Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!
Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Chatel - any good?
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

In my continued quest to get a good deal Chatel seems to be cropping up fairly cheap.

Looking for somehwere reasonable challenging to ski, not after mega mileage but a few decent slopes, ala La Clusaz, Vas. Pra Loup etc we found to be ok.

Les Deux Alpes & also Campitello also seems to be cropping up often.

Any opinions on the above for quality of slopes?

Cheers
latest report
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

I spent 2 seasons in Chatel and have very fond memories of the place. Albeit I did those seasons back in '97 and '98 so I would imagine the place has changed a bit since then. Chatel was often described as feeling as though you were in a Swiss resort though it is in France, it had a very friendly feel about it.

It is a real village with a degree of alpine charm that its neighbours such as Avoriaz cannot match (I spent 2 seasons there too, though lived there for 1 only). Of course you have the convenience of it being very well linked into the portes du soleil circuit. It has some issues in terms of access to Avoriaz (in that the best way to get to avoriaz quickly is to take the free and frequent ski bus to the head of the valley), but other than that you can ski back via the swiss side of the circuit via morgins.

I found it to be ideally placed for avoiding queues as you could easily access the swiss side which was in the main much quieter than the french resorts at peak times.

Nightlife wasn't extensive but more than enough for most peoples requirements and prices were reasonable (for a ski resort). I worked for a british tour op and relations with the locals were very good including with the local ESF ski school, a situation which was not the same in the likes of Avoriaz and Morzine (this situation may well have changed by now).

Plenty of good skiing to be had, off-piste too, it would mainly suit reasonable intermediate level up to advanced level skiers, but being linked into the circuit means anyone should be happy if they schlep off to other parts of the circuit
ski holidays
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

scotabroad, We skied the Chatel area when we were in P-d-S before Christmas. I thought Chatel had some of the nicest skiing in the P-d-S - lovely long red runs and easy to access Avoriaz etc. I would stay there on our next visit. However, I didn't notice any really challenging runs but other snowheads might know differently.
ski holidays
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.

Depends on time of year - chatel is low, and if you are unlucky it shows. When we went a few (3?) years ago everyone local was raving about the excellent conditions while we spent a fair amount of time bewailing them - it didn't compare to conditions at places like les arcs, val disere etc where I would normally head in Jan (when we went). I wouldn't rush back, but it is quite a nice town, and there is definately a fun factor from skiing to switzerland for lunch and a feel of 'travelling', I seem to remember doing the same runs quite a bit (over towards avoriaz) but that might have been due to the group I was with, we were quite cautious. Lovely mountain restaurants, some queues, but except for the last one home from the avoriaz side (fleurie maybe?), nothing horrible. Overall not one of my favourites, but as long as the snow is on your side, probably a perfectly reasonable choice. For comparison I'm a red run cruiser by choice - les arcs, val d'isere and schladming are probably my top three resorts - although this year I'm hitting none of them! (Flachau, Les menuires and a TBA).

I'd prefer it to Les Deux Alpes, despite easiski's tuition I just can't take to LDA, I find it very constrained in terms of on piste cruising anyway.

Hope that helps,

aj xx
ski holidays
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I'm off to Chatel for the first time in 10 DAYS!
Can any one provide some info on good off piste ops? - fingers crossed for powder. Will probably hire a guide for a day or two - any recommendations?
Tips on bars in Chatel and places for luncheon in the PdS would also be appreciated snowHead
ski holidays
ski holidays



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy