Explore the ultimate freeride adventure in the Alps with this 6-day tour centered around La Grave and the French-Italian border. From the serene slopes of Sestriere to the thrilling descents of Serre Chevalier and the powder paradise of Queyras, each day offers exhilarating skiing experiences. Enjoy lodge accommodations, most meals, expert guidance, and carefully-sorted logistics throughout the adventure. Conclude with unforgettable runs in iconic spots like Puy Saint Vincent and the legendary La Grave. Join us for an epic journey through some of Europe's most renowned freeride terrain!
This itinerary serves as an example of a freeride ski trip in La Grave and other premier Alpine ski areas on the French-Italian border. Please keep in mind that your guide may adjust the itinerary and ski locations based on weather conditions, snow quality, and the abilities of participants. We kindly request your understanding and flexibility in respecting these decisions. Accommodation arrangements may also be adjusted while maintaining consistent standards to accommodate logistical needs and availability. Should there be changes in local guide regulations, particularly regarding safety ratios of clients per guide, Azimut fully complies, even if such decisions are last-minute. Such occurrences are rare and typically arise due to extraordinary mountain conditions. Therefore, adjustments may involve compensatory measures due to fewer participants per guide.
Our adventure begins at Briançon train station, where we’ll meet. Day one is designed for easing into the experience with skiing in Sestriere. This allows your guide to assess everyone’s skill levels and provide guidance on using safety equipment and skins. By day’s end, we transfer to our accommodations.
Meals: Dinner
Serre Chevalier offers boundless freeride opportunities across its expansive terrain. From dense forests to hidden couloirs and vast slopes, there’s something here for everyone. Day 2 is open for exhilarating skiing adventures to our heart’s content. In the evening, there’ll be an option to unwind and relax at the renowned Grands Bains of Le Monêtier (thermal baths) to soothe tired muscles after a thrilling day on the slopes.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Today, we venture into the Queyras region for another day of exceptional freeride skiing. Known for its copious snowfall, the powder here rivals that of Japan’s best. Make sure to bring your fat skis and perhaps a snorkel to fully enjoy this powder paradise. Throughout the day, revel in the natural beauty and adrenaline-pumping descents of this spectacular area.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Puy Saint Vincent and Pelvoux are our chosen playgrounds today, offering an array of slopes, forests, and open spaces to explore. These areas are our favorites for carving fresh tracks and enjoying the pure joy of skiing on a snowy day. Revel in the picturesque surroundings and ample opportunities for memorable runs.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
La Grave awaits with its legendary off-piste skiing on glaciers and through steep couloirs beneath the iconic La Meije. Prepare for epic itineraries and highly rewarding skiing in this renowned freeride destination. Whether you’re tackling challenging descents or soaking in panoramic views, today promises unforgettable experiences in the heart of the Alps.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Our final day takes us to Montgenèvre, a charming ski area nestled on the Italian border. Here, we’ll explore its memorable off-piste itineraries and indulge in lunch across the border in Italy. As the day draws to a close, we’ll return to Oulx and Briançon, concluding this exhilarating freeride skiing journey with memories to last a lifetime.
Meals: Breakfast
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
To fully enjoy this freeriding skiing adventure in La Grave, Ecrins, and Piedmont areas of the Alps, you’ll need to be in excellent physical condition and have solid ski touring experience. You should feel comfortable skiing on diverse snow conditions and maintaining a good pace throughout the day, as the routes may include short, challenging sections. The use of skins for ascending will typically not exceed 45 minutes to 1 hour per day. While skill, stamina, and endurance are crucial, rest assured that you’ll have a guide with you at all times providing instruction and encouragement, ensuring the experience is safe and enjoyable for everyone. Additionally, regular breaks are also built into the itinerary to maintain a comfortable pace on the slopes.
Here’s a list of the ski touring equipment (can be rented) you need to bring:
Here’s a list of clothes that you need to bring:
Other things you need to bring:
Freeriding is a style of skiing that focuses on skiing in natural, un-groomed terrain, with an emphasis on creativity, fluidity, and style. It typically involves skiing down challenging slopes, cliffs, and powder fields, often found within or near ski resort boundaries. Freeriders seek the thrill of diverse terrain and often incorporate tricks and jumps into their runs.
The difference between freeriding and off-piste skiing is that freeriding emphasizes style and creativity on natural terrain, while off-piste skiing simply refers to skiing on un-groomed snow outside marked resort slopes. Freeriding also differs slightly from ski touring and backcountry skiing, which involve both uphill and downhill travel in remote backcountry areas, predominantly focusing on exploration rather than style and fluidity.
If you prefer not to bring your own ski touring gear, you can rent all necessary equipment from your guide. The full ski touring rental package, which includes skis, boots, skins, poles, and ski crampons, is available for an additional fee of $235. Alternatively, individual items can be rented separately. Avalanche safety equipment is available free of charge; you can simply leave a note for your guide during booking if you need it.
During the freeriding ski trip in the La Grave, Ecrins, and Piedmont areas, accommodation will be provided at a lodge nestled in the village of Cervières, at the foot of the Col d’Izoard. Your host Isabelle and her team will ensure an exceptional welcome and offer a peaceful living space for quality relaxation. Rental equipment is conveniently located under the hotel, and the agency and team are just a short distance away.
The lodge comprises cozy “lodge” rooms that can accommodate up to three guests, with shared toilets and showers. Additionally, hotel-style rooms with private toilets and showers are available for an added fee for those seeking more privacy. Guests might share a room with someone of the opposite sex, depending on the group’s composition. Triple rooms may also be used based on group configuration and availability. If the lodge is unavailable, a comfortable gîte in the area (of equal quality) will be provided.
The lodge serves simple, natural, high-quality food, complemented by a selection of good beers and wines. Meals include breakfast and dinner at the lodge, with picnic lunches eaten during ski touring excursions and made up of quality produce such as cold meats, bread, cheese, chocolate bars, fruit or dried fruit, and seeds.
The lodge you’ll be staying at offers cozy lodge-style rooms that accommodate two to three guests and come with shared bathrooms, included in the price. For those seeking more privacy, the lodge also provides hotel-style single ensuite rooms which can be booked for $195 per person.
Unfortunately, no. This adventure is not suitable for splitboards, it’s for skiers only.
Group sizes and pricing
Freeriding in La Grave, Ecrins, and Piedmont areas of the French and Italian Alps can be arranged for private groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Briançon, the starting point of the tour, most people fly into Turin Airport or Grenoble Airport. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service. Given the limited train and bus connections to Briançon, the most convenient option is often a private transfer.
You will meet your guide at the Briançon train station around 8am on Day 1. Keep in mind that you should be wearing your ski outfit. We recommend arriving in Briançon at least one day prior to the tour to allow yourself time to rest and recover if you are traveling from a distant location.
Participants are required to have medical and accident insurance that covers this tour. Additionally, we highly recommend securing travel insurance.
With medical/accident insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!