Ski holidays in France

I live in a beautiful alpine resort in France called Chatel.

Chatel's development into a major ski resort has been done in the traditional alpine style and so it still retains much of its original charm.

Chatel itself has an extensive ski area with runs to suit skiers and boarders of all abilities. The whole village is served by a free ski-bus, so wherever you are, you are never more than a few minutes away from the ski-lift of your choice.

The resort is also part of the vast Portes du Soleil domain - the largest international linked ski area in the world with over 650 km of varied terrain spread across 8 French and 4 Swiss resorts. This gives skiers and boarders an almost endless choice of runs on their doorstep.

Although famous as a winter destination, Chatel is also ideal as a summer destination.

Visitors to the area over the summer months can enjoy numerous activities such as windsurfing & sailing (on nearby Lac Leman), white-water rafting, kayaking, paragliding, walking, mountain biking or simply relaxing in the sun by the outdoor pool in a breathtaking mountain environment.

In Chatel, you can find all the amenities you will need to make your holiday hassle free including supermarkets (a hypermarket can be found just outside the village) and a number of bars and restaurants.

For those who still have any energy left after the days activities, the village also offers a bowling alley, cinemas, a toboggan run (winter & summer) and an outdoor swimming pool (summer only).

With pine clad slopes, snow-covered chalets in winter and the sound of cow bells echoing round the valley in summer, Chatel really is one of the most idyllic and attractive resorts you will find in the French Alps.

For Ski Holidays in France, you can try White-Peak Holidays for self catered accommodation.

If you know a bit about skiing, and someone asks you what the largest ski area in the world is, you would probably say the Three Valleys. Similarly, if you were asked where the best "snow sure" ski areas are, you might mention some of the glacier resorts such as Tignes and Val Thorens.

In both cases you would be wrong!

Currently, the largest linked ski area in the world is the Portes du Soleil area in the Northern French and Swiss Alps. The area benefits from North facing slopes and the highest average snowfall in the Alps, meaning that Avoriaz and Chatel tend to get some of the best snow conditions in Europe from the start to the end of the season. In fact, the lifts of Avoriaz often stay open until the first weekend in May.
Not bad for a resort with no glacier who's lifts only go up to 2500 m!

Avoriaz is a striking purpose built resort built on an impressive cliff top at 1800 m. Its architecture evokes a mixed response. It is extremely convenient for skiing and is right at the centre of the Portes du Soleil.

Of course, purpose built resorts are not for everyone, and if you would prefer a more traditional chalet style resort, then Chatel might be for you.

Chatel is built on the side of a sunny south/west facing slope so visitors staying in the village get beautiful views up and down the picturesque Vallee d'Abondance.

However, the strength of Chatel lies in its spectacular North facing ski slopes of Linga & Pre La Joux. These areas have some of the most exciting and interesting terrain in the whole of the Portes du Soleil, and two chairlifts will take you up to Avoriaz in about 10 minutes or so.

The area gets a phenomenal amount of snow on an annual basis, and because of its aspect, it keeps it well. The domain often gets slated for its low altitude (1200 - 2500 m) but those in the know have long since realised that a high altitude resort is no good if the area doesn't generally get much snow!

Chatel itself is a beautiful place to stay. All the buildings are chalet style and there are a number of original old farms still full of cows to be found in and around the village centre. There isn't just skiing to keep holidaymakers entertained - the village has two cinemas, an ice rink, a lake where you can go ice diving, lots of fantastic bars & restaurants, spa facilities in a number of hotels and a whole list of non-ski related activities such as dog sledding, snow shoeing and paragliding.

One of the best things about Chatel is that it is relatively undiscovered. It attracts "people in the know" who want to avoid the crowds and find the most extensive skiing in the best areas.

For more information on this beautiful resort, you can visit Ski Chalets Chatel.

The village also makes a spectacular destination in summer, but that needs a separate article dedicating to summer in Chatel.