Serre Chevalier

The Serre Chevalier ski domain runs the length of the Guisane valley. Known for its sunshine, pretty villages and treelined slopes, the 250kms of groomed pistes are a perfect cruising ground for beginners and intermediates, whilst experts will want to venture off-piste.


Situated in the Guisane valley in France’s Haute Alps region, and close to Le Parc des Ecrins, the Serre Chevalier ski domain has three major ski resorts – Le Monetier-les-Bains (1500m), Villeneuve (1400m), Chantemerle (1350m) – plus the old fortress town of Briançon (1200m), which has its own ski lift connecting it to the pistes. And these are just the main places to stay, because there are 11 smaller villages lining the 14km road, and some purpose-built developments sited on the slopes.

The mountains might be typically alpine, but the valley below often feels more like rural Provence, despite the busy main road and the large apartment complexes close to the lifts. Walk beyond these and you will find stone churches, rustic farmhouses, quaint bridges, historic fortifications, natural hot baths, traditional markets and lots of sundials and fountains – and these, plus the sunshine and the small family-run hotels, give Serre Chevalier a very different ambience to the other large French ski areas.

Obviously sunshine in a ski resort is a double-edged sword, but Serre Chevalier’s slopes broadly face north-east, and the upper runs are quite high (the top lift rises to 2,730m), whilst the lower ones are shaded by the trees. Snow-cannons provide some artificial help as well, so in most years most of the pistes remain skiable from Christmas through to Easter. The slopes predominantly suit intermediates but there are good nursery slopes and cheap passes for beginners as well. Advanced skiers should try the off-piste, which includes both open bowl skiing and routes through the trees. There is also a wide choice of ski schools and guides for those who want to learn, improve, or explore the off-piste safely.

Given the extent of  Serre Chevalier’s ski area, most skiers stay in the valley, but for freeriders the legendary off-piste at La Grave is only about 30 to 45 minutes’ drive away depending on where you’re based in Serre Chevalier (Monetier is the closest resort). In the other direction, Montgenevre, the start of the large Franco-Italian Via Lattea (“Milky Way”) ski area is about 20 minutes’ drive from Briancon (35 minutes from Monetier), and this can be useful if Serre Chevalier has poor snow, because Montgenevre is exposed to different weather systems. Most Serre Chevalier ski passes also cover a day in the nearby snowsure glacier resort of Les Deux Alpes so there is some back-up even in a poor season. But in normal conditions, this won’t be needed because few will want to leave Serre Chevalier’s sun-dappled tree-lined slopes, even for a day.

Helpful Links

  • Accommodation in Serre Chevalier. Hotels, Chalet Holidays, Self-Catering Apartments, Club Med… Read more >>>
  • How to get to Serre Chevalier. Nearest Airports and Railway Stations, Airport Transfers… Read more >>>
  • Ski Schools & Guides in Serre Chevalier. Ski & Snowboard Schools, Off-Piste Mountain Guides, Private Instructors… Read more >>>
  • Discounted Ski & Snowboard Rental in Serre Chevalier:

Serre Chevalier Pros & Cons

+ Big enough ski area for most skiers
+ Some nice traditional villages
+ Combination of sunny south-facing villages and high north-facing slopes
+ Good mix of tree runs and open bowls
+ Small, friendly inexpensive hotels

– Noisy, busy congested main road
– Long transfer times
– Quiet nightlife
– Very few steep pistes
– Snow cover can be thin at start and end of season.

Read More...

Getting to Serre Chevalier is easiest via Turin and Grenoble airports, followed by a private transfer from the airport to your accommodation, which should take about two hours. Hiring a car is only recommended if your accommodation is a long...

Most accommodation in Villeneuve, Chantemerle and Monetier les Bains is within 5 to 10 minutes' walk (or a 2 minute bus-ride) of the nearest lift and some is actually slopeside, or only a few yards away. Briancon has an atmospheric...

Book Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Serre Chevalier Looking for private or group ski lessons in Serre Chevalier?  Ultimate-Ski and partner CheckYeti work with leading ski schools and ski instructors in over 500 ski destinations throughout Austria, France, Germany,...

Serre Chevalier Ski Area Serre Chevalier’s ski area includes 250km of pistes and good skiing for all abilities at the foot of Le Parc l’Ecrins, the biggest glacier park, and a mix of Mediterranean and Alpine climate with plenty of...

Serre Chevalier Ski Lifts & Lift Passes Serre Chevalier’s ski lift system is varied and predominantly quite old, but the sheer size of the ski area means that once past the base stations skiers spread out in all directions and...

Serre Chevalier Beginners Serre Chevalier’s best areas for beginner skiers are Villeneuve and Chantelmerle. Villeneuve is ideal for total beginners and children. The base area is fitted out with three draglifts and a pull rope which access smooth, flat wide-open...

Serre Chevalier Intermediate Skiing Serre Chevalier is a first-rate ski resort for intermediate skiers. The 250km of skiable terrain has a suburb selection of well-maintained reds and blues in all kinds of terrain enabling intermediates to challenge themselves and enjoy...

Serre Chevalier Advanced & Off-Piste Skiing Serre Chevalier’s enormous ski domain offers advanced skiers a lot of challenging terrain all over the valley. The highest peak ‘Pic de L’Yret’ 2830m in Monetier has the steepest terrain and excellent off piste...

Serre Chevalier Snowboarding Serre Chevalier’s Snow Park is in Villeneuve at 2,200m. It covers four hectares and is 700m long, so it’s not massive and can easily be lapped. It’s fairly quiet and although a good place to improve freestyle...

Serre Chevalier Mountain Restaurants Serre Chevalier’s fifteen mountain restaurants are predominately canteen style restaurants with self-service facilities catering for a large clientele, but more exclusive a la carte restaurants are also on offer. Costs vary but, in general, the food...

Serre Chevalier Villages Serre Chevalier has three main villages with lifts (Chantemerle or 'Serre Che 1350', Villeneuve or 'Serre Che 1400', and Le Monetier or 'Serre Che 1500) and one town - Briancon, or 'Serre Che 1200'. The numbers refer...

Serre Chevalier Bars & Restaurants Serre Chevalier offers a good selection of restaurants and bars throughout the valley with most restaurants specializing in French cuisine and traditional mountain fare. There are restaurant options to suit all budgets and most offer...

Serre Chevalier Activities Off slope activities in Serre Chevalier include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter walking, the popular thermal baths in Monetier Les Bains and numerous villages to explore as well as other activity sports including driving and go-karting on...

Search for Hotels, Apartments & Chalets in Serre Chevalier

Booking.com

Serre Chevalier Map

Back To Top