Snowsure: 4.5
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Chatel is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Chatel Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
January 04, 2017
Adam from
United Kingdom
Adam from
United Kingdom
I agree with the majority. I have been the past 2 years and I am off there in 2 weeks, again. I have no intention of looking for another resort; the people are great and friendly, they are already getting to know me and my family and everything is close, so no major hikes in the evenings!
Ski hire is easily accessible and the twoddle about lifts is hilarious: lifts break, people, that happens anywhere. It happened last year for me and in under 2 hours they had a new electric motor fitted, no mean feat and I am an engineer. If you go every year there is a 10% discount for online passes, so I think that is loyalty reward enough.
Love the place and I'm buzzing for getting there this year!
The drive is spectacular, by the way, if you're brave enough!! ;-)
Cheers - Vin Chaud with my name on it shortly
November 13, 2016
Laura from
France
Laura from
France
My experience of Chatel have always been excellent and I have skied here in 4 seasons from 2013 to 2016.
The skiing is varied and vast and the Portes du Soleil pass is great value compered to other ski areas.
The resort coped very well in December 2014 and 2015 when the snow came late and was one of only 7 resorts in France open for the last week of December 2015, despite what British Media reported. They made huge efforts with reduced ski passes and even moving snow via helicopter to ensure piste coverage. Morzine and Les Gets were closed during this time as they are lower.
For the last 4 years the season has run until end of April (~25th) with good coverage and plenty of skiing. Better in the morning than the afternoons, normal for Spring skiing.
The Chatel area is no longer split with 2 new chairlifts added 2 years ago, linking Super Chatel to Linga (with a great view from the chairlift!!). Overcrowding is only an issue on peak weeks, UK half term and New year and this is the same in every resort.
May 28, 2016
Lee from
United Kingdom
Lee from
United Kingdom
Love Chatel. The town is still authentically French. It's cheaper lift passes make it competitive against more famous ski areas and once you have been there for a week you will return! The locals are friendly and polite as are the lift attendants barking English at restaurant staff and shop assistants will probably be greeted with like minded rudeness where as a smile and a bonjour or pardon will go down well.
In fact, you won't like it, it's not for you so don't go ;0)
February 19, 2016
David from
United Kingdom
David from
United Kingdom
We have been to Chatel several times over the last few years and own an apartment in the village, however, I hope this review is objective!
Chatel has certainly become busier, it is particularly noticeable this year. The resort does need to invest in the infrastructure needed to support the increasing numbers staying in the area, the lines waiting to pay in the Casino supermarket are now almost as long as those on some of the lifts. The Pre La Joux area is great, very good lifts, some lovely runs and some great places to eat throughout the area. Access to Avoriaz and beyond is easy. The Super Chatel area also has some lovely tree lined runs. However, it has obvious issues, with the new link from Vonnes and the gondola lift up from the town it is now easy to shift people up to Super Chatel. However, once the shifting people around is more problematic, it relies on two old slow chair lifts and numerous button lifts which creates large bottle necks at busy times. Exploring further across towards Torgon is fine on the buttons but getting back is a nightmare; I stood for 45 minutes yesterday while what seemed like hundreds of people funnelled into the single Tour Le Don button. It seems this bottleneck collects skiers from Petit Chatel, Torgon and Chapelle making their way across to the rest of Portes du Soleil. The lift system in this area needs upgrading.
Overall, it is a lovely resort, we find the people who work here very friendly and would recommend the place to anyone. However, Chatel needs to continue to invest to keep up with its increasing popularity.
December 13, 2015
Darren from
France
Darren from
France
Chatel, in recent years, has become a victim of it's own success. With its recent €12million investment in snow cannons making it a snow sure resort, the superb new lifts linking Super Chatel to Linga and the improvement in restaurants and accommodation, I am not sure why some people take such a negative view. Unfortunately, when there is no snow in the rest of the Alps, there is always snow in Chatel, hence the overcrowding. Please aim your negativity elsewhere! Having been here for 11 years, the slopes have only been closed for 1.5 days in that time. Compare that to higher resorts for example where there is no alpine cover and winds are stronger. Chatel village and the ski area is a classic alpine resort and there are not many more beautiful. Following a major incident on the chairlift a few years ago, I think staff may have to enforce regulation a little tighter now. Coupled with a language barrier, it may not always come across as polite. I am sure as this is possibly the largest ski area in the world with 650kms of piste and whole bundle more of off-piste, you will find slopes and areas to suit your ability.
February 27, 2015
David from
United Kingdom
David from
United Kingdom
I feel a bit sorry for other reviewers who recently wrote about Chatel. Holidaying over New Year 2014/15 was challenging to say the least. However, nine tenths of what they experienced (I’ll come back to the last 10th later) was down to the weather, specifically the lack of snow, which affected the whole region. To be honest, without the modest snowfall the week after Christmas the result would have been absolute carnage; resort operators were more than a little worried.
Chatel, because of its north facing slopes and significant investment in snow making, actually had some albeit not as much as normal. Many nearby resorts were basically unskiable with resultant overcrowding as skiers came in from elsewhere. On the cost front, a further attraction of Chatel, is the relatively low prices with prices for food, drink, accommodation and lift passes substantially less than most stations with similar skiing. Anyone who doesn’t see this has clearly never skied in Verbier or Trois Vallees.
Comments that the resort lacks investment are simply wrong, but where I do agree with others is that there is an issue with the behaviour of some (by no means all) lift staff. Personally, I find that a simple “bonjour” actually makes a difference but it is something that all European ski resorts should look to North America for best practice.
Chatel is a great resort with fabulous skiing and friendly natives. Don’t let others put you off.
December 30, 2014
Dave from
United Kingdom
Dave from
United Kingdom
Pretty place with lots of potential but ruined by poor organisation and lack of investment. Lifts shown as open when actually closed. Insufficient lifts causing massive queues. People choosing to walk up the mountain, in large numbers, rather than wait forever (not just a short walk but a 40 minute climb). Insufficient buses, massive queues and total lack of crowd control. This causes people to use their cars, causing traffic queues and further slowing the buses. Sort it out please. Advice is not to go to Chatel during school holidays.
September 10, 2014
Steve from
United Kingdom
Steve from
United Kingdom
Chatel is a cracking place for people who are interested in hitting the slopes hard and exploring every day of their holiday. Probably not for hardcore clubbers but great for couples/more chilled out groups of mates etc / families.
It doesn't have the huge nightlife of a VT or such like but there are loads of restaurants and bars (and a couple of "clubs"). One of the main negatives of Chatel is that it is split between Linga/Pre la Joux and the village area/Super Chatel/Petit Chatel. It is only a 10 min bus journey but it can put people off. I believe a new lift is being built during the summer to link it all together! If you go...make your way to the Petit Chatel ski area...this is almost deserted most of the time!
Chatel is also a great entrance to the Portes du Soleil. The PDS is massive. It just keeps going. It isn't as well linked up as the 3Vs but its incredibly good fun to go off exploring for the day, in Switzerland, and then come back through Avoriaz.
I've been to Chatel 3 times and definitely will be returning a 4th time.
January 17, 2013
jack sanderson from
United Kingdom
jack sanderson from
United Kingdom
Chatel is an amazing place! We went for 1 week over new year, we drove from the UK there; it was a quick and easy eight and a half hours much simpler than flying. When we were there the pistes were fantastically groomed, great snow depth, empty open runs for all levels. The town has an array of non snow sport options which one of our party members loved. It was the best ski week ever. The area is so vast you can't imagine it, the Stash at Linderets and the snow park in Avoriaz were amazing. Will be booking return soon.
Nearest