As we near the half way point in March, it is clear that this is turning into an epic season. We have had consistent snowfall and cold temperatures now pretty much since the end of December, snow conditions are still fantastic, the sun is shining and the pistes are pretty empty. I knew there was a reason why I love March skiing so much.
There are some great events lined up over the next couple of weeks, including the Chatel 3 style days which includes downhill mountainbiking on snow, freestyle ski & board competition and waterslide (20-24th March).
The Fete du St Laurant was a great success, despite the heavens opening midway through the afternoon. The British expats entered a fantastic float. It was such a hit with the locals that it was invited down to the La Chapelle and the Abondance fetes on subsequent weekends!
This weekend is Chatel’s St Laurant festival – an annual festival celebrating the village’s patron saint.
This is always a colourful and fun day, with floats of all descriptions making circuits of the village centre. This year, however, the British expats have been invited to enter the procession. Are we going to be subtle about things? Absolutely not! Look out for a large red London bus on the streets of Chatel. Possibly similar in quality to the Bejing/London Olympic red bus (although we can’t guarantee David Beckham will be on it).
For years I have been running ski holidays in the beautiful alpine resort of Chatel. During this time, we have worked with a fantastic ski hire shop.
For our clients, it is important that a ski shop offers good service, and makes the whole process of hiring skis or snowboards as effortless as possible. Of course good equipment and competitive prices are also of paramount importance. It is for all these reasons that we work with our preferred ski hire partner.
Enter the internet. Now holidaymakers, especially Brits, tend to cast around online before coming on holiday trying to get the best deals for everything. It is easy to become obsessed with squeezing every last euro off a deal, and easy to forget that something has got to give. That something tends to be levels of service, and quality of equipment.
Over the last couple of seasons, we have found increasing numbers of clients didn’t wait until they got to Chatel and pre-book their equipment despite our advice not to. Consequently, they often don’t get what their bargained for.
The most frequent complaints from our clients who have pre-booked their ski equipment are;
That they were lead to believe that by paying in advance, they would have specific equipment put aside for them. On arrival at the shop, they found that they had to queue for a long time, and there was no equipment put aside for them.
Staff in the shops were surly and unhelpful, and were completely overwhelmed by the number of clients they had to serve.
The equipment offered to them wasn’t of a particular high quality.
After sales service was pretty much nonexistent (no assistance with broken equipment or swapping skis.
The price (despite the large discounts promised online) wasn’t really any different to walking in off the street.
We have worked with one ski shop in Chatel for the last 8 years, and there are a number of very good reasons why we carry on using them, and why our clients are always very happy with us for suggesting;
The service is fantastic – people are in and out very quickly even during the busy school holiday weekends.
The equipment is top quality.
The after sales service is second to none. For example, if a client doesn’t ski for one day during their week’s holiday, the shop won’t charge them for this. Also, if a client wants to swap from skis to snowboard midway through the week, they do this at no extra charge.
The prices are some of the lowest in resort.
At some point in the future, the service and in-resort systems of ski shops will catch up with the technology. Until such time, if your ski chalet owner or tour operator recommends a ski hire shop for you, don’t just dismiss it in favour of online booking, otherwise you may be disappointed.
If you are planning your next summer holiday look no further than the green mountain peaks of Chatel. Set in the picturesque Valley d’Abondance, Chatel has plenty to offer outdoor enthusiasts and families looking for an alternative to the beach.
Chatel, a small village nestled in heart of the Portes du Soleil area between the picturesque lake Geneva and the high alpine range of Mont Blanc, provides an excellent choice of activities to keep the whole family entertained.
The village itself is a beautiful picture postcard alpine village surrounded by high peaks. In recent years Chatel has graduated to a three star flower rating and the floral displays throughout the village are spectacular and add colour and ambiance to the place.
Chatel’s facilities include its own outdoor pool, fishing lake, bob luge run, high flying “fantasticable” fly line, golf, archery and mini train. In order to make the most out of your holiday this summer there is now the offer of the Portes du Soleil “Multi Pass” which allows unlimited activities each day for just 1€ per person per day. This is great value for money and allows you to access many of the most popular attractions in the area.
The Multi pass allows access to the following for 1€ a day.
* 4 swimming pools and 2 lakes, the Les Gets swimming lake and the picturesque lake Montriond
* 25 mountain lifts for hikers
* 5 cultural sites, including the Abbey in St Jean D’Aulps, the Mechanical toy museum and the Abondance Abbey
* 9 tennis courts
* 2 ice rinks
* 3 tourist road trains
* The inter resort bus shuttle service
* 850km of foot paths.
The Multi Pass will allow you to make the most out of your stay in the fabulous Portes du Soleil.
Using the chair lifts as a pedestrian in summer allows you to reach the high peaks and provides a great starting point for some breathtaking views and challenging walks. Local walks are well sign posted and are easily followed using local maps. You can plan a day on the mountain to lead you to many of the local mountain refuges serving fabulous local food and drinks. There are plenty of walks for all abilities from little ones and those who may be a little unsteady to seasoned alpine hikers. The lifts allow you to explore and discover the Alps in a way that is accessible to all.
If you are looking for a more relaxing way to enjoy the mountains then there are delightful picnic spots by local rivers, lakes and waterfalls. Again most beauty spots are within easy walking distance and are well located on local maps. The local French markets up and down the valley provide a feast of delights to embellish your picnics serving local cheeses, meats and wine along with other local produce.
For a more thrill seeking adventure there are plenty of river sports located along the River Dranse; rafting, kayaking, hydrospeed and canyoning are just some of the sports on offer at the local white water sports adventure centres. Many of these centres also offer guide for rock climbing in the local area.
If it is a beach retreat you are looking for on your holiday then look no further than the sunny spots on lake Geneva, within a 40min drive from Chatel you can be sitting on a fabulous sandy or pebbly beach with all the amenities and activities you will find at a coastal resort. Boats and pedalos can be hired and many of the beach areas provide outdoor pools, playgrounds and restaurant facilities to make you day out fun for all the family.
The festivals, live music and outdoor events throughout the summer calendar provide an insight into the cultural and diverse community that is Chatel. The resort will leave you wanting to return to explore the undiscovered areas which are ready and waiting for your future visits.
How often have you actually ridden your mountain bike down a mountain?
Mountain Biking in the Portes du Soleil
How often have you actually ridden your mountain bike down a mountain? If you mostly ride in the UK, then chances are you don’t do it very often. However, this sport that we all know and love is called “mountain biking” for a reason. If you sit at the top of a mountain pass in the French Alps, looking across towards the snow capped mountains and glaciers of the Mont Blanc range, with 1500m descent of twisty technical single track ahead of you; suddenly it all starts to make sense.
The Portes du Soleil region, in the northern French Alps, has become a Mecca for mountain biking and not without good reason. In winter the area is famous for being the largest linked ski area in the world, but during the summer months it is also easily the largest lift served mountain bike trail area in the world.
The area really does have something to offer all styles and levels of mountain biking. For cross country riders, there are plenty of demanding climbs to challenge your fitness. For downhill riders, there are well over 20 dedicated downhill tracks ranging from easy to insane. For free riders, the area really comes into its own with mile after mile of varied terrain including bike parks, technical forest single track, exposed steep faces and north shore style courses.
In response to the growing demand from mountain bikers from all disciplines, many of the resorts in the area have invested heavily in mountain bike infrastructure.
In Switzerland, the combined areas of Champéry, Val d’Illiez-Les Crosets-Champoussin & Morgins boast a four cross track, a north shore zone, a bike park, 3 downhill courses (including the infamous UCI world cup downhill course, and the UCI 15 km cross country loop.
In Les Gets over in the French side, there is a beginners’ downhill track at the Grand Cry Park and 2 beginners’ MTB parks; the Kid’Zone and Mini Jump Park. For the more experienced there is a dirt and freestyle jump park, a four cross track, a freeride zone in “Gibannaz Canyon”, 4 downhill courses, and 6 cross-country suitable for all riders.
Chatel, which is right at the centre of the area, has perhaps the biggest selection of purpose built MTB areas with 15 MTB tracks (14 of which are downhill profiled), 5 north shore zones, 1 four cross track, the infamous freeride “La Face” mountain style zone, 1 kid’s cross and a drop zone with jump pit, wall ride, quarter, step-ups and step-downs.
Despite having great trails for intermediate, advanced and crazy riders, the Portes du Soleil area is also a fantastic place to learn mountain biking, or to go riding with young families. There are lots of opportunities to get chairlifts up to the tops of the mountains, and then find your way around on 4×4 tracks which don’t tend to be too steep or challenging.
One of the reasons why the Portes du Soleil has become so popular for mountain biking is because the sheer vastness of the area results an incredible mix of varied terrain, and ensures that the trails never become too busy. Indeed, it is possible to ride all day and not see another person. Couple this with picturesque resorts, great value accommodation and the glorious back drop of the Dents du Midi and Dents Blanches mountains, and it is clear to see why the Portes du Soleil is one of the best mountain biking destinations in the world.
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.
