Situated on the French-Swiss border, Châtel is a small traditional village resort of Upper Chablais that is connected with the famous ski area of the Portes du Soleil (Gateway to the Sun).
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Situated on the French-Swiss border, Châtel is a small traditional village resort of Upper Chablais that is connected with the famous ski area of the Portes du Soleil (Gateway to the Sun).
Winter and summer sports resort bordering the Swiss border, Châtel takes place in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in the department of Haute-Savoie. Located at the bottom of the Val d'Abondance, the town is near Evian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, only a few kilometers from Avoriaz. It is also part of the Portes du Soleil ski area.
Populated by a Burgundian tribe as early as the 5th century, the commune developed as early as the eleventh century with the construction of a priory. Reunited in the mid-19th century in France, the town began its first activities of winter tourism at the same time with the construction of a first hotel. It will be necessary to wait until the end of World War II to see the opening of a first ski-lift. His integration with the Portes du Soleil in the 1970s brings him definitely the fame with the amateurs of winter sports.
In addition to its status as a ski resort, the commune of Châtel also unveils an architectural heritage of great interest that uncovers the history of the city over the centuries.
The Châtel station seduces with its village resort appearance and its warm and very family atmosphere. It has several infrastructures adapted to young people as well as activities on a human scale. The resort offers more than 80 kilometers of ski slopes, as well as direct access to the Avoriaz ski resort, as well as the Swiss resorts of Morgins and Torgon. The Châtel Liberté ski pass gives you access to the ski areas of Châtel, La Chapelle-d'Abondance, Torgon as well as part of the Morgins area. You will also have access to 650 kilometers of slopes throughout the Portes du Soleil area. Marked routes allow you to learn snowshoe walking, while a 40 kilometer Nordic area is located nearby. In summer, mountain biking, climbing and even paragliding are activities offered to visitors to the resort. The site also has pubs, restaurants, a wellness and leisure area with swimming pools, hammams, saunas or massage parlors.
In the town of Châtel, you can admire the Saint-Laurent church, listed as a Historic Monument. In neo-Gothic style, it was built at the beginning of the 20th century on the remains of a first monument from the 17th century, itself built on a castle. It still reveals stained glass windows from the 1960s inside. Not far away, the presbytery from the end of the 18th century was recently renovated, while the Notre-Dame de Plaine-Dranse chapel of Châtel was built in the 1980s.
During a walk around the lake, you will have the opportunity to observe the Vonnes chapel. Witness to the evolution of the hamlet over the centuries, this modest chapel built in the 16th century was enlarged in 1886. Easily recognizable, it has since been equipped with a bell tower and a golden Virgin.
On the road to Pré-la-Joux, take the time to discover the mysterious chapel of Très-les-Pierres. Nestled in the hollow of an imposing rock, this building will perhaps reveal its secrets to you. Even if the date of 1784 on the facade seems to indicate the year of construction, that of 1759 inscribed on the bell of its bell tower would suggest the previous presence of a more rudimentary place of worship.
To find out more, enjoy a walk along the Dranse to go back in time to discover the history of the chapel but also other emblematic buildings of the Châtellan heritage such as the Villapeyron sawmill or the old slate quarries.
More than fifty bells spread over five buildings have punctuated village life for several centuries, without forgetting the bells and cowbells that adorn the necks of the Abondance cows. Building on this rich bell tower heritage, the town has been committed to its development for several years, efforts rewarded in 2020 with the obtaining of the “Sounding City” trophy. Throughout the year, the town invites you to follow in the footsteps of this heritage during a fun and interactive visit, punctuated by a VIP concert from Ars Sonora Frontière.
To walk and appreciate the local fauna and flora, there is no shortage of places, like the Plaine-Dranse, the Col de Bassachaux or even Lake Vonnes. The town was also awarded three flowers in the Competition of towns and villages in bloom in France. You can admire different alpine farms scattered throughout the town.
Converted into an interpretation center on mountain smuggling, the former customs post of. Thanks to numerous testimonies and a richly documented and illustrated exhibition, the world of smuggling between France and Switzerland will no longer have any secrets for you.
In addition to the free or guided tour, in season the Vieille Douane offers activities for young and old. As a family, slip into the shoes of the smugglers and "gabelous" of yesteryear to solve the challenges that await you during "Secret Operations". The young detectives will not be left behind to carry out the investigation in search of contraband goods; while the most courageous families will be able to try to meet the challenges of the brigade's last "gabelou" during its tour around the lake.
La Vieille Douane being ideally located on the banks of Lake Vonnes, do not hesitate after your visit to stroll at your own pace to enjoy the landscape.
Finally in the heart of the village, don't hesitate to come and discover the municipal library. Thanks to a weekly subscription, take advantage of more than 2,000 books at your disposal. Novels, documentaries, comics, albums... Young and old will find what they are looking for here.
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