Freerando Course in Pelvoux - La Grave

This week, on paper, conditions aren't ideal for off-piste enthusiasts: after a long stretch without any snowfall, powder is scarce near the ski lifts.

That's where the freerando That's where it gets really interesting: taking the lifts to gain elevation without getting too tired, then putting on your climbing skins to find great skiing away from the overcrowded off-piste runs. For five days, we'll make the best of the conditions… and have a great time!

Days 1 and 2: Pelvoux, La Blanche, and La Rouya

We start off at a leisurely pace from Pelvoux. The chairlift takes us up to higher elevations with minimal effort, and then we head toward the Crête du Chastellet. It’s a chance to practice edging in a real-world setting. For some, it’s a refresher; for others, a thrilling new experience.

Our goal for the day—the summit of La Blanche—is perfect for warming up: a 700-meter climb and some great skiing on the way down, with plenty of fresh tracks to make.

The next day, it was the same story all over again, but we veered off toward La Rouya, with a short stretch through a couloir. Just below the summit, the beautiful east-facing slopes treated us to some truly magnificent turns, overlooking La Vallouise.

Day 3: The Plarol Ridge from Puy-Saint-Vincent

After those two wonderful days, we’re staying in the area and setting out this time from Puy-Saint-Vincent. We warm up at the resort before heading up to La Pendine, then switching to the classic—but still magnificent—off-piste run at the Col du Bal.

We then put our skins back on to reach the Plarol ridge. A classic alpine couloir awaits us on the descent, much to the group’s delight. And in the Narreyroux valley, a little powder feast awaits us!

Days 4 and 5: La Grave

My friends were eager to explore La Grave. I'm not sure if we'll find the best snow conditions there, but the area offers plenty of opportunities for ski touring.

In the end, the wind smoothed out the snow, which turned out to be quite pleasant to ski on, even though we do miss the powder in La Vallouise a little. We took advantage of these two days to take a long tour of the valleys, explore a few easy couloirs, and reach the Girose Glacier on our climbing skins.

All in all, it was five days of adapting to the conditions, finding the right routes, adjusting our plans, and enjoying some great descents. All against the backdrop of the Hautes-Alpes mountains and that sunshine we just can’t get enough of!