Serre Chevalier
The largest winter sports resort in the southern Alps
Serre Chevalier or « Serre-Che » for those who know it well, is in the Guisane Valley in the Briançonnais area, on the edge of the Parc National des Écrins, at the heart of the unspoilt Oisans region. The resort is in the southern Alps, near the Italian border between Col du Lautaret and Briançon. It was created in 1941 when a cable car was installed from Chantemerle to the summit of Serre-Chevalier at 2,483m altitude. The valley revolves around the three main villages of Chantemerle, Villeneuve and Le Monêtier les Bains plus 13 hamlets, each with its own personality.
The area, which owes its reputation to its champions and Olympic medallists Luc Alphand, Pierre Vaultier and Arthur Bauchet, is one of the largest skiing areas in Europe with 410 hectares of marked, maintained slopes. There are also 5 recreational areas for snowboarding, boardercross, etc and of course a cross-country zone for lovers of wide-open spaces. The resort is an absolute must with something for everyone.
In summer too the area is the venue for a multitude of outdoor activities with 350km of paths, 180km of mountain bike tracks, a Via Ferrata, rock climbing sites and, of course, mythical cycling routes. The River Guisane runs through the valley providing ideal conditions for white water activities. The name Guisane comes from the Latin ‘aqua sana’ meaning healing water. The ‘Grands Bains du Monêtier’ is a great place to luxuriate and relax in the natural hot spring water which has been bubbling up in Monêtier-les-Bains since time immemorial. The indoor and outdoor pools overlooking the ski slopes are a dream location.
Motor sport enthusiasts mustn’t miss the Trophée Andros which is held on the ice driving track at Salle les Alpes in January. Thrilling sensations guaranteed !
Serre-Chevalier in the heart of Briançonnais
The Briançonnais has many different natural environments, from forests of Scots pine through wetlands and rocky crags to glaciers, which are home to a great diversity of wildlife and plants. The cry of the nutcracker echoes through forests of larch and Swiss pine. The meadows and high pastures are home to numerous insects including the Apollo butterfly, marmots, voles and their main predator - the stoat. You may see chamois while you are out and about in the mountains. The rocky crags are nesting sites for birds such as the golden eagle, eagle owl and peregrine falcon and the steep rocky slopes are the favourite terrain of the ibex.
The Briançonnais has a very rich and often surprising heritage : irrigation canals, military constructions, remarkable natural attractions, old mines, chapels with frescoes and lime kilns, not forgetting the town of Briançon itself and its Vauban fortifications which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
No description of Serre-Chevalier would be complete without mentioning the Tour de France. Briançon Serre-Chevalier has been a stopover town 34 times during the mythical cycle race. The beautiful scenery provides a magnificent backdrop and the harsh test conditions of the impressive cols favour solitary breakaways by competitors.
« If there’s one amazing thing about Serre Chevalier, it has to be its pure air ! The altitude and dry, sunny climate make it an ideal place for people suffering from allergies or asthma. But the pollution-free, fresh air is for everyone to enjoy, so come along and recharge your batteries ».
Opening of the ski area:
In general the resort is completely open from mid-December until the end of April.
How to get to Serre-Chevalier :
By air : to Turin (Italy) 110km, Grenoble 150km, Lyon 190km, Marseille 250km, Milan (Italy) 260km.
By road : via the Col du Lautaret, Fréjus Tunnel or autoroute A 51.
By rail : to Briançon or Oulx (Italy) 35km"
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