Nestled on the Franco-Swiss border, Châtel is a mountain resort that harmoniously combines Savoyard traditions with summer and winter dynamism. In winter, it’s part of the vast Portes du Soleil area, giving skiers access to one of the largest interconnected ski areas in Europe. In summer, Châtel becomes a haven for nature and outdoor activity enthusiasts, offering a multitude of hiking trails, mountain bike routes and cultural events, all in a preserved setting reflecting alpine authenticity.
Châtel
Overview
Châtel
📏 Altitude: 1200 m
🎿 Alpine skiing: 600 km
🌟 Resort style: Village resort
💰 From 55 €/day (2026-2027)
📅 Open 11 December 2026 to 18 April 2027
Overview of Châtel
The village of Chatel has preserved its old-world charm with traditional timber chalets and mountain farms, testament to a rich architectural heritage. The Super-Chatel and Linga districts offer direct slope access, while the village centre — with its picturesque lanes — houses local shops, Savoyard restaurants and entertainment venues, creating a warm and convivial atmosphere throughout the year.
Our review — Châtel
4.0/5
Ski area — key figures — Châtel
- 🌟 Village resort (Haute-Savoie)
- 📏 1200 m Village altitude (2200 m Top altitude)
- 🏨 25.151 tourist beds
- 🎿 308 runs
🚠 38 ski lifts
Average lift age: 26 years
When to visit
Châtel in summer
From June to September, Chatel is the ideal playground for mountain enthusiasts. Hiking trails, such as the one leading to the Lac de Vonnes, offer breath-taking panoramas. Mountain bikers can explore the Chatel Bike Park, renowned for its varied tracks suited to all levels. Thrill-seekers will appreciate the Fantasticable — a giant zip-line soaring over the valley, providing an exhilarating yet safe experience.
🎯 Things to do in summer:
✅ Road cycling • ✅ Downhill MTB • ✅ Enduro MTB • ✅ Hiking
Châtel in winter
From December to mid-April, Chatel dons its white coat and invites skiers to explore its varied runs. The Super-Chatel and Linga sectors offer descents suited to beginners and experts alike. Freestyle enthusiasts can head to the Smoothpark — a dedicated freestyle area. Non-skiers are equally well served, with snowshoeing, ice skating and tobogganing on the Pré-la-Joux track. The Fantasticable zip-line also operates in winter, allowing you to fly over the ski area before heading back onto the slopes.
🎯 Things to do in winter:
✅ Alpine skiing • ✅ Ski touring • ✅ Snow MTB • ✅ Snowshoeing
Skiing
Below are the 2 ski areas accessible from Châtel: Châtel (alpin), Les Portes du Soleil (alpin).
Ski area — Châtel
⛰️ Altitudes: 1200 m – 2200 m
🎿 Alpine skiing: 120 km
💰 Day pass: 55 €
The Chatel ski area extends between 1,100 and 2,200 metres altitude, across two main sectors: Super-Chatel/Barbossine, facing Switzerland, and Linga/Pre-la-Joux/Plaine Dranse — more technical and central. The ski area has 45 runs totalling 83 km, served by 43 ski lifts. The whole offers a good balance between beginner runs and more demanding descents, with wide blue runs, fine red runs and a few more technical black runs. The link between sectors is fluid, notably via the Portes du Soleil chairlift and the Vonnes gondola. Freestyle enthusiasts head to the Smoothpark, while families appreciate the secured fun zones. Thanks to good snowmaking, skiing remains possible on the main axes even in moderate snowfall. It is a human-scale but rich and well-connected ski area.
Ski area — Les Portes du Soleil
⛰️ Altitudes: 974 m – 2276 m
🎿 Alpine skiing: 600 km
💰 Day pass: 73 €
With 600 km of runs across 12 resorts, the Portes du Soleil is not simply a ski area but one of the world’s largest interconnected ski safari spaces. Its unique feature is enabling a genuine ski journey, crossing the Franco-Swiss border almost without removing your skis, for an ever-renewed sliding and discovery experience. Extending from 1,000 to 2,400 metres altitude, the ski area offers incredible terrain diversity: from forest runs to wide high pastures, from gentle panoramic descents to legendary black runs such as the Mur Suisse at Champery — reserved for the most experienced skiers. While the heart of the ski area (Avoriaz, Chatel, Morgins, Champery) is perfectly linked ski-in ski-out, the immensity of the territory means some links between sectors — such as between Morzine and Les Gets — may require a short walk or shuttle. This reinforces the idea of a journey, where each resort preserves its own identity. Key resort highlights include: Avoriaz — the innovative high-altitude hub perched at 1,800 m, with its own 78 km of runs and links to Switzerland, famous for The Stash (a unique ecological snowpark with timber modules in the forest) and the Snowcross (marked but ungroomed runs for safe freeride initiation). Morzine and Les Gets — large village resorts combining village atmosphere and large-resort facilities with dynamic ski areas. Montriond — offering secret and fast access via the Ardent gondola, depositing skiers at the strategic Les Lindarets junction with direct links to Avoriaz and Switzerland. La Chapelle-d’Abondance — with its own 35 km ski area across two sectors, one connecting to the Swiss Torgon slopes for a gentler gateway to the wider domain.
Save on ski hire with Alpy.com
Book your ski equipment online and save up to 65% compared to resort prices with our partner Alpy.com. Quality gear available near your accommodation, free cancellation, group discounts. Book with code ALTI5 for an extra 5% off!
Ski pass prices — Châtel
Current lift pass prices for ski areas accessible from Châtel.
| Ski area | Day pass | 6-day pass | Season pass | Season (prices) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Châtel (alpin skiing) | 55 € | 281 € | 780 € | 2026-2027 |
| Les Portes du Soleil (alpin skiing) | 73 € | 373 € | 1303 € | 2026-2027 |
Where to stay
Book your stay
- Expedia
- Hotels
- Chalets & rentals
Search accommodation in Châtel with Expedia
Find a hotel in Châtel
Rent a chalet or large property in Châtel
Similar resorts to Châtel
Six resorts with a similar style, altitude and ski area to Châtel.
