I’m driving to Chatel in the Feb school holiday, I want to know what the roads are like – I have a 4 x 4 (Renault Koleos) and wanted to know if I needed winter/snow tyres?
I have got some TeX chain fabric things from asda, can anybody share any light on the roads or whether or not I’ll need snow tyres?

Snow Tyres are a legal requirement in Switzerland I thought, either that or snow chains- Not sure if fabric snow sock type things (which I assume yours are) count?

The road up the Abondance valley isn’t in too bad a condition, obviously it’ll depend on conditions when you’re travelling as to needing to put on your chains, and if where you’re staying is up from the main road.

The road from the village out to Plain Dranse is a lot more chewed up and if there’s a fresh dump can be a challenge to get there, but there’s now a link open from Super Chatel to Linga so you shouldn’t need to drive up.

Keep an eye on the website and practice putting on the chains.

You will need chains. The rest is up to you.

+1 to practice putting them on. Make sure you have a pair of pliers and some spare links if they are cheap chains.

Chains a must! Winter tyres, not essential if I have chains?

I have just checked my car, only recently purchased it and it has Mud and Snow tyres already fitted. Would these with a combination of chains be sufficient?

Unless it is hammering it down with snow you’ll be fine on snow tyres on that road. It’s not a difficult drive

Careful everyone! Winter tyre/chains content.

Thought winter tyres were compulsory in Switzerland?

They aren’t:

https://www.ch.ch/en/winter-tyres

And chatel is in France. And you don’t need to go into Switzerland to get there

Having never been to Chatel before (only boarded at La Plagne/Stayed at Montalbert), can I link up to any of the other locations in the Potes du Solei without driving basically touring around on my board? For instance can I go from to Chatel to Morgins? I have looked at the Map on the android app and it looks like you could but having not navigated around there before any guidance appreciated?

P.S Are the drag lifts T Bars or Buttons (pray for button)

Yes you can go anywhere in the portes du Soleil, provided you buy a Pds lift pass and the linking run/piste is open.

a Chatel only pass will get you down into one or two Swiss resorts, can’t remember if Morgins but ask when you buy your pass, I think at least the first Swiss resort down from Super Chatel.
There are more drag lifts both button and t bars over that way if you don’t like doing them on a board but they’re not that vicious.

If you buy a Pds pass you could go all the way to Les Gets if you’re prepared for a 5 min walk or catch mini train across Morzine.

If you’re on a board going from Chatel to Morgins is a bit of a PITA – much easier to drive over for the day (same as in the summer if you’re on on a DH bike)

Otherwise there is a very infrequent service bus that’ll do the job for you. – If you really want to do it on piste then it’s probably quicker to go via Pre la joux, Pte De Mosette Croset and Champoussin – the best pistes near Morgins tend to be the ones on the Champoussin side anyway. Getting across to Morzine is pretty easy – but I doubt you’d really want to go all the way over to Les Gets. Avoriaz is pretty easy to get to and it has some great terrain.