Serre Chevalier
Ski Resort

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 a 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.

Sunshine in a ski resort is a double-edged sword, but Serre Chevalier’s slopes broadly face northeast, 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 free-riders, 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 a 20-minute 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.

Discounted Ski & Snowboard Rental in Serre Chevalier

Ultimate-Ski partner ALPINRESORTS.com works with ski hire shops across Serre Chevalier and gives discounts if you book online here.

Serre Chevalier Strengths & Weaknesses

+ 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 the start and end of the season.