The Best Backcountry Skiing Routes in Serre Chevalier
Explore Backcountry Skiing RoutesSerre Chevalier (or Serre Che as it’s popularly referred to) is one of France’s oldest and biggest ski areas, although unless you’ve been here you may be forgiven for not knowing this particular piece of trivia. The first lift, built in 1941, was a cable car that went up to a hitherto largely unimportant peak called Serre Chevalier. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Serre Chevalier
Top 53 backcountry skiing routes in Serre Chevalier
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1
Old Clot Gauthier Drag
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....
2
Tête du Grand Pré gulley line
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....
3
Tour du Prorel
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....
4
La Balme South Side
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....
5
Roche Gauthier
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....
6
La Balme Creux du Loup
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....
7
Ravin des Clausas
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....
8
Goudissard
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....
9
Marteau Sauvage
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....
10
Cabane du Berger
In 20cm or less of fresh snow or in spring snow, the Cabane du Berger is the place to head, especially if you’re just getting to grips with skiing off piste....
11
Les Combes from Serre Chevalier
The village of Les Combes is snowbound and completely cut off from civilization in the winter. Uninhabited in winter, you ski along the road past restored alpine chalets that now serve as holiday homes in the summertime....
12
Catex
The width of this slope is what makes it so enjoyable. You could spend a whole day going up and down it and never ski exactly the same line. Although it gets smashed by the wind, if it’s still then this slope can be magic....
13
Notre Dame des Neiges
The chapel of Notre Dame des Neiges was originally intended to be built much lower down the mountain but as soon as the work began, legend has it that the materials used to build it kept mysteriously disappearing at night then reappearing up the mountain in its present location....
14
Prorel Southeast Face
The 2566 metre summit of the Prorel dominates the Chantemerle and Briancon sectors and there are rideable routes on every aspect, ranging from the fairly straightforward to the highly exposed. The hike to the summit is up the west ridge and generally takes 20-30 minutes....
15
Prorel East Couloir
The 2566 metre summit of the Prorel dominates the Chantemerle and Briancon sectors and there are rideable routes on every aspect, ranging from the fairly straightforward to the highly exposed. The hike to the summit is up the west ridge and generally takes 20-30 minutes....
16
Old Isolée
This north facing line more or less follows the track of the old Isolée piste. Head here when there’s been fresh snow with no wind. The area is vast so you can vary your line each time and get fresh tracks for hours....
17
Les Combes from Eychauda
The village of Les Combes is snowbound and completely cut off from civilization in the winter. Uninhabited in winter, you ski along the road past restored alpine chalets that now serve as holiday homes in the summertime....
18
Eychauda East Face
The Eychauda area is known for its north facing slopes which tend to hold good powder unless the wind has blown it all away. However, there is also a much neglected east facing slope to the left at the top of the lift that can be good in deep snow but really comes into its own in spring snow conditions....
19
Echaillon Couloir
An alternative to the Pré du Bois tree lines, the Echaillon is no less steep, exciting or challenging. It’s entrance is to the right, NE, of the Echaillon restaurant and once in it you can follow it down to the Bois red run which in turn leads to the bottom of the Pré du Bois button lift....
20
Bosse à Jules
The short (5-10 minute) hike or side step to the top of the Bosse à Jules is a small price to pay considering you could easily spend a whole morning skiing a different line each time....
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Top regions for backcountry skiing routes on Strava
- 3 Valleys
- Aiguilles
- Albertville
- Alpe d'Huez
- Alpes-Maritimes
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
- Annecy
- Arve Valley
- Balme (Le Tour)
- Barcelonnette
- Bonneval-sur-Arc
- Briançon
- Chamonix
- Courchevel
- Grand Massif
- Haute-Savoie
- Hautes-Alpes
- Isola
- Isère
- La Clusaz & Le Grand Bornand
- La Plagne
- Les Arcs
- Les Contamines
- Les Deux Alpes and La Grave
- Les Grands Montets
- Les Menuires
- Megeve - Les Contamines
- Meribel
- Molines-en-Queyras/Saint-Véran
- Montgenevre
- Orelle
- Passy - Plaine Joux
- Pralognan-la-Vanoise
- Puy-Saint-Vincent
- Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
- Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
- Sainte Foy
- Savoie
- Serre Chevalier
- Tignes and Val d'Isère
- Val Cenis Vanoise
- Val Thorens