Natural ski paradise
7 am this morning: 30 cm of fresh snow covers the mountains. Heading towards Crévoux, one of the most beautiful freeride spots in the Southern Alps.
Alone on the platter lift, the forest eventually fades away. The great slopes of Pré de l’Etoile, the resort’s summit, are gradually revealed. They are immaculate and white. There is a bitter, striking cold. The snow promises to be incredibly light.
Your friends join you at the top. A photo to immortalise the panorama … From the Écrins National Park to Lake Serre-Ponçon. A photo! But be quick – the tips of your skis are itching to get going on the hectares of powder snow before you.
A festival of white at the peak
As you make your way through the first turns, the snow explodes in your face – leaving you blinded for a few seconds. What an incredible feeling.
A skier springs up on your right, screaming with joy: there is no stopping on this first descent. The Pré de l’Etoile is a piste that must be experienced fully. You can rest on your way up.
Some precautions
Freeride is practiced in high mountain areas, on unmarked and unsecured routes. Off-piste skiing requires sufficient technical and physical abilities, as well as suitable equipment to ensure your own safety (avalanche-victim detector, probes and shovels). If you do not have the necessary skills and equipment, call on a professional (ski instructor or mountain guide) to discover this world in complete safety.
The tricks of the trade
Prepare for your freeride outings by checking the weather forecast and the Avalanche Risk Assessment Bulletin
- Don’t ride alone!
- Your AVD, probe and shovel are essential!
- Adapt your outing and choose your routes according to the snow conditions.
Check with the current conditions with the resort’s ski patrollers.
