Chatel vs Les Gets: which should you book?
Book Les Gets if you want a pretty, family friendly village with charming tree lined skiing and the easiest access from Geneva. Book Chatel if you want a more authentic farming village and the best direct gateway into the huge Portes du Soleil circuit. Les Gets wins for families and looks, Chatel for keen intermediates chasing the full loop.
By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed June 2026
The short answer
Les Gets wins on family charm and access. Chatel wins on circuit connection and authentic village feel. Both sit in the vast Portes du Soleil.
These two French villages both sit in the Portes du Soleil, the giant cross border circuit linking France and Switzerland, and both make good bases, but they suit slightly different trips. Les Gets is a postcard pretty, family focused village paired with Morzine, with gentle tree lined skiing and easy reach from Geneva. Chatel is a more traditional working farming village at the far end of the area, prized for its direct link into the heart of the Portes du Soleil loop.
For families and those who want charm with minimal fuss, Les Gets is the easier, prettier and more convenient choice, especially as a first stop from Geneva. For keen intermediates who want to tour the whole circuit, including the famous run round to Avoriaz and across into Switzerland, Chatel's position gives it the better launch pad and a more authentic alpine atmosphere. The skiing is broadly shared, so it comes down to the base and the access.
The numbers side by side
| Chatel | Les Gets | |
|---|---|---|
| Resort altitude | around 1,200 m | around 1,170 m |
| Top lift | around 2,200 m toward Avoriaz | around 1,850 m on Mont Chery and Chavannes |
| Ski area | Portes du Soleil, around 600 km linked | Portes du Soleil, around 600 km linked |
| Terrain character | Two sectors, good link to the circuit | Gentle, tree lined, family friendly |
| Village style | Traditional working farming village | Pretty, polished family village |
| Evening scene | Relaxed village bars | Lively but family friendly bars |
| Day pass | Around $55 to $65 for the Portes du Soleil | Around $55 to $65 for the Portes du Soleil |
| Nearest airport | Geneva roughly 1.5 to 2 hours | Geneva roughly 1.25 to 1.5 hours |
The skiing
Both share the Portes du Soleil, but their home terrain and circuit access differ. Chatel sits at a natural gateway to the loop, with two sectors of its own and the easiest run through to Avoriaz and the Swiss side, making it the better base for skiers who want to tour the whole area. Les Gets has lovely, gentle tree lined skiing of its own on Chavannes and the quieter Mont Chery, ideal for families and intermediates, but it sits at the far end of the circuit, so the long haul round to the other side eats into the day. Keen circuit skiers lean Chatel, gentle cruisers lean Les Gets. Winner: Chatel for the circuit, Les Gets for easy local skiing.
The village
This splits by taste. Chatel is a genuine working farming village, spread along its valley with real Savoyard character, cowsheds beside chalets and an unpolished, authentic feel. Les Gets is prettier and more put together, a postcard alpine village with a tidy center, good shops and an obvious charm that families love. For authenticity Chatel wins, for sheer good looks and a polished center Les Gets does. Winner: Les Gets for charm, Chatel for authenticity.
Cost
The two are closely matched and both are mid priced for the Alps, sharing the same reasonably priced Portes du Soleil pass. A comfortable week at either typically lands in the $2,000 to $4,000 per person band, with Chatel's simpler farming village lodging sometimes a touch cheaper and Les Gets' smarter chalets nudging higher. Neither is an expensive resort by Alpine standards. Winner: close, slight edge to Chatel on value.
Families
Les Gets is the stronger family base. Its compact, pretty center, gentle tree lined nursery slopes, good ski school and calm, safe feel make it one of the easier family resorts in the Alps, with plenty to do off the snow. Chatel is family friendly too, with good beginner areas, but its spread out farming village layout is less convenient with young children. Winner: Les Gets.
Apres and evenings
Both are relaxed rather than wild, with a slight edge to Les Gets for choice. Les Gets has a livelier but still family friendly clutch of bars and restaurants around its center, pleasant for an evening out. Chatel's evenings are quieter and more low key, in keeping with its farming village character. For a bit more buzz Les Gets wins, for a calm night Chatel suits. Winner: Les Gets, narrowly.
Access
Les Gets wins on access. It is one of the closest French resorts to Geneva, at roughly an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, an easy transfer that is ideal for a short trip. Chatel is a little further at around an hour and a half to two hours, still straightforward but at the far end of the valley. For the quickest door to door from Geneva, Les Gets is the pick. Winner: Les Gets.
The verdict
Book Les Gets if you want a pretty, easy family village with gentle tree lined skiing and the quickest access from Geneva, and you do not need to tour the whole circuit every day. Book Chatel if you are a keen intermediate who wants the best direct gateway into the Portes du Soleil loop and an authentic working farming village, and you do not mind a slightly longer transfer. Families and short trippers should lean Les Gets, while circuit skiers will prefer Chatel. Read our full reviews of Chatel and Les Gets before you book.
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Common questions
Is Chatel or Les Gets better for skiing?
Both share the Portes du Soleil, but the difference is circuit access. Chatel sits at a natural gateway to the loop with the easiest run through to Avoriaz and Switzerland, while Les Gets has lovely gentle tree lined skiing but sits at the far end. Circuit skiers lean Chatel, gentle cruisers lean Les Gets.
Which has the prettier village, Chatel or Les Gets?
Les Gets is the prettier, more polished village, a postcard alpine center that families love. Chatel is a genuine working farming village with real Savoyard character and an unpolished, authentic feel rather than a tidy resort look.
Which is better for families, Chatel or Les Gets?
Les Gets is the stronger family base, with a compact pretty center, gentle tree lined nursery slopes, good ski school and a calm safe feel. Chatel is family friendly too but its spread out farming village layout is less convenient with young children.
Which is closer to Geneva, Chatel or Les Gets?
Les Gets is closer, at roughly an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half from Geneva. Chatel is a little further at around an hour and a half to two hours, still easy but at the far end of the valley.
Are Chatel and Les Gets on the same lift pass?
Yes. Both sit within the Portes du Soleil, so a Portes du Soleil pass covers the whole linked cross border circuit of around 600 km from either village. You can tour between resorts on a single pass.
Which has better apres ski, Chatel or Les Gets?
Both are relaxed rather than wild, with a slight edge to Les Gets, which has a livelier but still family friendly cluster of bars and restaurants. Chatel's evenings are quieter and more low key in keeping with its farming village character.