The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Briançon

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....

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....

You don’t need to be a freeriding expert to ski the Vallon de Chambran. It is a series of wide open slopes that rarely get over 35 degrees and culminate in an almost flat valley floor where you pass alpine chalets all shut up for the winter....

After the preceding week you will be well acclimatised for this final, mainly downhill day. The day starts with about 800m of steady skinning to get to the Col de Monetier....

This is a great little ski tour, ideal for getting to know the area. The skiing is mellow and mainly stress free, but there are some sections that pass through avalanche terrain so there are still some decisions to be made while you’re doing this route....

You are unlikely to be alone for this day, but it is justifiably popular and, being relatively non-technical, there shouldn’t be any bottlenecks. Leave early in hot weather as your whole day is more or less in the sun....

With relatively little distance to cover today, an alpine start is not required, but still aim to get out of the Refuge de la Blanche at dawn so as to enjoy the sunrise, which is epic from the hut when the weather is good....

As with the other days on the Queyras Traverse, this one can be done several different ways, and the line drawn here is the most ambitious and enjoyable route. There are countless ways to reach the village of Ristolas from the Refuge Agnel but hopefully you'll have the weather required to do this line....

With descents of all sorts and on all aspects, this is an exceptionally varied day around a gorgeous peak right in the middle of the Queyras. It makes a wonderful day tour from the Refuge Agnel and is a good way of turning the Traverse of the Queyras from a 3 day trip into a 4 day one....

Starting and finishing from the Col du Lauteret (which is open all winter except on the stormiest of days) this is a great way to get some views and turns in without too much stress or commitment....

A wild and remote tour that give you great views down in to the Escriens nature reserve, this is a mixed bag with some tree skiing down fire tracks and open faces at the top....

Using the lift at Pelvoux helps you to gain height quickly at the start of this tour, and gives you a leg up to make this a very doable day trip....

This is a fabulous route in a peaceful valley. From the parking at Plampinet head NNW on the GR 5/57; this is a ski de fond track that doesn’t follow the exact route and twist and turns, so follow it but cut corners where possible....