A surprisingly long descent on the edge of the Tuéda nature reserve.

Statistics

19

m

659

m

32

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Moderate

Description

A great descent running almost top to bottom of this side of the Mottaret valley, following the edge of the Tuéda Nature Reserve all the way - this feels surprisingly ‘out there & away from it all’ almost as soon as you leave the piste and until you hit the path back in towards the top of Mottaret village some 800 vertical metres later.

**Be aware that the nearby Nature Reserve is a protected area designed to give some quiet space for ptarmigan, black grouse and chamois and the park wardens do patrol at various times, with stiff fines for anyone sneaking in a ‘bandit’ run.** From the Pas du Lac (the col between Courchevel and Meribel) take a hard skier’s left traverse (or follow the Niverolle piste leftwards until it turns sharply then keep going).

Now take your pick of the bowls and slopes - although the overall aspect is West it is generally possible to find either cold snow or transformed spring snow by playing with the micro-aspects of the slopes. A wide variety of lines are possible, though some care is needed as there are some steep rolls which can hold windslab or are liable to wet slides on warm afternoons.

Lower down, if the snow is getting too soft, or later in the season when the snow line is starting to rise, you can cut back towards the piste at almost any point, though the classic exit rejoins the red run down to Mottaret at 1950m where the piste takes a hard right turn, but in good conditions you can continue down to hit a narrow path at about 1850m which contours back in just above the highest buildings on this side of the village.