this is heaven!
Le Chalet de Theo is a secret place with delicious local cuisine. An ideal place for lunch after skiing. Be sure to bring cash with you, cards are not accepted. The dishes are huge, you can eat for little money.
Restaurant Le Chalet is a good restaurant, excellent wine list, dishes and service. It’s just a treasure with very friendly staff. There is a good selection of dishes, excellent steaks and fish. Desserts are also large and varied. The restaurant is run by Chef Alain and his beautiful wife Florence.
Chez BaBeth is an amazing atmosphere, once an hour someone is congratulated on their birthday and the owner of the restaurant Babet gives the birthday boy a teddy bear. Every centimeter of the facility is decorated. Keep in mind that the room has low ceilings, all the tables are close, because of this it can be stuffy.
It is worth noting risotto with truffle, burger with foie gras, glavrax with salmon.
Infrastructure and active recreation
The charm of the village of Chatel has been preserved thanks to the traditional architecture with a large number of wooden elements. Here, the cultural and historical heritage is carefully treated – there are no large buildings, all new buildings are made in the original style of the chalets of this valley. These chalets are distinguished by equilateral gable roofs, as well as balconies, each village has its own style of balconies. Some of the resort’s chalets are more than three hundred years old.
Despite its ancient style, Chatel offers all the conditions for a chic modern holiday and meets all the requirements of a modern ski base. Little skiers can train in a ski school and a snow kindergarten, and after that, to their delight, there is a carousel in the center of Chatel, a children’s railway that passes through the village, and three safe toboggan tracks.
A real event for the whole family will also be the new walking route “L’Éterlou”, with exciting game and educational stories on the topic of the environment, the mountain world of plants and animals. For adults, night skiing or half-pipes and border-crosses in the snow park are offered.
Cross-country skiers are provided with 12 km of skiing around Chatelet and another 57 km in the Valais d’Abodance.
Snowshoeing, ice skating, fitness center, bowling alley, paragliding. Skijoring – skiing on snowmobiles, aerording. Ice fishing (price for adults – 15 €, for children under 16 years – 10 €).
