Skiing in Chatel

There’s a lot of information to take on board when booking a ski holiday. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive from prospective guests. Hope this might help if you’re thinking about your next ski holiday in Chatel!

Q) What’s the difference between a Chatel ski pass and a Portes du Soleil pass?

The Portes du Soleil ski domain encompasses 12 different resorts in France and Switzerland, of which Chatel is one. A Chatel only pass covers the immediate area and offers a great range of skiing for beginners. Intermediate and above should opt for the Portes du Soleil pass as this gives access to over 650km of pistes. 2014/5 season prices are as follows:
6 day Chatel adult = €179, child = €135
6 day PDS adult = €242.50, child = €182

Q) Are flights and airport transfers included in our holiday?

Flights aren’t included, but one private immediate transfer from and to Geneva airport is included (unless otherwise stated). If you’re travelling on different routes to others in your party we’ll ask you to try to co-ordinate your timings as much as possible.

Q) Where is the nearest ski lift? How do we get to different starting points each day?

All our chalets are situated in ‘Petit Chatel’, directly above the main village centre. The nearest ski lifts are therefore Barbossine chairlift and the Super Chatel telecabine. There are also various other starting points and we offer a chauffeured minibus service to transport you to and from the slopes each day. The service is flexible and not at set times.

Q) What are the options for childcare?

We work with a local nanny company who provide qualified staff to look after children at the chalet, with prices starting at €90 for a whole day. Alternatively there is an excellent local crèche for children up to 5 years old. And for children at skiing age, there’s also the opportunity to have babysitting at the chalet with our experienced chalet girl if they don’t want to ski all day.

Q) Why do you need my height and shoe size on the booking form?

We pre-arrange all your equipment hire such as ski, boots, poles etc so the shop has everything ready for you when you arrive.

Q) Some of the people in our group are beginners – can they join a ski school?

We’ll be happy to discuss each person’s requirements and give our expert recommendations for ski or snowboard instruction, as well as booking all lessons prior to your arrival. There are a number of very good ski schools in the village, all with English speaking instructors and small group sizes. Ski school costs around €120 for 10 hours of lessons – normally 2 hours each morning from Monday to Friday. Alternatively we work with some excellent private instructors and tend to recommend this route if your budget allows. Private lessons cost €55 / hour and lessons are generally 2 hours long.

Q) Do you cater for special dietary requirements? / My children are fussy eaters – is that a problem?

Yes we’ll be happy to cater for dietary requirements and any major likes or dislikes. If you’re concerned about the menu we can work together to make sure everyone in your party will enjoy it, including fussy children!

Q) What’s the snow / weather like at different points in the season?

It’s virtually impossible to predict weather conditions in any given month, but in general terms it’s slightly sunnier and warmer in March and April compared to January. Chatel enjoys a fantastic snow record and our season runs from mid December to end of April so snow coverage is never an issue.

Q) What can the non-skiers in our group do?

There are many activities for non-skiers – from snowshoeing to husky rides, ice skating, local markets and shopping opportunities. If non-skiers want to join skiers for lunch up the mountain it’s also possible to buy a ‘pedestrian’ pass to easily access the main restaurants at Plaine Dranse via one chairlift.

If you have any other questions about skiing in Chatel, please don’t hesitate to contact us!