To make the most of your stay in Serre Chevalier, it's essential to respect the safety rules on the slopes. By doing the right thing, you're contributing not only to your own well-being, but also to that of all the skiers who share this exceptional area. See below for the 10 golden rules of safety, to help you enjoy unforgettable moments while staying safe.
DVA CheckPoints: thanks to the control terminals, a simple passage in front of one of these terminals will indicate if you are correctly equipped: 5 terminals, in free access, are distributed on the whole of the skiable field of Serre Chevalier, materialized by specific pictograms on the plan of the tracks:
MONETIER: arrival of the Bachas chairlift
VILLENEUVE: arrival of the Casse du Bœuf chairlift / arrival of the Clôt Gauthier chairlift / arrival of the Vallons chairlift
BRIANCON: arrival of the Prorel gondola lift
DVA Park: discover the pleasures of freeriding in complete safety thanks to the DVA beacons, freely available in Le Monêtier near the Bachas chairlift. Here you can learn how to use a DVA. The first-aid instructors are there to teach you the right reflexes in the event of an avalanche, because at Serre Chevalier, your safety is our priority!
Location: near the finish of the Bachas chairlift - at the start of the ‘Lauzières’ footpath - Access: Bachas chairlift - Suitable for all abilities - You can ask the first-aid instructors* for advice at the Bachas first-aid post*.
Tip: before setting off outside the secured and signposted ski runs, ask the first-aid instructors about the weather conditions and check the snow report and avalanche risk level. Don't forget to bring a shovel and probe.
* Subject to change or for reasons of equipment maintenance.
Avalanche victim search simulation
Rodolphe and Yoann, Serre Chevalier's first-aid and avalanche dog handlers, are offering avalanche search demonstrations in the ski area during the winter holidays, at the top of the Vallons chairlift on the Villeneuve site:
every Wednesday at 10.30am during the February/March school holidays, i.e. from 12.02 to 05.03.2025. Entertainment is free and open to all - no reservation necessary - meet on site.
*Subject to change or cancellation (priority given to piste safety).
You ski in the ski area but do you know what happens when the ski patrols close the slopes? Do you know what a PIDA* is? We tell you everything so that you don't take any risks.
The resort never sleeps... It lives 7 days a week and 24 hours a day!
As soon as the last skiers have left the slopes, the groomers come in to prepare the slopes at night so that skiers can enjoy the slopes to the full the next day.
Between 5pm and 8.30am the following morning, 18 machines cover the entire Serre Chevalier ski area to ensure that the pistes are perfectly prepared.
7 of these machines are equipped with a winch. The cable of this winch can be unwound up to 1.4 km and, when used by the drivers on the slopes, it is often invisible to the naked eye, especially at night, and represents a real danger for people who might be nearby.
The practice of night-time activities in the ski area is strictly forbidden by a municipal decree issued by each commune of the Serre Chevalier Valley. Only activities linked to the maintenance of the ski area and the operation of the mountain restaurants are authorised.
This measure aims to avoid serious accidents with grooming machines, as has already been the case in some resorts.
This prohibition is also valid during the days of preventive avalanche triggering (PIDA*) set up to secure the ski area as soon as conditions require it, particularly after recent snowfalls. This can lead to the closure of the slopes during the intervention.
For your safety, we thank you for respecting these rules so that you will only have good memories of your favourite activity.
* Avalanche control plan
1) Be well equipped to prevent falls and limit the consequences: sunglasses or mask, helmet, suitable shoes and properly adjusted ski bindings.
2) Always ensure your behaviour presents no danger to others.
3) Tailor your behaviour and speed to your ability, the piste and the weather
4) Choose a line that does not endanger the safety of the downhill skier
5) Overtake wide to allow for unexpect moves by the downhill skier.
6) Always look both uphill and downhill before you set off to check you can proceed safely.
7) If you fall, mowe clear of tge piste as quickly as possible. If you're stationary, always keep to the side of the piste.
8) If you have to wlak up or down the piste, keep well to the side.
9) Always obey the signs and markings (you can't miss the fluorescent orange signs and streamers)
10) If you are involved in or witness an accident, phone the rescue service on +33 (0)4 92 25 55 65 to make yourself known.
You can find this information on the piste map available at the Info-Points or at the Serre Chevalier Tourist Office.