 Poster: A snowHead
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Not sure spelling is quite right, but this is part of the Porte du soleil. Have the chance of some free accommodation for a long weekend 1st April to whenever we like. Have skied the PDS before although not been down to Chatel, but my biggest concern is the snow conditions as it is quite low. Has anyone been to this area this late before? Any other comments at all would be helpful?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Am sure with the recent fall predictions are good well into April. If it is free I would say go for it. Links into the rest of area pretty good so Avoriaz will be good.
Chatel is pretty and with character _ I would say go for it SallyAnne!
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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?
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went to chatel last year at the beggining of January. im sorry to say, it was the worst place i have ever skiied! it is very low so the snow conditions were poor which didnt help but there are not many runs to test the intermediate. it may be linked to other resorts but it was such a pain getting to them! Then again, if its free and for a long weekend its worth a shot, especially as it has snowed loads just lately and looks set to continue that way. if you decide to go hope you enjoy more than we did!
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Antony, we are thinking of hiring a car, so at least if Chatel is no good, we can drive to other resorts i.e. Les Gets, Avoiraz! Would you advise this?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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we drove to chatel so we also had a car - the only reason we chose chatel was because it seemed easy to get to by car, problem was once we got there we could not be bothered to go anywhere else - having to find new accommodation etc etc. i would say we are intermediate skiiers and all the runs which were open were not really a challenge, had the snow conditions been better we might have enjoyed it more. like i said before, snow conditions are a lot better this year and you are going much later in the season than we did so it might be completely different!
going to st anton in a couple of weeks! sounds like there's no shortage of snow there!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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sallyanne, I have not done it, but i think that the drive to Morzine or Les Gets takes about 45 minutes. I have always hired a car to get from Geneva and it takes about 75-90 minutes.
I have been to Chatel about 5 times as some friends have an apartment there and I absolutely love the place. Although it is not a big resort i am sure that there will be enough to amuse you for a long weekend.
Each of my trips was a 3-4 day break and I have always been around New Year - we have had powder conditions every time (even if only for some of the days on the trip). If you like off-piste, there is a large undeveloped area from the top of the Cornebois (to the left of the lift, as you ride it up). Whilst not steep, this is full of small cornices, natural half-pipes, bumps, trees etc. A veritable playground that has provided some of my best days on snow due to the variety and the ability to make up a different route every time you go down.
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It's easy to get from Chatel to Avoiriaz. Take the ski bus (or drive) to Pre la Joup, two lifts up, down to Lindarets, then up the opposite side and you are in the top of Avoriaz. There is also a lot of off-piste possibilities in the Linga area (between Chatel and Pre la Joup).
But I agree the Super Chatel ski area directly above Chatel can be a bit tame if the snow cover isn't that good.
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Thanks all. We decided it was too good a deal to miss. Got cheap as chips flights from Easyjet on 9th April for five days, with coach from Geneva to Chatel, so fingers crossed. Has anyone been to the Portes D S this late before? We figure that if snow is bad, we could go walking!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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sallyanne, Used to have a flat in Petite Chatel so have skied there in April and have had good, bad and indifferent conditions ( same as in some December, January, February and March months). Keep your fingers crossed.
The walking is pretty good too if it really comes to it and it is a nice town with some good places to eat - even has a market IIRC
CP
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sallyanne, We're in Chatel up to the 1st April, so should be able to give you a reasonably uptodate view of things before you go.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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CP, there seems to be a good base, and still snowing so yes, fingers crossed. RobW, thanks, if you would let me know on your return would be grateful. Have a good trip.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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sallyanne, I have stayed in Chatel 5 times but only as late as March. April weather is in the lap of the gods. Like others say it is low. It has its own micro-climate and can rain in any month during the season or dump snow big time in April. I hope you get the latter.
Tony Lane, mentions driving to Morzine and Les Gets. I believe these areas are lower than terrain which is nearer to you. Avoriaz is the highest resort in the area and reachable on your chosen snow transport in about an hour and a half from Chatel.
You can often see Morzine looking quite green as you view it from Avoriaz in March so not sure about that option.
3 areas in Chatel. There are 3 blacks at Super Chatel I seem to remember. 2 quite short and one long (but the steep part is quite short).
There are a couple of decent reds at the Linga sector of Chatel and a couple in the Plaine Dranse sector plus a reasonable black, usually mogulled.
Avoriaz has a quite a few decent options.
Other resorts. Don't know driving times from Chatel per se but Chamonix and Flaine are both only an hour from Geneva so can't be too long to drive to.
As for other resorts in the area
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Been a few times in April and you can get a mixed bag down in Chatel. My advice is to take the advice of RobW, get over to Avoriaz but it looks as if the snow will hold lower down and after all it is only a few weeks away sallyanne, enjoy 
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