{"id":482,"date":"2018-02-13T14:52:26","date_gmt":"2018-02-13T13:52:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/wordpress\/?p=482"},"modified":"2019-10-23T11:04:22","modified_gmt":"2019-10-23T09:04:22","slug":"ski-chatel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/winter\/ski-resort-reviews\/alps\/ski-chatel\/","title":{"rendered":"Ch\u00e2tel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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W<\/span>ith its neat scatter of individual chalets huddled against the mountainside, Ch\u00e2tel<\/strong> provides a traditional alternative to purpose-built ski villages. That\u2019s in our thoughts as we leave the route which heads into the heart of the village and instead take the road which snakes along the floor of the valley. <\/p>\n

Well before things become decidedly chillier below the winter shade-line, we reach Les Chalets d\u2019Ang\u00e8le<\/a>. After checking-in, garaging the car securely in the on-site underground parking and transferring skis and luggage, we spend a few minutes taking in our new surroundings from the balcony of our stylish 4-star apartment in the fast-fading afternoon sunlight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\nJust beyond the next ridge lies Les Lindarets, from which you can take a lift direct to Avoriaz, or do as we do and ride past it on the haul up to the Pointe des Mossettes. It\u2019s a memorable ride, not least for the magical snowscapes beyond Les Brochaux, over which we float in childlike wonder.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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At Petit Ch\u00e2tel, buy your ski pass at this charming chalet. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\"Rear
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Descending through the trees on a red-graded piste at Petit Ch\u00e2tel<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A couple of days\u2019 skiing in Ch\u00e2tel<\/h2>\n

We awake to brilliant sunlight and gaze out upon chocolate-box scenery, eager to head out and explore the ski area, very little of which is visible from the village itself. If you\u2019ve read our Resort Reviews<\/strong> for Avoriaz<\/a>, Les Gets<\/a> and Morzine <\/a>then you\u2019ll already have a feel for the Portes du Soleil, so we won\u2019t bore you by repeating the basics here. Instead we\u2019ll look at two particular days\u2019 skiing which for us reveal the kind of qualities which make Ch\u00e2tel<\/strong> an excellent base from which to explore this huge ski area, despite some pretty stiff competition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The \u2018most Swiss\u2019 of the ski villages…<\/h2>\n

As the road map will confirm, little more than 1km beyond the village lies the Franco-Swiss border<\/strong>, an appealing thought to which we can add another, namely that you have near-instant access to the Swiss ski terrain by simply taking a couple of chairlifts in the Super-Ch\u00e2tel Barbossine<\/strong> sector and skiing into either Torgon<\/strong> or Morgins<\/strong>. They\u2019re lift-linked, too, so if you wish you can start your day this way, working your way round to Champoussin<\/strong>, Les Crosets<\/strong> and Champ\u00e9ry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\"Skier
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Dropping into Plaine Dranse, a good spot for refreshments.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Skiers overlooking ski terrain from snow-covered ridge at Tete de Linga.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ch\u00e2tel connections<\/h2>\n
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We begin the more mainstream way, however, by taking the Linga high-speed gondola lift, which supplies definitive overviews of the village and its serene valley setting before dropping us at 1776m. From here there\u2019s a choice of return pistes (graded Black, Red and Blue) but we transfer to the Echo Alpin six-seater chair, another high-speed lift which hauls us smoothly to 2073m and drops us just below the T\u00eate de Linga (2156m).<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a steepish Red return piste, but for most skiers the focus is an onward cruise \u2014 choose from Red or Blue \u2014 round to Plaine Drance<\/strong>. This relatively sheltered bowl is also served by lifts from Pr\u00e9 la Joux<\/strong>, another popular access-point just a couple of minutes from the village by shuttle-bus. Plaine Drance is a popular spot, with the allure of some worthwhile Blue- and Red-graded pistes. Better still, just beyond the next ridge lies Les Lindarets<\/strong>, from which you can take a lift direct to Avoriaz<\/strong>, or do as we do and ride past it on the haul up to the Pointe des Mossettes<\/strong>. It\u2019s a memorable ride, not least for the magical snowscapes beyond Les Brochaux<\/strong> over which we float in childlike wonder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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