Serre Chevalier Advanced & Off-Piste Skiing

At the top of the ‘Yret’ chair in Monetier is a steep cliff face that offers a demanding off piste descent, visible from the Yret chair lift. To reach the cliff face, follow the ridgeline along the black piste ‘Col du Vent’ passing the barrier underneath the Yert chair. The descent is accessible after a traverse to the right, crossing top of a couloir until the cliff face becomes wide open where it is possible to drop. The sharp descent leads to the edge of a gentle blue which can be crossed into an adrenaline filled natural half pipe whose sides are steep before arriving back at the start of the Yret chair.

Monetier is home to Serre Chevalier’s Arva Park that is situated by the blue run ‘Eychauda’. The park has Arva signals buried within it that are designed to simulate searching for victims in an avalanche. This park is a great way to ensure visitors know how to use their Arvas. There are also six Arva checkpoints situated throughout the valley that will enable skiers to check there arvas are working correctly. These points are clearly marked on the piste map. 

Serre Chevalier’s ski domain is tagged with ‘Brute de Neige’ areas. These areas are secured but not groomed, allowing skiers to experience challenging natural conditions in safety. Advanced skiers should head to Villeneuve’s ‘Brute de Neige’ area, situated high above the tree line at the top of ‘L’Eychauda’ chair at 2659m The black run ‘Isolee’ maps the ridgeline; a drop to the left at any point along this run accesses a broad cliff face that offers skiers many off piste routes back to the chair lift ‘Clot Gautier.’ This speedy chair enables quick access back to this excellent Brut de Neige area as well as the piste 2.7km ‘Clot Gautier’ which is an outstanding red run. The 3km red run ‘La Cucumelle is surrounded by wide open smooth curvaceous gullies that spread out across the face of the mountain, a brilliant off-piste area. A short hike up la Cucumelle to its peak broadens the amount of off piste terrain available. Also to be noted is the 3.km back run ‘Case du Beouf’ that is steep, long and testing, it cuts through the forests that can be penetrated for an alternative off piste ski tree decent. 

In Chantemerle advanced skiers should head for the ‘Aguillette’ chair otherwise known as the loan lift. The top of this chair can be accessed by visible off piste on the face of the peak ‘le Prorel’ 2566m. There are many interesting rock features and trees to ski through around the 2.8km ‘Aguillette’ red run which is brilliant, as well as its neighbouring red run the spectacular 2.5km ‘Etudis’ which was made for speed freaks. 

Serre Chevalier’s tree skiing is fabulous because the trees are well spaced. The forests are made up of big larches that grow further apart from each other than alpine forests due to their need for extra moisture. Around ‘Aguillette’ advanced skiers will find a plethora of routes through these beautiful forests. The advantage of these skiable forests in Serre Chevalier that it is especially good for bad light days which will test any advanced skier to their limits and enable people to ski in weather conditions that render resorts without trees un skiable.

Briançon’s wide-open sheer red runs are excellent for advanced skiers as they are long, broad and generally very quiet. Advanced skiers can, therefore, really test themselves away from the crowds on the 3.km long reds ‘Rempants’, ‘Charonde’ and ‘Grand Gargouille’ with spectacular views of the historic town unfolding directly beneath them.