Fantastic Freeriding Around Tignes and Val d'Isère

Discover some of the most epic freeriding that the French Alps has to offer in this guidebook.

Freeride Skiing Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Severe, Extreme

Description

After tricky and strenuous climbs set to challenge even the most confident freeriders, thread your way down the mountains, taking in the views, and feeling the thrill of your accomplishments. There are many epic mountain moments to be had in Tignes and Val d'Isère. The sheer amount of freeriding options in this snow-rich spot in the French Alps will keep any good mountaineer out exploring for a whole season.

A couple of our top choice adventures in this guidebook are: Jambe du Chien, a locals’ favourite which will take you along rocky ridges, down steep descents and away from the crowds. The Grande Motte, South Face Intégrale adventure is a detailed guide to help the most experienced freeriders navigate this stunning, but at times potentially treacherous route. Warning: not for the faint-hearted!

Routes included

Tete du Grand Plan

More technical variant of Grand Vallon

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 931 m
Ascent: 3 m
Descent: 385 m

Cascade

A good introduction to off-piste skiing at high altitude

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.1 km
Ascent: 1 m
Descent: 545 m

Lavancher Couloir

A popular, easy to access classic couloir - you'll need to get up early to get first tracks here.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 453 m

Tufs Classic

Spectacular steep couloir skiing right off the piste.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 830 m
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 303 m

Pyramides Bowl

An easily-accessed bowl to lap straight after snowfall.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.2 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 370 m

Familiale

A good off-piste link from Tignes to Val d'Isere although the snow suffers due to the sunny aspect of the slope.

Moderate Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.9 km
Ascent: 14 m
Descent: 442 m

Grande Motte North Face

A short off piste run on glaciated terrain.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.5 km
Ascent: 9 m
Descent: 504 m

Marmottes Variant

Fun skiing on some great and varied slopes.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.2 km
Ascent: 22 m
Descent: 612 m

Pisteurs Couloir

Ultra-classic, steep, serious skiing through the Charvet North Face

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.8 km
Ascent: 142 m
Descent: 471 m

Pramecou North Face

One of the most spectacular descents in the region

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.5 km
Ascent: 182 m
Descent: 279 m

Spatule

A long and varied run often on good snow.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.4 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 476 m

Super S

Good skiing with easy access, close to the pistes

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 927 m
Ascent: 2 m
Descent: 426 m

Tour de Charvet

Probably the best known off piste run in Val. Great skiing with a few variations for the brave.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.4 km
Ascent: 31 m
Descent: 541 m

L'Ouillette North West face

A possible powder stash long after a storm

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.5 km
Ascent: 174 m
Descent: 336 m

Tour du Charvet classic route

A beautiful first step into the backcountry

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2 km
Ascent: 5 m
Descent: 580 m

Glattier

A gentle valley with spectacular views

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 385 m

Couloir Lorenzo

Hidden gem- tough to get right, stunning when you do

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.1 km
Ascent: 11 m
Descent: 547 m

Brevieres Trees

Steep, technical tree skiing

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 367 m
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 198 m

Boisses Couloir

A fun shortcut above Tignes Les Boisses

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 646 m
Ascent: 8 m
Descent: 169 m

Couloir 3500

1000 metres of steep spring couloir skiing

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 4.6 km
Ascent: 228 m
Descent: 869 m

The Fridge

Steep skiing and great snow hiding in plain sight

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.7 km
Ascent: 110 m
Descent: 284 m

Tignes Wall

Nice off piste run, a great introduction to powder skiing.

Easy Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.2 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 419 m

Super Spatule

A super variant to Spatule.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.2 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 544 m

Pays Desert

A classic easy off-piste at a mellow gradient

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.6 km
Ascent: 10 m
Descent: 567 m

Tufs fingers

Steep narrow couloirs that are easily accessed and offer fun yet serious skiing.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.2 km
Ascent: 17 m
Descent: 382 m

Microwave

Steep couloir skiing on a northerly aspect offering a great challenge and usually some great snow.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.8 km
Ascent: 58 m
Descent: 399 m

Tour de Pramecou

A spectacular ski descent on moderate terrain in a wild setting.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.9 km
Ascent: 59 m
Descent: 642 m

Point Pers North Face

A fantastic journey for those willing to put in a bit of effort.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2 km
Ascent: 113 m
Descent: 426 m

Table

Beautiful couloir skiing from the summit of the Bellevarde

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.6 km
Ascent: 103 m
Descent: 590 m

Sunshine Bowl

A short fun slope great mid morning once the snow has softened.

Moderate Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.2 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 361 m

Petit Balme Couloir

A long complex descent on moderate terrain; a great adventure.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.3 km
Ascent: 32 m
Descent: 598 m

Marmottes

Enjoyable, beautiful skiing but check the snow conditions before setting out

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.9 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 655 m

Lavachet Wall

A long traverse leads to steep and wild skiing above Tignes Le Lac

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.5 km
Ascent: 4 m
Descent: 452 m

Fornet Forest Gullies

Short, steep, easy-access tree lines

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 513 m
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 172 m

Vallon de la Sache (Sachette Variant)

An even longer variant of a Tignes classic itinerary

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 3.3 km
Ascent: 21 m
Descent: 647 m

Mickeys Ears

A short hike gives access to two steep and fantastic couloirs and then fun yet committing skiing far from the piste awaits.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2 km
Ascent: 57 m
Descent: 633 m

Fornet Trees

Great tree skiing - good for bad visibility/weather days

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.3 km
Ascent: 11 m
Descent: 397 m

Laisinant

Wide open skiing with a few fun variations.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 4 km
Ascent: 802 m
Descent: 1.2 km

La Sache

Great skiing in an easily accessed bowl.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.6 km
Ascent: 12 m
Descent: 439 m

La Banane

The classic, very popular Val d'Isere off-piste. Quickly tracked!

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.6 km
Ascent: 1 m
Descent: 694 m

Grand Vallon Variant

A long ski descent away from the lifts with a lot of space for exploration.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 5.4 km
Ascent: 33 m
Descent: 1 km

Grand Vallon 2

Easy access off piste run on a large north facing slope often with fantastic cold snow

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.8 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 630 m

Grand Vallon

Easy access off piste run on a large north facing slope often offering fantastic cold snow.

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.9 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 600 m

Chardonnet Couloir

Excellent and relatively straight forward couloir skiing with only a short hike

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.4 km
Ascent: 48 m
Descent: 399 m

Grand Balme Couloir P3

An amazing couloir reserved for expert skiers only.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 727 m
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 340 m

Grand Balme Couloir P2

A spectacular couloir which is reserved for expert skiers only.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 767 m
Ascent: 1 m
Descent: 354 m

Danaides

This alternative line to the Lavancher couloir provides some steep tree skiing but can be dangerous.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.5 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 641 m

Grande Balme Couloir P1

A spectacular couloir reserved for expert skiers only.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 2.6 km
Ascent: 49 m
Descent: 603 m

Borsat North Face

A wide open face - the perfect gradient for freeriding

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 851 m
Ascent: 38 m
Descent: 281 m

Cugnai Classic

A modern classic straight from the lift through beautiful terrain

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 4.3 km
Ascent: 12 m
Descent: 956 m

Banana Couloir

A steeper alternative to the classic Banana line

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.6 km
Ascent: 2 m
Descent: 691 m

Borsat West Face

Rewarding skiing for those prepared to hike a little

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.1 km
Ascent: 100 m
Descent: 309 m

Antenna

A hike along the ridge leads to some adventurous skiing down some steep couloirs.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.9 km
Ascent: 367 m
Descent: 687 m

3300 Bowl

The central line down slightly steeper terrain than the classic "Pays Desert".

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.6 km
Ascent: 19 m
Descent: 455 m

Col Pers, avoiding Gorge

The Val mega classic avoiding the gorge

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 3.1 km
Ascent: 11 m
Descent: 748 m

Col Pers Classic

A long adventurous journey; a Val d'Isère MEGA Classic!

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 7.6 km
Ascent: 70 m
Descent: 1.2 km

Café Liégeois

A fantastic line accessible by a short bootpack from the top of the Grattalu chairlift. The little effort required to hike to this couloir luckily keeps the masses away!

Difficult Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.3 km
Ascent: 177 m
Descent: 409 m

North Couloir of the Grande Balme.

Ski the stunning couloir and face that brings you straight back into Val Claret

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.1 km
Ascent: 181 m
Descent: 306 m

Grand Balme Couloir P4

A true classic; P4 should be on the to-do list for all experienced ski mountaineers in the area.

Extreme Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.2 km
Ascent: 126 m
Descent: 478 m

Pramecou (Rope In)

The best descent down the north face of the Pramecou, but only for the experienced.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 951 m
Ascent: 16 m
Descent: 302 m

Couloir des Nettes

A fantastic, long and adventurous rope-accessed couloir that leads into the remote Leisse Valley.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 1.7 km
Ascent: 15 m
Descent: 754 m

Grande Motte, South Face Intégrale

An extremely challenging descent where a fall is completely out of the question for almost the entirety of the route

Extreme Freeride Skiing

Distance: 3.1 km
Ascent: 264 m
Descent: 1.2 km

Jambe du Chien

A local’s favourite, which sees few descents per season.

Severe Freeride Skiing

Distance: 440 m
Ascent: 3 m
Descent: 273 m

Combe de Constantin to le Boisses

The combe of Constantine is located right next to that of the glattier, between the Tignes Lake and Tignes 1800. Its access is very simple and it has no particular difficulty. Be careful though the stability of the snowpack !!!

Moderate Freeride Skiing