Slowing down in the snow: winter sports in Les Gets & Châtel

At half past seven this morning, I was still standing with my suitcases at track five of Rotterdam Central Station. Waiting for the Eurostar to take me to the French Alps via a stopover and change in Paris. I find travelling by train very relaxing. No queues at customs, lots of space on the train and enjoying the best views along the way. First through the heart of the French countryside, but after a few hours I see the first snow-covered mountain peaks. I'm looking forward to it. Around 3pm, we drive into Bellegarde train station. Outside in the snow, our taxi driver is already waiting to take us to the hotel.

Les Gets is a traditional French mountain village with many wooden chalets, located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil ski area, between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. From my room at Hotel La Marmotte, I can see straight onto the slopes, everything is within walking distance. This makes Les Gets such a relaxing destination because everything is very close together. After breakfast, with delicious French croissant, local cheeses and crepes, we are ready for the snow.

Although it is only my second time on the piste, that winter sports feeling immediately comes back; the clumsy on ski boots, the cold air and the soft crunch of fresh snow. We walk to the piste, where our first beginner's lesson awaits us.

It is starting to snow heavily. To us it seems challenging, but our instructor just smiles and assures us that this is just the perfect weather to explore the beginner's area. His calm explanation inspires confidence. And surprisingly soon I am independently on my skis, making my first turns. His most important tip continues to echo: look ahead, not at your ski boots. And indeed, as soon as I do, the balance comes naturally.

After the first efforts, our stomachs start to growl. We leave for an atmospheric lunch spot D'Z Restaurant, where the sun occasionally breaks through and briefly sets the mountains in a golden glow. Not much later, the snowflakes swirl down again.

Inside, with a warm cheese fondue in front of us and the ticking of snow against the windows, it feels as if the world has stopped for a moment. Cosy, warming and exactly how you imagine a perfect winter day in the Alps.

Afterwards, we relax in the spa Les Sources du Chéry, just what our muscles need. Les Gets is not only a winter sports destination but also a place to recharge. For wine lovers, Les Gets is a good place; here you can find delicious local wines from Haute-Savoie and Savoie. So we can't resist a winetasting at La Fille du Tonnelier. With a well-stocked drinks board, we taste glass after glass, and you can not only taste wine here but also surprisingly good food.

Unlike Les Gets, Châtel is located in a valley, the Abondance valley, and this cosy mountain village has almost as many red and white cows as inhabitants.Those same cows provide the milk for the local Abondance cheese; a tangy farmhouse cheese that not only shines on a cheeseboard but is indispensable in good fondues.

Châtel was originally a farming village, but the construction of the first ski lift in 1947 turned it into a popular, small-scale ski resort in protected nature. In summer, cows graze the green slopes, then in winter they go into their stalls and make way for skiers.

In Châtel, we swap skis for snowshoes and go hiking in the Petit Châtel area. The two-hour hike through metres of fresh snow offers beautiful views over the Abondance valley. Our guide talks about the area along the way while we still have to get used to the snowshoes.

The way back is much easier and relaxed downhill. Once we reach the bottom, it is already starting to dusk. We freshen up at Hotel Belalp and get ready for dinner at Le Vieux Four (the old oven), Châtel's oldest restaurant (1972), located in what was once a farmhouse with a bakery. The evening is filled with delicious dishes and stories about the village's history. Did you know that Châtel was once an agricultural village that later emerged as a major ski resort? It now offers a direct ski connection to Switzerland and is a core part of the Portes du Soleil.

Les Gets and Châtel are both easily accessible without a car. The region consciously invests in sustainable mobility, making travelling by train not only easy but also relaxing and environmentally friendly. And with that, your winter sports feeling starts as soon as you board the train. With the Eurostar, you travel easily from the Netherlands to France, where, with one transfer, you can reach the Alps in no time. Thanks to the AlpinExpress , after your arrival you can easily continue your journey with regional shuttles and local connections and benefit from attractive discounts on accommodation, ski passes and ski lessons, among other things.