Beginners

The ‘Mickey’ piste is a green run which offers beginners different gradients to descendin accordance to their ability. This piste can however become a little crowded as it also merges with the tail end of the blue run 3.8km ‘Marteau’. Magic carpet at the top of the Aravet bubble allows total beginners the chance to enjoy the beautiful mountain views whilst learning. The magic carpet area also has a garden for toddlers with giant cartoon flowers and inflated toys – a truly magical world. Once the absolute basics are mastered, try the 3km green run ‘Aravet’ which meanders down the mountain and through the forests. Chantemerle’s area for total beginners is situated at the top of the gondola ‘Trocon’ at the mid station Serre Ratier 1900m. There are two drags and a magic carpet in a large flat area for beginners. From here it is possible to take a simple route that links to the green ‘Aravet’ rund described above. Monetier does have a good area for beginners at its base, but options further up the mountain are limited and the same can be said of Briancon.

Intermediates

Serre Chevalier is just perfect for intermediate skiers with lots of well-maintained reds and blues in both in and out the trees. The best of Villeneuve is the 2.7km red ‘Clot Gautier’ is not to be missed and the new ‘Vallons’ chair lift enables skiers to ride the 3km red ‘La Cucumelle’ descending from 2221m all the way back to base. Chantemerle has an excellent area for intermediates from the peak ‘Grand Aigle’ at 2491m. This peak accesses an open bowl that is home to a group of blues and reds varying in gradients Briancon’s reds are difficult as their gradient are steep and are better for more advanced skiers, however, confident intermediates will benefit from their challenge. Monetier’s steep terrain is a bit too steep for timit intermediates. However the more adventurous can head to the top of ‘Cibouit’ where red or blue runs zig zag their way from an open bowl into the trees.

Advanced

Serre Chevalier offers plenty of challenges for the advanced skier both on and off with 15 black runs and many off piste options. The toughest black is the 500m long L’Eychauda run from the peak of the same name directly above Villeneuve. In common with most of the area’s other highest points, these snowy peaks top some of the steepest terrain in the whole area and offer a choice of marked black runs like Col du Vent from the area’s highest point at Pic de l’Yret above Monetier, or Isolee down from L’Eychauda.Further down below the treeline, long blacks descending to 1000 vertical metres include Tabuc to Monetier or Casse de Boeuf to Villeneuve. The Olympic piste named in honour of local hero Luc Alphand to Chantemerle is another in the same vein. Off piste both quick powder fixes or serious full-day, hike-in itineraries are numerous and all the ski schools are happy to offer guided tours, as are the mountain guides office. If that’s still not enough legendary off piste destination La Grave is an easy day trip.

Snowboarding

Freeriders get to shred plenty of open, tight trees, gullies and deep bowls, as well as some long steeps, where advanced riders can busy themselves for weeks on end. Serre Chevalier is perfect soft boot territory, and those riders wanting wide expanses of powder without having to hike should check out the stuff off the Balme chairlift. When it is open, the L’Eychauda t-bar is the place to head, with plenty of powder spots off the Isolee black run and some huge cliffs. In Le Monetier there’s some challenging terrain under the Yret chair that you can access off the Col du Vent black, but watch for slides.For beginners, the runs around Frejus will be more suited to their needs, with a number of long, easy runs that bring you back down the mountain into the village of Villeneuve, via some tree-lined trails. Serre Chevalier has some super-fast drag lifts, often travelling a long way at speeds more suited to riding down, not up. Watch out for the sharp turns that some of the drag lifts make through the trees.