Serre Chevalier
Slope Breakdown
Serre Chevalier at a glance
Serre Chevalier is a ski resort in France, part of the Serre Chevalier Vallée area. It offers 250 km of slopes served by 61 lifts, with skiing between 1,200 m and 2,800 m (1,600 m vertical). That makes it the 22nd largest of the 40 ski resorts in France listed on Intski. The season usually runs from December to April. Serre Chevalier is particularly beginner-friendly: about 55% of its slopes are easy blue runs.
Top features of this resort
Snow forecast
About 13 cm of new snow at the top (2,800 m) in the next 3 days, none at the base.
New snow and temperature at the top station. Estimated by Intski from the MET Norway forecast, updated every few hours. Where it snows most this week
Email me when it snows
An alert when 15 cm or more is on the way at Serre Chevalier, and a heads-up before it opens.
Getting there & lift pass
Nearest airport
Turin (TRN) — about 90 km from the resort, straight-line distance, allow more by road.
Lift pass
Adult day pass around 65.50 EUR (2025/26 season). Serre Chevalier Vallée day pass, high season rate.
About €0.26 per km of piste the pass covers (250 km).
Compare lift pass prices at all resortsPrice source, checked 2026-09-14
Driving to Serre Chevalier
Rules for a car in France, checked 30 September 2026 against official sources.
Road charge
Motorway tolls by distance. A43 (AREA) Saint-Quentin-Fallavier barrier (Lyon) to Chambéry Nord, 88 km, class 1 €13.40, A43 (AREA) Chignin barrier to Aiton, 31 km, class 1 (towards Albertville and Maurienne) €4.20
Winter tyres
Winter tyres or chains on board, 1 Nov to 31 Mar, in the signed mountain zones
Studded tyres
Allowed 1 Nov to 31 Mar (90 km/h, rear disc)
Serre Chevalier resort facts
Difficulty shares from skiresort.info, applied to the area total.
About Serre Chevalier
Serre Chevalier is a major ski resort in the Hautes-Alpes department of south-eastern France, close to the Italian border and just north-east of the Ecrins National Park.
Resort Highlights
A valley of villages, not a single resort
Serre Chevalier is a major ski resort in the Hautes-Alpes department of south-eastern France, close to the Italian border and just north-east of the Ecrins National Park. The name covers a whole valley rather than one settlement: it takes in the city of Briancon, the villages of Chantemerle in Saint-Chaffrey and Villeneuve in La Salle-les-Alpes, and Le Monetier-les-Bains. That structure is the key to understanding the place. Each base has its own character, from a historic city at one end to quieter villages further up, and the skiing links them along the valley.
The skiing
The area offers 250 km of pistes and 61 lifts, with skiing from about 1,200 m to 2,800 m. The vertical of 1,600 m is substantial, and the top height keeps the upper slopes reliable through the December to April season. The resort also reports 300 days of sunshine a year, and it backs up natural snowfall with snow cannons covering 80 km of its slopes, so the lower runs to the villages are better protected than the base altitude alone would suggest. The operator is Compagnie des Alpes.
With 250 km spread along a valley, this is an area for skiers who like to travel: intermediates can work from one end to the other over several days, and the scale means there is little need to repeat runs. The valley has a racing pedigree too. World Cup champion Luc Alphand was born and still lives below the resort, and Serre Chevalier is due to host the freestyle skiing at the 2030 Winter Olympics.
Villages and character
Compared with the purpose-built French mega-resorts, Serre Chevalier is traditional in feel. Its villages have histories that predate skiing, Briancon is a real city with a life of its own, and the scenery on the edge of the Ecrins is a large part of why people come back. Choosing where to stay is the main decision: closer to Briancon for a town atmosphere, further up the valley for a quieter village base. Whichever end you choose, the same 250 km of skiing is on offer, so the decision is about atmosphere rather than access.
Practical notes
The nearest airport listed is Turin in Italy, roughly 90 km away as the crow flies, with the drive crossing the border into France. The season runs from December to April. The resort’s official website is the place to check lift openings and pass options across the whole valley.
Frequently asked questions about Serre Chevalier
Serre Chevalier consists of the city of Briancon, the villages of Chantemerle in Saint-Chaffrey and Villeneuve in La Salle-les-Alpes, and Le Monetier-les-Bains, all linked along the same valley.
Yes. Of its 250 km of slopes, 80 km are covered by snow cannons to supplement natural snowfall, which helps protect the lower runs down to the villages.
The resort reports around 300 days of sunshine a year, one of the reasons it is known for favourable weather alongside its 1,200 m to 2,800 m altitude range.
It is scheduled to host the freestyle skiing events at the 2030 Winter Olympics. The valley also has a racing heritage as the home of World Cup champion Luc Alphand.
The resort is owned by Compagnie des Alpes, and the ski area runs 250 km of pistes with 61 lifts.
Serre Chevalier has 250 km of marked slopes: 138 km easy (blue), 80 km intermediate (red), 32 km expert (black), served by 61 ski lifts.
The skiing in Serre Chevalier ranges from 1,200 m at the base to 2,800 m at the top — a vertical drop of 1,600 m.
The ski season in Serre Chevalier typically runs from December to April. Exact opening dates vary by year and snow conditions.
Yes — Serre Chevalier is well suited to beginners. About 55% of the slopes (138 km) are easy blue runs.
Serre Chevalier has 32 km of expert (black) slopes — about 13% of the total.
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