Serre Chevalier Piste Map

Serre Chevalier ski resort, located near Le Bez, is arguably the centre of the skiing domain due to its range of ski runs down to it from the mountain. It is a good base for skiing beginners and there are many cafes to relax in. It is probably the prettiest area across the valley, which is connected by one main road and tends to get very busy around rush hour.

There is a fast chairlift called "Casse du Boeuf" that runs up the mountain to the centre of the pistes, from here you can reach most of the ski resort fairly easily as well as the Alpage Snow Park. From here, there is an excellent alpine black ski run which cuts quickly through the trees down back down to Serre Chevalier and is often quiet in the middle of the day as other skiers are further up the mountain. At the top of the mountain, panoramic views of the next valley give a great sense of alpine skiing. For beginners, there is a wide, accessible ski area at Le Bez, located at the foot of the Serre Chevalier slopes with a small tow rope and an area for children to learn safely. As mentioned, there are plenty of sun-trapped cafes for families to relax in around this area too. Further up the mountain is another excellent area for beginners to gain confidence; “Grande Alpe”. Two button lifts operate here, which give access to a wide, open set of green slopes for beginners. Another benefit is that the area is surrounded by intermediate ski areas, meaning that progression is fast and simple and you can find these blue and red runs on the Serre Chevaier piste map. There is also a café and restaurant in this part of the ski resort. Intermediates should venture to the north side of the ski area where the ski lifts and pistes are slightly quieter and away from the ski schools which typically occupy the central part of the ski resort. For example, the Vallons chairlift is popular with intermediate skiers as it provides access to one of the best viewpoints at the ski resort, as well as giving access to the more secluded “Bachas” ski area which is mostly surrounded by blue and red pistes. The “Cucumelle” piste provides a thrilling, fast paced but doable red run which heads back down to the centre of the ski resort. Briancon is another area of the ski resort which has a large selection of red and blue pistes, perfect for intermediates. These are mostly tree lined and provide a sense of alpine skiing, along with some faster paced pistes towards the bottom of the mountain near the town of Briancon itself. Whilst the Serre Chevalier ski area is not known for its advanced an off piste skiing, there are multipile black runs that are often very quiet higher up the resort. For example, the mountain of “L’Eychauda” has three testing black runs that are only accessible by a very off-the-beaten-track drag lift. From here, off piste skiing is available too although it is recommended to carry to the Serre Chevalier piste map with you at all times so you can find your way back to the pisted areas if need be.

For transport, there are a variety of options available. For those flying to Geneva, a direct transfer is a good option, and is by far the quickest way to get to Serre Chevalier. However, for those flying to Turin, whilst there are direct transfers, public transport is a more viable option. From the Torino Porta Nuova railway station, a direct train can be taken to Oulx. From here a bus runs over the Italian/French border through Briancon ski resort to the centre of the Serre Chevalier ski area. Overall, whilst the ski area itself can get busy at weekends. normally during the week, it is a charming and quiet ski resort with parking available near the slopes.