Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Champéry
Planning a ski trip to Champéry? Browse our collection of visitor-generated reviews that rank the mountain and ski town on a scale of one to five stars in the following categories: Overall Rating, All-Mountain Terrain, Nightlife, Terrain Park and Family Friendly. See how Champéry stacks up to others in terms of skiing and après, and read up on pros, cons and comments from fellow skiers and snowboarders. Don't forget to submit your own Champéry review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your ski area experience.
Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Champéry
Total (4.1)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
Champery is a convenient point from which to access the Les Portes du Soleil area…about 45 minutes driving time from the city of Montreux, it also has a train station that permits connection to Geneva, about 1.5 hours away to the west. A single tram connects the village to the Planachaux summit. Once you’ve skied beyond that ridgeline, you are crossing into the Les Crosets area, but like many big resorts in the alps, the transition is pretty seamless….you’d hardly know when you’ve skied into another country, let alone something as trivial as another resort!
You can also access Champery from the chair at Grand Paradis, about 10 minutes drive part the village of Champery. If you are driving, that is probably your best bet, as Grand Paradis offers more convenient parking. An added benefit is that you can ski all the way to the bottom at Grand Paradis, which you cannot do at Champery, thus avoiding a big crowd at the tram at quiting time. Some people in my ski club said in previous years there had been very little snow on the lower elevations at Champery, making the trip down a bit of an adventure. This year it was skiable, but icy and crowded late in the day.
The trails at Champery itself are more geared towards beginner and intermediate skiers, but it's a jumping off point for more serious adventure.
Nice Village, flew into Geneva walked 200 metres to Train station, changed trains at Aigle next train straight into Champery and stops next to the cable car. Transfer time from Geneva only 2 hours with no hassle. Top tip go first class on train worth the money. Only first class on leg 1 but so relaxing... makes a coach look like a death wish.
Stopped at the Hotel Suisse half board nice people, wireless internet awesome with the skype phone and also a free internet station if you dont bring your laptop.
Its also right next to a really good ski hire shop.
You can walk to the cable car about 200m downhill but definitely get the ski bus back which stops right outside the Hotel.
Little supermarket in the town and stick your booze/drinks in the fridge (sorry mean balcony)
Took four total beginners with me. Big mistake totally unsuitable for the first time skier. No nursery slopes at top of cable car, have to walk down a steep slope with skis for 200 metres and walk back up a huge hill until you are good enough to ski down.
Otherwise for the intermediate/advanced its awesome, links with Avoriaz are great and the skiing over the mountain is awesome, off piste powder was a pure delight and we never even scratched the surface of the Portes Soleil in a week. Quite nice turn left for France or right for Switzerland dont forget the Euros...
Its quite wierd being in a village at 1000m in the pouring rain, feeling depressed getting in the cable car for the 1000m rise and seeing the snow line advance. Ears pop on the way its one big ride and arrive in a snow storm, never had much of a queue the whole week.
Would recomend but not for beginners who have never skiied before go elsewhere to learn guys and gals and then go to Champery or go to Avoriaz as its right on the slopes but more expensive.
Oh by the way by the end of the week the four beginers could go anywhere, bar the wall (awesome moguls) so I recomend the ski school, forget the group lessons go one on one with the instructor for a private lesson, or group 2/3 of you of similar levels together and share the cost.
Quiet village with excellent access to the larger Portes du Soleil region. 1 Gondola from the village. Can not ski to the village but can ski to a bus terminal and a 5 minute ride. New sports center is a good addition. Lower elevation can make early season skiing questionable. Village is in a valley so not a lot of sunlight. Easy access from Geneva.
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