Chatel Snow Conditions

The rustic farming village of Chatel lies in the Haute-Savoie region in the Northern French Alps, a convenient hours' drive from Geneva airport. Sitting at the end of the Abondance Valley on the Swiss border, the village is an excellent base for the Portes du Soleil ski area, and has a good selection of local slopes. Chatel is one of the most snowsure resorts on the circuit, seeing an annual snowfall of 4m each year.

 

At a height of 1,200m, Chatel offers skiing up to 2,200m, and its predominately north-facing slopes offer good conditions throughout the season. Lying in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, Chatel sits in an ideal spot between Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, and Lake Geneva, which helps to guarantee plenty of snowfall each season. The resort is well-placed to explore the vast Portes du Soleil, which boasts 650km of terrain served by over 200 lifts, and a choice of 8 French and 4 Swiss resorts. Chatel itself has 49 slopes spread over 85km of terrain, divided into 2 areas - Super Chatel, above the village, which offers gentle slopes mainly for beginners and intermediate, and Linga and Pre la Joux, home to more challenging runs above the tree line, and links to Avoriaz and Les Crosets. This area is known for its higher north-facing slopes, and sees the best snow in the resort.

 

The ski season in Chatel runs from December to April, with the best snow seen in February. Upper slope averages for 2008 reached 202cm in April, with 2007 seeing highs of 113cm. Chatel has 10% snowmaking facilities, with 30 snow cannons covering part of its slopes each winter, mainly at Super Chatel.