Off-piste

There’s nothing more natural than a skier wanting to trace their own path. There’s something very surreal and exhilarating about letting your ski tips float over flurries of freshly fallen snowflakes. The ephemeral nature of it all makes it madly seductive.

This wild version of snowsports, in direct contact with the elements, is like a magnet to the hearts of freeriders and other skiers who love venturing out to explore the snow beyond the boundary markers. An invitation to escape, an ode to freedom, but one in which nothing can be left to chance, and which must be paired with solid knowledge of the mountain environment and a professional guide.

The vastness of the territory offers countless snow-white slopes where you can make your skis soar. An off-piste destination par excellence, neither the locals who were born into skiing, nor the many experts who’ve been drawn here have yet exhausted these 3 valleys. Every winter, they’re amazed to discover new mountainsides, trace magnificent lines around the ski lifts, and unearth yet another gem of an itinerary between the fir trees… And they just can’t stop smiling thanks to the sheer abundance offered by the place.

From the Caron summit to the Lou Lake

Depending on conditions, you could explore the mineral landscape in Val Thorens for example, with an itinerary accessible from the Caron summit at over 3,195 metres, all the way to the lake and Refuge du Lou, both located at 1,800 metres. It’s a wide, wild descent that’ll make you feel as though you’re in a whole new world, away from the ski area. The lake is covered in snow in winter and gradually emerges as the season goes on, allowing for crazy “waterslide” sessions, which you can try for yourself, or just enjoy watching as you treat your taste buds at the refuge.

From the summit of La Masse to Les Menuires

For something completely different, but still in the Belleville Valley, venture into the Yvoses off-piste area from the summit of La Masse in Les Menuires. Discover a gently sloping valley as you ski through snow-covered pastures dotted with pretty little "montagnettes" (small Alpine pasture chalets typical of the valley), for a bucolic atmosphere all the way to Le Bettaix chair lift. From there, it takes just a few minutes for starry-eyed skiers to get back up to La Croisette in Les Menuires.

Many nearby off-piste areas follow smoothly on from one another thanks to the cleverly connected ski lifts. Expert knowledge: In Les 3 Vallées, you can get around the whole ski area with ease, to find the right conditions and enjoy fast access to interesting places. 

Similarly, given the vast size and number of possibilities, you can do long itinerary loops, skiing solely on north faces if conditions require!

As you’ll have gathered, the difficulty doesn’t come from getting access to these off-piste areas, but from choosing between such a wide range!

Choices and decisions need to be made, firstly for safety reasons, and then, of course, for your enjoyment. Les 3 Vallées instructors and guides have a comprehensive understanding of the various ski sites and know better than anyone how to choose the perfect spot by taking multiple factors into account: weather, snow conditions, technical ability, fatigue, etc…

Accompaniment is important so that you can get the most out of these sessions which, don’t forget, take place on unsecured areas.

Instructors and guides

EQUIPMENT

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