Winter sports by train to Châtel, France
On a winter sports holiday by train to Châtel in the Portes du Soleil in France. This cosy ski village is located next to Morzine, the car-free Avoriaz and the more chic Les Gets. The nice thing about the Portes du Soleil is that it is a huge ski area with each village having its own atmosphere. Châtel is characterised by the friendly character of the village. Everyone in the village is like-minded and helps each other to keep Châtel a nice village. To live and to go on holiday. And that cosiness makes Châtel a nice place to stay and come back. You can drive there in about 9 hours and by train the relaxing journey takes about half a day from door to door.
Châtel is a village in the Haute-Savoie and has a long agricultural history. There are still about thirty (young) farming families active in making Abondance cheese. The wooden chalets and farms, some of which are more than 100 years old, and the farming mentality provide a unique traditional atmosphere.
Also visit the adjacent Les Gets for more shopping, upscale dining and skiing down to the village.
The journey to your holiday is responsible for 70% of the total emissions of your holiday. Taking the train to your winter sports holiday saves 5 to 11 times the emissions of going by car or plane. And as soon as you are on the train, you are on holiday. All the more reason to Alpine Express to book. The earlier you book, the lower the price and you also get a 10% discount on your ski pass and discounts in hotels, restaurants and activities. You get off in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine or Geneva from where you take a shuttle.
Once you arrive in Châtel in winter, you can visit one of the many slopes, but there is more fun to do. Snowshoeing, visiting a local cheese maker and more fun.
The first ski lift in Châtel was built in 1946. Around that time, Roland Macchi, father of the ski champion Françoise Macchi, started the first ski school. In 1970, Ronald and his wife opened hotel macchiThe cozy family owned hotel has 28 rooms and are traditionally furnished with lots of wood and painted furniture. In addition to a cozy breakfast restaurant, bar and cozy living room with large fireplace, the hotel also has its own ski rental. After a day outdoors, you can jump into the swimming pool, sauna and steam bath.
Do you not like skiing or boarding or do you just want to try something new, take a snowshoe walk through the beautiful surroundings of Châtel. Going up the mountain with snowshoes is not for the faint-hearted. If you have injuries or are not in good shape, please let us know in advance so that the walk can be taken into account. What you get in return are breathtakingly beautiful views and a good portion of nature. You books a guided tour via the Châtel Tourist Office.
Taste delicious local dishes at The Chalet de Theo. This traditional wooden chalet is a bit off the piste and walking route but is definitely worth the walk. It is a treat in any case whether you go for one of the traditional Savoyard dishes – with local Abondance cheese – a well-filled salad or one of the soups. A must is the Berthoud – a local cheese dish from the oven in which you dip potatoes. No hip fuss but delicious and cozy food.
More about Châtel soon…
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