Why ski with us?

Chalet Val d'Abondance is fairly unique being owned outright by a large group of private individuals who banded together to form the Alpine Club Châtel.

Being owned and run as a Club largely for Club members, our chalet is rather special. More often than not, one or more of the Club owners will be among the guests staying at the chalet, ensuring the catering and other facilities are kept up to scratch and offer our guests excellent value. Better still the whole chalet has been extensively redecorated.

Why Châtel?

Many of the owners have skied the area extensively and realised that our location at the entrance to Châtel provides a very flexible base for winter and summer holidays. Although it was done several times now during exceptional snowfalls, we cannot normally offer doorstep skiing. The nearest pisted routes being the main cross country circuit from Châtel to La Chapelle which runs across the fields below the chalet. However our mini bus provide easy access to the main ski stations each morning and can pick you up at the adjacent watering hole in the evening. Our vehicles have been specially fitted out for use in the Alps.

But what's it like?

Brochures rarely have space to provide little more than a bland factual description of a resort, which tends to leave unanswered, the big question "What's it like?" Hence this is one of the most common questions we receive. Whilst we hope this part of our site will go some way to answering this question, undoubtedly the best solution is to make your own mind up by choosing Alpine Club Châtel as the base for your next holiday. All our guests are invited to add their comments to the chalet visitor's book, and we hope with their permission to be able to include a few extracts from the book in our web site. Check out this slideshow made by two recent guests.

Some Basic facts.

If all you want is the statistics then click here.

Châtel has a good snow record with over 13 feet average annual snowfall. Unlike higher resorts, Châtel has adopted a mix of low tech and high tech measures to ensure that it too can offer good skiing conditions throughout the ski season even when snow cover elsewhere is limited. The predominately north facing slopes help ensure good snow retention, which is augmented by a number of transportable snow cannons which can be rapidly deployed to ensure thinning pistes remain skiable.

During 2004 Super Chatel invested in new lifts and a huge snow cannon programme to help extend the season. The programme continued during 2005 with numerous new snow cannons installed at Pre La Joux which should help ensure that the main Pierre Longue slope remains in good shape throughout the season.
Equally important is the extensive programme undertaken over many years to remove boulders and rocks from the underlying grass base of the main pistes which both helps them keep the slopes open longer and minimises the risk of damage to your board or skis. The outcome is that Châtel had enough snow to open in Mid November 1998 - four weeks early for the 1998/1999 season, and the Millennium season got off to an equally early start, with good snow available right through till end April. Normally the full lift service and links to adjacent resorts is planned to start by Christmas week, however with the exception of 2001/2 season there has been sufficient early snow to allow the resort and most of the links to open one or more weeks before then.

The Lift System.

Skiers have the option of buying a lift pass valid for the local Châtel system or the full Portes du Soleil pass. Most first timers will find the Châtel pass offers more than enough challenges for their first week on snow. However more experienced skiers should opt for the greater range of circuits possible with the Portes du Soleil pass. This pass covers a vast area, the pistes alone equivalent to skiing from London to Glasgow, and this ignores the miles of off piste routes which the excellent local guides will be happy to explore with you. Don't forget you need a recent passport size photo (without hat) for all passes over two days. There are several special pass deals available and the chalet staff will be pleased to advise on the best pass for your needs. It's well worth the small premium (3 euro) to upgrade your lift pass to a "hands free" smart lift pass. This credit card size smart card, resplendent with a barely recognisable image scanned from your photo, should be kept in your top pocket, and is detected automatically as you approach the entry turnstile, opening the gate as you approach, removing the hassle of taking your gloves off at every lift entrance. This system works brilliantly but gets upset if you still happen to have an out of date pass in your pocket - so be warned.

The Châtel pass covers 39 lifts, which extend from a base level of 3,900 feet up to 7,200 feet. There is a good mix of slopes suiting all standards of skier - 6 green, 12 blue, 17 red and 5 black runs most of which are decidedly serious. There are beginner's slopes for the kids right in the heart of town with learning slopes and several easy green slopes at the top of the Super Chatel lift and at Pre La Joux beside the excellent toboggan run - which along with the floodlight piste at Le Linga - every body should try. Close to the toboggan run you will find "La Perdrix Blanche" - a very popular watering hole (and rendezvous for our mini bus pickup) as well as the Plaine Dranse Express lift which (if you have a Portes du Soleil lift pass) provides greatly improved access to Avoriaz and the higher parts of the system, and home to the infamous mogul "wall". This precipitous run really deserves respect, particularly in anything but ideal conditions. The run is very steep at the top and then gets a whole lot steeper. The challenge is all the greater avoiding petrified intermediate skiers who having set off realise too late that this was not a good idea. Anyway try it if you dare, but don't say you were not warned! The round trip can take several hours so choose a day when the weather is good, and set out early, as a taxi home can be extortionate.

Heading towards the centre of town, the Super Châtel lifts provide easy access to the neighbouring Swiss resort of Morgins, whilst the Petit Châtel lifts are linked to Torgon in Switzerland. In good snow conditions you must check out the Torgon village chairlift which offers a Kodak moment view across Lake Geneva and then if your are up for it try the precipitous off-piste route which plunges from the chair lift ridge straight down to Torgon village.

Just down the valley from Chatel, the lifts in La Chapelle d'Abondance provide access to some splendid, but little used, tree lined pistes.

Châtel is a great base for several immense all day ski circuits. You may wish to head via the Super Morzine cable car down to the picturesque villages of Morzine and Les Gets returning via Pointe de Nyon and the spectacular cable car into Avoriaz centre.  If time permits try out the stunning black run at the far side of Let Gets down to Pointe de Chalune. The restaurant at the bottom offers real value and a welcome break to an extremely long trek.

Even more challenging is the circuit from Super Châtel to Pre la Joux passing en-route via the Swiss resorts of Morgins, Champoussin, and Les Crosets before crossing back into France at the Point de Mossette (2,277metres) and returning to Châtel via Avoriaz and the Lindarets valley
If you have time don't overlook the often unspoilt slopes in the more remote parts of the Portes du Soleil circuit such as Abondance, and St Jean d'Aulps/La Grand Terche which has one of the longest continuous downhill runs in the Alps.

Don't forget to carry your passport at all times when skiing in the Portes du Soleil as many routes criss-cross the French Swiss Border. [Switzerland is of course outside the European Union, hence customs officers have been known to carry out spot checks.] Although restaurants throughout the Portes du Soleil are happy to accept both Swiss and French currency you should carry both as you are unlikely to be offered a generous exchange rate!

Apres Ski/The nightlife.

For those of you with energy to burn after dinner, you will find plenty to do out and about in Châtel, La Chapelle d'Abondance and Abondance. In Châtel there is a bowling alley and games arcade, 2 cinemas, an ice rink and lots of friendly bars.

If you are interested in extreme ski videos then you'll probably enjoy Bar L'Avalanche. The Tunnel Bar is worth a visit - indeed several. The bar is a strange mix owned by a Scot who made Châtel his home. It is bedecked in railway memorabilia much of it borrowed from the LMS. There is a heavy duty sound system installed in a cable car cabin possibly liberated from the neighbouring slopes, and this is topped off with an American style miniature railroad precariously suspended from the ceiling above the bar. Suffice to say the place is well liked and normally packed 'til the early hours, and totally manic when they have a live band.

In the town centre there is a disco in Le Jean' Club by the Super Châtel lift station, and another up by the border in Le Sequoia.

 In La Chapelle d'Abondance you will also find several excellent restaurants. The foremost is the Hotel Les Cornettes du Bis, where you'll need to book and take a Platinum Card!

Don't miss out on happy hour (18:00 to 19:00) at the Fer Rouge micro brewery in La Chapelle. Here you will find a great selection of Real Ales brewed by a local who went to Dublin to learn his trade. Not only does he offer an excellent draught stout, but he imports Malt from Yorkshire to deliver a cracking English Real Ale - Frasses. For those after something lighter they also brew a light blond and blanche all served on traditional hand pumps.

What Else?

To help you enjoy your holiday in the Alps we have prepared a list of things to pack.

Finally, we very much welcome your comments, particularly if you discover an excellent restaurant of watering hole. You can send your comments by email or will find a visitor's book on the bookshelf in the Club Lounge.

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Created by JCWS, © 2005