Châtel Bike Park
- Location
- Châtel, Haute-Savoie — Portes du Soleil
- Season
- Mid-June to early September
- Lift access
- Yes — multiple chairlifts + gondola, on the Portes du Soleil Multi-Pass
- Trails
- ~50+ marked bike trails on the Châtel side, plus access to the wider Portes du Soleil network
- Easiest grade
- Green
- Hardest grade
- Black (DH and freeride)
- Day pass
- Portes du Soleil Multi-Pass ~€44 day / ~€185 week (~£38 day / ~£160 week)
- Nearest airport
- Geneva (GVA)
Châtel is the freeride capital of the Portes du Soleil. Famous for its hand-built wooden features and big jump lines, it has hosted Crankworx and various freeride contests, and is the part of the PdS network that riders specifically come for big air and creative shapes.
Anyone — but the freeride scene is what makes Châtel famous. Beginners get good greens and blues off the Super-Châtel sector. Intermediate-and-up riders get the headline jump lines, drops and wood features that you've seen on Pinkbike.
Enduro or DH bike. Full-face. Properly serviced suspension — Châtel will find any weakness in your damper after three days. The Portes du Soleil Multi-Pass covers the entire network.
The wood. Most parks have a few features; Châtel has whole runs of berms, drops and ladders shaped from timber. The lines feel theatrical. Lift right out of the village — no transfer needed. Châtel's freeride culture goes back decades and the local build crews are among the most respected in the Alps. The wooden features are inspected daily and rebuilt regularly, but they still ride differently from dirt — give yourself a session to get used to the feel before committing to the bigger ones.
Practical: Châtel is part of the same Portes du Soleil pass as Morzine and Les Gets, so a week's stay in any of them lets you ride all three. Many riders base in Morzine and visit Châtel for a day or two. The Châtel side is less polished for absolute beginners than Les Gets, so plan the first day of a mixed-ability trip elsewhere and use Châtel for the freeride days. The town itself is quieter and more village-feeling than Morzine — better for sleep, less for nightlife if that matters to your group.
Top trails to ride
- Tatoo Line Black freeride
Châtel's signature jump-and-feature run. - Serpentine Blue/Red flow
Big-bermed flow trail loved by everyone. - Vink Line Pro freeride
Big drops and gaps — for experienced riders only.
Getting there from Ireland
Fly Dublin → Geneva. ~1h30 transfer by hire car or shared shuttle (Mountain Drop-Offs etc.).
Where to stay
Chalets and bike-friendly hotels in Châtel village; some have bike wash, workshop and storage.