Travel to La Chapelle dAbondance with ski insurance from Essential Travel

La Chapelle also has the advantage of being lift-linked with the nearby resort of Torgon. The curiously named and attractive old farming community of Chapelle dAbondance was once just a rustic backwater of the Portes du Soleil. Sitting at just over 1,000m above sea level, La Chapelle only has 730 permanent residents and has all the charm of a station village, with its traditional wood country cottages.

There are 75kms of pisted runs of varying difficulty over 17 slopes, the longest of which is four kilometres. Beginners and lower intermediates are particularly well catered for and more challenging terrain is available off-piste. Twelve lift systems, featuring four chairlifts, seven draglifts and a gondola, operate over an 800-metre vertical and supply all pistes.

The ski season at Chapelle dAbondance runs from December to late March/April, with cheaper rates offered pre-Christmas holidays and towards the end of the season. The most convenient means of getting to La Chapelle is to fly to Geneva and take the Skibus, or train service to Thonon-les-Bains and a coach from there.

Skiing in La Chapelle dAbondance

La Chapelle dAbondance ski resort, lying south of Lake Geneva, is an attractive prospect at weekends if the main Portes du Soleil resorts become really busy. Seventy-five kilometres of gladed pistes are ideal for families and beginners, as well as those who prefer a quieter ski and snowboard experience.

Seventeen quality pistes run over 75kms of superb terrain, which is suitable to all levels of skiers, especially beginners; while expert snowboarders and skiers will find it fairly limited. The terrain encompasses an 800-metre vertical descent and 12 ski lifts operate over all pistes, the longest of which is four kilometres. In addition to the pisted snowboarding and skiing, there is great off-piste terrain and 20kms of cross-country trails.

The village of La Chapelle dAbondance is five kilometres along a picturesque valley from Chatel and sits at 1,010m above sea level. This charming little mountain village of 730 residents has some traditional quaint architecture and a variety of lodging options in 6,500 beds.

The December to late March/April ski season at La Chapelle dAbondance ski resort has its best snow in February and discounted weeks in mid-December and March. Most people fly to Geneva and take the Skibus to La Chapelle, or a train/bus combination. Buses and trains run in both directions.

Apres-ski in La Chapelle dAbondance

Other activities and facilities at La Chapelle dAbondance ski resort include: winter hiking, mountaineering, ice-skating, horseback riding and fishing. In addition, there are thermal baths and a swimming pool. The nightlife is limited to the entertainments offered by the larger hotels, and folklore evenings.

La Chapelle dAbondance offers 6,500 beds in a variety of accommodation, from three-star hotels to comfortable pensions and guesthouses, as well as some cosy cottages. There are some terrific eateries in La Chapelle serving-up traditional French and Swiss fare; Le Fer Rouge is one of the best. Those looking for a wild party scene may be disappointed.

For alternative skiing, the Portes du Soleil ski region has a vast international skiable field, with 650kms of pistes available. Well known resorts include Chatel, Les Gets and Morzine on the French side, and Morgins over the border. Away from the slopes, nearby picturesque Thonon-les-Bains is an affluent and bustling spa town and the main centre of the region.

Transportation in La Chapelle dAbondance

Located 66kms east of Geneva, La Chapelle d’Abondance is only directly accessible by road and is straightforward to get to. The most convenient travel option is to fly to Geneva and hire a car, or take the Skibus or train/bus combination, via Thonon-les-Bains. Rail travel is the next best option, with good connections from Paris, while self-drive is also popular.

By road, La Chapelle d’Abondance is close to the European motorway network, and is 600kms southeast of Paris and 250kms southwest of Zürich. If you’re coming from the UK, the quickest route from Calais takes in major tolled autoroutes (motorways), via Reims and Dijon in France and Lausanne and Montreux in Switzerland.

Carry on south along the A-9 from Montreux and exit west on to route 201 for La Chapelle (830kms; eight to nine hours). By train, there is a high-speed TGV service between Paris and Thonon-les-Bains, taking 4 hours, 30 minutes; from there, coaches go to La Chapelle d’Abondance. From the UK, regular Eurostar trains go to Paris (gare du Nord) from Waterloo station in London, taking four hours.

Geneva-Cointrin Airport is the gateway international airport serving La Chapelle d’Abondance and receives flights from all over the world. Options from here to the resort involve hiring a car and taking the N-5, D-902 and D-22, via Thonon-les-Bains; the journey is 70kms, taking about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Another option is to take the Skibus from the airport to the resort, or take the train from the airport to Thonon-les-Bains and a bus from there.

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