The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Hautes-Alpes

This is a great first ski tour - it follows an easy angled valley, with stunning views on the way up and from the col at the top. The only steep bit is the last 50m to the col and it's not that steep....

When taking either the Super Venosc or Pied Moutet chairlifts, follow the Super Venosc blue piste. After the Pied Moutet 1 red turns off to the right, a wide field opens on the right between the two runs....

The Nevache Valley, or Valle Claree Thabor, as it is correctly known, is a gem of a place, extensive in options, devoid of any ski lifts and relatively non-technical. It has also got many low altitude options with trees, so for all these reasons it is ideal for those with limited ski touring experience, families and in mixed weather, when visibility in the trees is desirable....

Unusually for a ski tour your day begins downhill from the hut, after a flattish section. Avoid the narrow path you came up on but take the L side of the Chardonnet streambed to the N of the hut, which is far more open....

Extract yourself from the amazing hut in good time as your skin faces E, so sees early sun. Hopefully if you time it right you will get it as it begins to soften, but before it is too soft, slow and warm....

As you enter the Fournel Valley you normally park at the obvious parking near the signs for the silver mines. Sometimes the road is open to allow access for the ice climbing higher up the valley (if open it is still quite icy)....

Based just near the Ceillac ski resort, this is a great tour for those that want to mix it with some piste skiing, but it also takes you far enough away from the resort that you can’t see or hear those riding the lifts....

One of the best larch skiing routes in the area, which is perfect on powder days. But be warned it's accessed by a small road and a 4x4 may be needed, if you come here just after fresh snow you will not be popular if you block this road! Park where the road closes on the way to Mikeou (normally around Truchet)....

A big day, perfect for those still new to ski touring, with lots of skiing and a refuge to get a drink in on the way down. The last section of the descent (down from the refuge) can be tricky in poor snow but there are normally options in the trees....

A beautiful ski up up a stunning valley, to one of the higher peaks in the Queyras with great views and a flowing ski back down. From the parking where the road ends, take the ski de fond track up the road, turning off south just before the Bergerie des Tioures, then drop down to the river and cross a small (thin) bridge....

This is another big day, but it would be harder to split. Begin by taking the zig zag track to le Lombard at 1930m, following the forested valley of the same name....

Despite what the name suggests, this isn’t named after an ancient local transvestite. It is a short section of fantastic introductory off piste that runs down next to where there was once a button lift called Clot Gauthier....

The Tête du Grand Pré is the collective name for a series of off piste descents on the mountain that is commonly (but wrongly) known as the Tête du Grand Pré....

The Tour du Prorel is popular and easily accessible, requiring only a short (5 minute) hike from the top of the Croix de la Nore chairlift or the Prorel gondola. It feels like it should be a lot harder to find as you're quickly well away from any marked runs....

In spring snow, the southeast facing side of the La Balme ridge is sheer perfection. There are no great technical difficulties and as long as the snow conditions are right (and it hasn’t turned to deep slush) the slope can be skied by anyone who is comfortable on all marked runs....

If you feel like the hike up La Balme isn’t enough or a workout, you can add 10 minutes by continuing the climb up to the next ridge, Roche Gauthier. The east facing slopes from this ridge used to be skied out pretty quickly but nowadays stay untracked for longer as the climb to ski ratio isn’t all that great....

This is a fantastic run for less experienced off piste skiers with a sense of adventure. It never gets very steep and faces northeast so stays cold resulting in generally good snow quality....

Just off to the skier’s right of the upper Briançon ski area is the Ravin des Clausas. A good option when the wind is howling from the north, this area offers mostly wide off piste slopes through gently undulating terrain....

In winter when the snow is cold all the way to the valley floor, you can do a lot worse than ski the trees in the Aravet section of the mountain....

The Marteau Sauvage is an interesting mix of the very straightforward and the tight and annoying. Straightforward for most of its length in that it is, for the most part, a wild but open glade in the forest on a gentle slope suitable for off piste first timers....