La Chapelle d'Abondance, Portes du Soleil

Five kilometres along a picturesque valley from Châtel, the curiously named and attractive old farming community of Chapelle d'Abondance was once just a rustic backwater of the Portes du Soleil. This huge network of ski areas – one of the biggest in the world – extends far and wide across the French-Swiss border, close to Lake Geneva. Recently it has been placed more firmly on the circuit map after being linked by gondola and three chairlifts with the Swiss resort of Torgon. Chapelle d'Abondance, at 1,010m, also has its own small ski area of attractive, gladed pistes and is an attractive prospect at weekends if the main Portes du Soleil resorts become really busy.

Short transfer from Geneva ( 90 minutes)