La Chapelle d'Abondance
999 mVillage altitude
1,797 mTop of the ski area
600 kmLinked pistes · Portes du Soleil
11Ski lifts
Not published by any source: adult day pass.
La Chapelle d'Abondance is a ski resort in the Northern Alps (Haute-Savoie). The village sits at 999 m and the ski area rises to 1,797 m, a skiable vertical of 803 m.
Live webcams
All webcams (8) →Chatel · Torgon · Plan de CroixSkaping
Les GetsSkaping
Avoriaz · ArareSkaping
Each player is the camera operator’s own, loaded only when you ask for it — it may set its own trackers.
Official players of the resort, live image. 4 more cameras on the webcam page. Checked on 12 September 2026.
Snow, opening and weather
Snow report →Open pistes and lifts will appear here during the season, as published by the resort. Out of season we show nothing rather than a misleading zero.
Right now at the CHATEL station (1,155 m)
Source: Météo-France, CHATEL weather station, 5 km away. Hourly measurement — not the resort’s own snow report.
Avalanche danger
Reliable snow mainly in the first half of February; more irregular the rest of the winter. 70 days a winter at 30 cm or more on average, and 326 cm of fresh snow, measured over 39 winters at the Météo-France “CHATEL” station. Fortnight by fortnight, over 39 measured winters →
3-day forecast
Village 999 m · top 1,797 m
Forecast corrected for altitude; fresh snow = forecast total at the top; UV = peak of the day. Beyond 3 days, check the resort’s own report. Source:Open-Meteo.
Seven criteria rated from 1 to 5 stars, in half-stars, from this page's sourced data. A rating is a rank among the 315 French resorts we cover — 5 stars means “among the best in France on this point”, not “perfect”. Nobody types these in.
- SnowCan you count on the snow?2 / 5
Top of the ski area: 1,797 m · Bottom of the pistes: 994 m · Days above 30 cm per winter, measured: 70 days · Days above 30 cm, December to March, model: 80%
- Ski areaIs there enough to ski all week?4 / 5
Km skiable from the resort, linked area included: 600 km · Lifts: 11
- ValueIs the lift pass reasonable for what you get?n/a
Not rated: no official price list could be found.
- Families and beginnersIs it right for children and beginners?3 / 5
Share of green and blue pistes: 80% · Magic carpets: 0 · ESF ski school · Ice rink, pool, rail sledge…: 1
- AccessIs it easy to get to?3 / 5
Average drive time from 20 major cities: 4 hr 57 · Nearest railway station: 37 min · Station-to-resort shuttles per day: 6 · Nearest airport: 1 hr 38
- Atmosphere and après-skiIs there life in the evening and off the slopes?2 / 5
Bars and pubs: 1 · Nightclubs: 0 · Restaurants: 9 · Upcoming events: 0 · Collective tourist beds: 0 — index: what the map and the listings publish
- Luxury and comfortHow upmarket is the resort?2 / 5
5-star hotels: 0 · 4-star hotels: 1 · Share of hotel rooms in 4 and 5 stars: 29% · Spas and saunas: 0 · Jewellers, watchmakers, fashion boutiques: 0 — index: what the map and the listings publish
“Atmosphere” and “Luxury” are indexes: they count what OpenStreetMap and the event listings publish within 2.5 km (bars, nightclubs, rated hotels, spas, upcoming events), not what you experience there. A zero means “nothing mapped”, not “nothing there”. Sources per criterion: snow (altitudes declared by the resort (ANMSM, official website), STRMTG register, OpenStreetMap; snow depth observed at the Météo-France station, ERA5-Land model) ; ski area (figures declared by the resort (ANMSM, official website), national lift register (STRMTG), OpenStreetMap) ; value (the resort’s official price list) ; families and beginners (OpenStreetMap pistes, price list, ESF ski school, Famille Plus label, OpenStreetMap leisure) ; access (OSRM drive times from 20 cities, SNCF stations, GTFS shuttles, airports) ; atmosphere and après-ski (bars, nightclubs and restaurants within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap), upcoming events (OpenAgenda), collective tourist beds (INSEE)) ; luxury and comfort (rated hotels within 2.5 km (OpenStreetMap) and by category across the commune (INSEE), spas and boutiques (OpenStreetMap), day pass price).
- Skiable vertical
- 803 m
- Cross-country skiing
- 1 km of nordic trails
Ski-area figures — bottom: OpenStreetMap (1 Oct); top, lifts: STRMTG — French national lift register (1 Jan); km of the linked area: Resort’s official website (read by SkiRadar) (23 Sept) . In a linked ski area the map cannot tell where the resort ends: its own km stay “n/a” until the resort declares them.
The ski area in figures
Measured on 7 October 20263 kmLongest piste — Route du Clos Baron (green), 252 m of vertical
261 mBiggest vertical without changing piste — 1,257 → 996 m, 1 km
1,797 mHighest lift top — TS de Braitaz (chairlift), national lift register
11,239Total lift capacity, people per hour — 11 installations: 1 gondola, 3 chairlifts, 7 drag lifts
39 yrsAverage age of the lift fleet — oldest 1971, newest 2020
2,000Biggest lift, people per hour — TSD de Crêt Béni (detachable chairlift, 2007)
61 kmTotal length of lifts — 74 lifts mapped
13,792 haSki area boundary (OSM)
872Inhabitants — La Chapelle-d'Abondance (INSEE 74058)
Measured on OpenStreetMap (altitudes: IGN RGE ALTI), not taken from the brochure. The vertical above is that of one piste, not of the whole ski area. Population: INSEE municipal population via geo.api.gouv.fr.
Source: national register of mechanical lifts (STRMTG, CAIRN), fleet as of 1 January 2025 — lifts attributed to La Chapelle d'Abondance only (“CHAPELLE D'ABONDANCE (LA) BRAITAZ”), magic carpets included.
Staying and hiring gear in La Chapelle d'Abondance
The partners covering this resort, shown side by side, and the shop to kit out before you leave. Some links earn us a commission — never at the expense of the price or of the data.
Collective accommodation
- 6 hotels · 205 rooms (2 × 4★, 3 × 3★)
Commune: La Chapelle-d'Abondance · INSEE tourist accommodation survey, 2026, read on 12 September 2026. Collective accommodation only — privately let flats and second homes are not counted. INSEE dataset ↗
Stay & accommodation
Holidu
Holiday-rental comparison site.
Ski Planet
Self-catering flats and all-inclusive ski holidays at the foot of the slopes, since 1999.
Montagne Vacances
Flats and chalets in the resort, at direct prices.
Gear & equipment
Absolute Snow
UK ski and snowboard shop — delivers to UK addresses only.
Hardloop
Mountain gear shop: ski touring, avalanche safety, winter clothing.
Beyond skiing at La Chapelle d'Abondance
Toboggan runs
- Bobluge de Pré la Joux · Châtel · 6.6 km away
Ice rink
- Patinoire · Châtel · 5.3 km away
Swimming pool
- Le centre aquatique Forme d'O · Châtel · 5.5 km away
Museum
- Musée du ski ancien · La Chapelle-d'Abondance · 2.4 km away
Cinema
- Cinéma Le Chamois · Châtel · 5.4 km away
- Le Névé · 0.7 km away · OpenStreetMap
Source: DATAtourisme (open data), within 10 km of the resort; places in a large town of the valley are left out. Checked on 12 September 2026. Lines marked OpenStreetMap come from the map, within 3 km — opening times on site. Opening times and prices are the operator’s — check before you go.
Ski schools and practical information
Ski school
ESF La Chapelle D Abondance
54 instructors
🇬🇧 29 English-speaking instructors — lessons in English available
Source: esf.net
In case of accident
112 — the European emergency number, free of charge, triggers mountain rescue. On the pistes, the ski patrol number is printed on the piste map and at lift ticket offices. Piste rescue is charged: check your insurance or take the option sold with the lift pass.
Off the pistes: off-piste and ski touring
The resorts for off-piste skiing →Ski touring routes described
12 ski touring routes documented within 10 km of La Chapelle d'Abondance — up to 1,486 m of climb.
| Summit and route | Ski grade | Climb | Altitude | Aspect | From resort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tête de l'Avalanche · Tour et sommet | 1.2 · E1 · F | 750 m | 1,066 → 1,856 m | SW | 1.5 km |
| La Corne - Antécime NE 1950 m · Couloir Badam | 4.1 · E1 · AD+ | 998 m | 1,000 → 1,998 m | NW | 1.6 km |
| Pointe de Lachau · En boucle depuis Chevenne | 2.2 · E1 · PD | 850 m | 1,140 → 1,963 m | E | 1.6 km |
| Crête des Blattes · Couloirs NW | 4.3 · E2 · D | 1,100 m | 990 → 2,079 m | NW | 2 km |
The other 8 routes, with grades and vertical →
Not a piste. Neither marked, nor patrolled, nor secured: transceiver, shovel, probe, the day’s avalanche bulletin and, better still, a guide. Ski grade (1.1–5.6) = steepness and commitment; exposure (E1–E4) = consequence of a fall.
Source: Camptocamp.org topo guide (CC BY-SA), routes starting within 10 km, read on 13 October 2026. Descriptions and photos are on Camptocamp; an empty cell is a field nobody has filled in. Camptocamp ski touring routes ↗
Piste map
Open on OpenSnowMap ↗Official piste map
Pistes coloured by level, lifts as lines. The resort’s official map is the reference in season.
Base map © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA) · pistes © OpenSnowMap (CC-BY-SA) · data ©OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Getting to La Chapelle d'Abondance
From Paris: 6 hr 50 (610 km) by road.
By road
- From Genève: 1 hr 14 · 66 km
- From Annecy: 1 hr 43 · 114 km
- From Chambéry: 2 hr 10 · 156 km
- From Grenoble: 2 hr 44 · 212 km
- From Lyon: 2 hr 58 · 218 km
From other major cities (15)
- From Besançon: 2 hr 58 · 197 km
- From Saint-Étienne: 3 hr 42 · 292 km
- From Valence: 3 hr 42 · 314 km
- From Dijon: 3 hr 50 · 273 km
- From Strasbourg: 4 hr 24 · 371 km
- From Clermont-Ferrand: 4 hr 41 · 386 km
- From Nancy: 5 hr 33 · 441 km
- From Montpellier: 5 hr 49 · 518 km
- From Marseille: 5 hr 54 · 528 km
- From Nice: 6 hr 44 · 527 km
- From Paris: 6 hr 50 · 610 km
- From Perpignan: 7 hr 11 · 666 km
- From Toulouse: 8 hr 07 · 752 km
- From Bordeaux: 8 hr 39 · 775 km
- From Pau: 10 hr 01 · 942 km
Excluding traffic and winter conditions; passes closed in winter are avoided.
By train
Thonon-les-Bains station
regional station · then 37 min drive (33 km)
Nearest main station: Annecy, 1 hr 41 by road.
- From Thonon-les-Bains station (stop “LES ARTS”): line 12 — Thonon Les Arts ↔ Châtel Linga (EVIAN - ÉVA'D), 54 min to the “LES PLAGNES” stop — 6 departures a day on weekdays, 4 a day at weekends · first 06:45, last 19:15 · timetable from 15 December 2026 to 15 April 2027 · official timetable ↗
Direct journeys read from the official timetable files published on transport.data.gouv.fr — no connections.
By plane
- Genève (GVA): 1 hr 38 by road · 74 km
- Chambéry-Savoie (CMF): 2 hr 14 by road · 155 km
Take me there
These links open the app with La Chapelle d'Abondance as the destination. Your starting point is never sent by us — the app asks you for it, if you agree.
Charging an electric car
1 charging station within 2 km
2 charging points · up to 24 kW
- LA CHAPELLE D'ABONDANCE - Parking de l'église · EASYCHARGE · 2 points · 24 kW · 0.4 km
Freely accessible charge points read from the French national EV charging database (data.gouv.fr ↗, operators’ own declarations), checked on 9 October 2026. Check availability before you leave: the database says what is installed, not what is free tonight.
Road conditions
From 1 November to 31 March, snow chains or winter tyres are compulsory in most mountain areas (French “Loi Montagne II”).
Driving times computed on the OpenStreetMap road network (OSRM), SNCF stations (open data), airports (Wikidata). Indicative, not a timetable: allow extra time in snow.
The area offers 600 km of alpine pistes across Portes du Soleil, 11 ski lifts.
La Chapelle d'Abondance belongs to the linked Portes du Soleil area: one lift pass covers the neighbouring resorts.
Measured on the OpenStreetMap map: the longest piste runs 3 km (Route du Clos Baron) and the highest lift tops out at 2,092 m.
The resort holds the Station Verte label.
Access: 1 h 14 by road from Genève and 37 min from Thonon-les-Bains railway station.
4 official webcams show the pistes live (on the French page).
Frequently asked questions
How high is La Chapelle d'Abondance?
La Chapelle d'Abondance sits at 999 m at village level, and its ski area rises to 1,797 m.
How many kilometres of pistes does La Chapelle d'Abondance have?
From La Chapelle d'Abondance you can ski 600 km of slopes across Portes du Soleil, 11 lifts.
What is the longest piste in La Chapelle d'Abondance?
The longest piste is Route du Clos Baron: 3 km (green run), for 252 m of vertical. Measured on the OpenStreetMap map, segments of the same name and level joined end to end, altitudes from the IGN RGE ALTI terrain model — a resort sometimes advertises a longer run by chaining several pistes.
How high do the lifts go in La Chapelle d'Abondance?
The highest lift, TS de Braitaz (chairlift), tops out at 1,797 m. Source: STRMTG, French national register of mechanical lifts (CAIRN database), file dated 1 January 2025.
How many lifts does La Chapelle d'Abondance have, and what is their capacity?
The French national register of mechanical lifts records 11 installations at La Chapelle d'Abondance (1 gondola, 3 chairlifts, 7 drag lifts), for an authorised capacity of 11,239 people per hour, of which 2,000 for TSD de Crêt Béni alone. The fleet spans 1971 to 2020, an average age of 39 years. This count covers the resort itself, magic carpets included, not the whole linked ski area — a resort brochure often announces a different number. Source: STRMTG, French national register of mechanical lifts (CAIRN database), file dated 1 January 2025.
How do I get to La Chapelle d'Abondance?
By road, La Chapelle d'Abondance is 1 hr 14 from Genève (66 km), excluding traffic and winter conditions. By train, the nearest station is Thonon-les-Bains, 37 min by road from the resort. From Thonon-les-Bains station, line 12 — Thonon Les Arts ↔ Châtel Linga (EVIAN - ÉVA'D) reaches the “LES PLAGNES” stop in 54 min, 6 departures a day on weekdays, 4 a day at weekends. The nearest airport is Genève, 1 hr 38 away.
How long is the drive from Paris to La Chapelle d'Abondance?
6 hr 50 for 610 km from central Paris, excluding traffic and winter conditions. Computed on the real road network (OpenStreetMap): allow more on a school-holiday Saturday.
Is the snow reliable in La Chapelle d'Abondance?
Reliable snow mainly in the first half of February; more irregular the rest of the winter. 70 days a winter at 30 cm or more on average, and 326 cm of fresh snow, measured over 39 winters at the Météo-France “CHATEL” station. This verdict rests on 39 winters of Météo-France measurements (1983-2022); in season the daily report prevails.
Nearby resorts
Full page in French. The French page carries the editorial guides and a few extra readings; every figure, webcam and price on this page is the same one. La Chapelle d'Abondance in French →
Every figure carries its source and date; a missing figure shows as “—”, never estimated. Embed this widget on your site