Ski holidays in Serre Chevalier, France

Serre Chevalier is one of France's largest ski areas with 250 km of pistes, located in the sunny Hautes-Alpes region close to the historic fortress town of Briançon. The resort stretches through the Guisane valley and comprises thirteen interconnected villages, from Briançon in the south to Le Monêtier-les-Bains in the north. A ski holiday in Serre Chevalier offers a genuine French Alpine experience far from the mass tourism crowds.

The valley's character differs markedly from the large-scale ski resorts of Savoie. Here you'll find traditional stone villages with medieval churches, local markets and a relaxed atmosphere far removed from the commercial high-altitude resorts. Briançon, Europe's highest town (1,200 m), boasts a UNESCO-listed fortress built by Vauban in the 17th century.

The ski area offers fantastic variety, with wooded pistes on the lower slopes and wide open expanses above the treeline. The terrain suits all levels, from beginner-friendly wide pistes in the Villeneuve sector to challenging descents from Cucumelle and Cibouit. The southerly latitude brings plenty of sunshine and milder temperatures.

Serre Chevalier is known for offering excellent value for money. Compared with the major resorts in Savoie and Haute-Savoie, accommodation, food and lift passes are considerably cheaper. Le Monêtier-les-Bains also has thermal baths, perfect for relaxing after a day on the slopes.

5 tips about Serre Chevalier

1. Beginners in Villeneuve The Villeneuve sector has wide, easy-going pistes that make it the best area in the whole ski region for beginners and families.
2. Skiing in poor weather Head for the tree-lined lower pistes when visibility is poor higher up, as they offer shelter and tend to work whatever the weather.
3. Thermal baths after the slopes Le Monêtier-les-Bains has thermal baths, a perfect way to relax tired muscles after a day on the pistes.
4. Good value compared with Savoie Accommodation, food and lift passes are consistently cheaper here than in the big resorts of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, which makes the whole trip better value.
5. A challenge for experienced skiers Make for Cucumelle and Cibouit if you want demanding descents with steeper terrain and greater altitude, up towards 2,800 metres.

Pistes and lifts in Serre Chevalier

Serre Chevalier offers 250 km of pistes and 57 lifts linking thirteen villages along the Guisane valley. Skiing ranges from 1,200 m to 2,800 m across varied terrain. The wooded lower slopes provide sheltered skiing in poor weather, while the open, higher runs offer panoramic views. The piste distribution is well balanced, with plenty of blue and red runs suited to families and intermediate skiers.

Piste map for Serre Chevalier

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The map downloads as an image file. On your iPhone it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the bottom of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your iPad it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the top right of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your phone it lands in the Downloads folder. Tap the download notification that appears to open the map straight away.The file lands in the Downloads folder. You can also look for the icon at the top right of the screen and open the map from there.

Snow reliability in Serre Chevalier

Serre Chevalier lies at a southerly latitude with a mild climate, which brings plenty of sunshine but means the area is not considered completely snow-sure. The skiing runs from 1,200 metres in the valley up to 2,800 metres, so snow conditions can vary between the lower and higher parts of the ski area.

The tree-lined pistes on the lower slopes can be more susceptible to milder spells, while the open terrain above the tree line towards 2,800 metres usually offers more dependable snow conditions for much of the season.

Best time to travel to Serre Chevalier

January to March offers the best conditions. The resort's southerly location brings plenty of sunshine, but also a risk of mild weather. February has the most reliable snow. March and April offer wonderful sunny skiing on the higher slopes. Avoid the low season in December, when snow cover can be thin.

Will there be lift queues in Serre Chevalier?

The lift system in Serre Chevalier carries 81,776 people an hour across 59 lifts. 18 of the 59 lifts are gondolas or high-speed chairlifts and 2 are drag lifts, which take longer to get through when it is busy. The fastest lifts carry up to 3,000 people an hour, for example Côte Chevalier. Per kilometre of piste there is less lift capacity than at an average resort on this site, so a busy week is felt more clearly here. The queue you actually notice is almost always down in the valley between eight and half past nine. If you are on the lift before eight you avoid it.

When is Serre Chevalier busiest?

How busy the slopes get is not decided by the English half term but by when the local families and the neighbouring countries are on holiday. These are the weeks that fill Serre Chevalier in the 2026/2027 season.

• France: The French winter holidays roll through three zones and together cover 6 February to 8 March. All three zones head for the same valleys, so the whole period is busy.
  6 to 22 February: zone C, including Paris and Toulouse
  13 February to 1 March: zone A, including Lyon and Bordeaux
  20 February to 8 March: zone B, including Marseille and Strasbourg
• England: The English February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027 for most councils, with a few areas breaking up a week earlier. The Easter holidays run from 26 March to 9 April.
  8 to 12 February: half term in a few council areas, for example Hull
  15 to 19 February: half term in most of England, including London, the Midlands and the North
  26 March to 9 April: Easter holidays for most English schools
• Easter holidays: Easter 2027 is early, on 28 March. Austria and Germany take their holidays around the weekend, while the French holidays fall after Easter, in April.
  20 to 29 March: the whole of Austria, all states at the same time
  22 March to 3 April: most German states, including Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia
  3 April to 3 May: the French zones, which fall after Easter 2027 and only affect the highest resorts
• Long weekends: Long weekends fill the slopes with day visitors from the nearest cities, even when no schools are on holiday.
  26 December to 3 January: Christmas and New Year, the most expensive period of the year
  6 January: Epiphany, a public holiday in Austria, Italy and parts of Switzerland
  27 to 29 March: the Easter weekend. Easter Monday is a public holiday across the Alps, but Good Friday is a working day in Austria, Italy and France
  1 to 2 May: May Day, a public holiday across the Alps

The weeks before 6 February and after 8 March are noticeably quieter and cheaper. January is the best time for anyone who wants the pistes to themselves.

Snow right now. There is no snow cover in the valley or at the top right now. The figures are modelled by Open-Meteo, not measured by the lift company, and were fetched 16 October 2026 at 20:24.

The lift pass included. The stay comes with the Serre Chevalier lift pass, which covers 250 km of piste. The pass is worth around €335.

How to get to Serre Chevalier

Last-minute deals in Serre Chevalier

Last-minute offers, that is late dates the operator still wants to fill, appear from January onwards. Once the season is under way we will show them here on this page.

Serre Chevalier is suitable for

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Frequently asked questions about Serre Chevalier