Off-piste ski areas in Courchevel

Off-piste skiing in Meribel

Méribel Village - Altiport

• Dent de Burgin: From the Loze Express chairlift, follow the Boulevard de la Loze track towards Dent de Burgin. Halfway along, drop right for wide-open powder fields. Only ski this area if the track is open, as avalanche risk is high when closed.
• Loze Express: Beneath the chairlift, there's a popular off-piste run that gets busy quickly after fresh snowfall. On a powder day, catch the first lift and try skiing through the trees for fresh tracks, all the way to Méribel Village.

Méribel-Mottaret

• Côte Brune: You'll find fresh powder all around this chairlift. A short hike from the lift can lead to incredible descents with untouched snow. Check with ski patrollers at the top for safe routes before heading out.
• Roc de Tougne: Accessed via the Combes lifts, this area features long off-piste runs either side of the drag lift. Traverse at the top to find untouched powder.

Méribel Centre - Tougnète

• Olympic to Raffort: From the Olympic Express chairlift, hike along the ridge to access untouched slopes. The further you hike, the steeper the descent. Watch out for the stream at the bottom and follow the Villages piste to Les Allues

Off-piste skiing in Val Thorens

Val Thorens offers some of Europe's most stunning off-piste terrain, surrounded by six glaciers and endless powder fields. Popular routes include:

• Pierre Lory: From the Col chair into the Maurienne Valley.
• Lac du Lou: Accessible from the Combe de Rosael black run or La Masse.
• Vallée des Encombres: A thrilling descent from La Masse.
• Jerusalem to Pramint: Renowned off-piste area near St Martin, popular with local guides.

Highlights:

• Explore iconic descents like the Gebroulaz Glacier towards Méribel or Pralognan.
• Always consider weather and snow conditions due to Val Thorens’ high altitude.

Safety first:

• Check avalanche conditions and read our avalanche safety page for tips on staying safe off-piste.
• It's always advisable to hire an off-piste mountain guide who will have extensive knowledge of the area and the mountains.

Before heading off-piste

Before you head off piste, here's a few things you should be thinking about:

• hire a guide!
• take a course in avalanche awareness and practice the techniques learned
• look at the weather and avalanche forecasts for France, reviewing the degree of local avalanche risk also
• don’t ignore advice given by local mountain guides or others if advised to ski a certain path, or to keep a specific distance between fellow members in a group
• plan the route carefully, evaluating all different options and assessing all elements of danger. Look at the timings for each route. Inform others of your route, and when you expect to arrive back
• attach your transceiver properly TO YOU and DON'T FORGET to turn it on, test the signal is working, and make sure you have all the necessary equipment.
• a transceiver is of no use if the user has not been trained in its use, it is turned off, or it is in a rucksack - unless you want just your bag to be recovered

Read more about understanding avalanches and how to try to avoid them.

More inspiration...

Take a look at this year's ski pass prices or find your way around with piste maps for Courchevel.