Skiing in Chatel & the Portes du Soleil
Some information about Ski Holidays in Chatel, part of the Portes du Soleil ski region of France & Switzerland.
Chatel has an impressive local domain. It is also part of the massive Portes du Soleil ski domain - the largest international linked ski area in the world with over 650 km of pistes in both France and Switzerland, and a superb snow record.
The Skiing
The Portes du Soleil is so large that it is one of the few ski areas that can say truthfully "there is something for everyone". It is well known as being an intermediates paradise - mile after mile of piste allows you to cover a huge amount of ground. The terrain is so varied and there is so much to discover that it keeps people coming back year after year.
Beginners are well served in Chatel. The high speed Pre La Joux chair gives easy access to a high altitude beginners slope.
For experts, the amount of easily accessible off piste is just phenomenal. You can easily spend whole days skiing without touching the pistes once, and without any hiking. There are also a number of good, steep black runs including the infamous "Swiss Wall" which is reputed to be the steepest run in the Alps.
The Snow Record
Chatel and the Portes Du Soleil both have an enviable snow record. Their proximity to Mont Blanc and Lac Leman creates a micro-climate which means that the area tends to get significant snowfall from the start of December through to when the lifts close in late April.
Because most of the lower slopes are pasture land, depths of 10-20cms are often all that is required to open the pistes, compared with higher altitude resorts where a metre or so is needed to cover the rocks.
These graphs show how Chatel and Avoriaz's snowfall compares with some of the other major alpine resorts. These impartial figures illustrate how good The Portes du Soleil's snow record actually is. Click on the graph to enlarge.
Those in the know have long since discovered that the Northern French Alps have some of the best and consistent snow conditions to be found anywhere across Europe. Over the last few seasons, the Portes du Soleil has had fantastic conditions while at the same time the higher and so called "snow sure" resorts in the south of France have been sorely lacking in snow. Come and find out what all the fuss is about...!
The Portes du Soleil (click on Piste Map to enlarge)
- Lowest Altitude: 1000 m
- Highest Altitude: 2460 m
- 195 lift installations ensuring quick and easy access between resorts using the same liftpass
- 266 pistes catering for all levels: 25 black, 100 red, 106 blue and 35 green
- 650 km of glorious pistes
- 694 snow cannons guaranteeing snow all season
- 89 slopeside restaurants for a mouthwatering mix of skiing and fine dining
- Halfpipes: 3
The inclusive Portes Du Soleil Ski Pass covers the following 14 resorts, all of which are linked by lift:
Avoriaz, Abondance, Champery, Champoussin, La Chapelle d'Abondance, Châtel, Les Crosets, Les Gets, Montriond, Morgins, Morzine, St Jean d'Aulps, Torgon, Val D'Illiez