A Serre Chevalier classic. No hiking, just 1300 vertical metres of leg burning, big mountain riding.

Statistics

1

m

1,126

m

36

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

This is probably Serre Chevalier's most well known off piste run and if you have limited time or don't want to hike then this is the resort's must-do freeride line.

It's a classic big mountain itinerary that starts from the ski area's highest point, leads down a huge, wild bowl towards the Ecrins national park, before rejoining the resort and civilisation at the bottom of the Tabuc piste.

The steepest part of this run is the start - magic in fresh powder but fairly exposed in hard packed snow - not a place you want to fall.

There are countless lines you can take once into the Montagnolle but the classic one is straight down the middle.

This has the advantage of leaving you less exposed to the steep slopes above to the left and to the right.

Before you reach the tree line there are any number of rocks both big and small.

Some are at the playful end of the jumpable spectrum, others much more serious.

There is generally a well defined and bumpy track to lead you out of the valley unless you're lucky enough to be the first down after a snowfall.

If that's the case, it's best to stay right of the Grand Tabuc stream.

The path becomes more obvious the further you descend until you hit the end of the Tabuc black run.

Take care on the track as it can sometimes be filled in with old avalanche debris.

And obviously those old avalanches were once new avalanches so avoid lingering longer than you have to.