Backcountry Ski Touring in Courchevel: Vallée des Avals

Last week, I spent an incredible time skiing in the French Alps, specifically in the La Plagne area and the Three Valleys region (Val Thorens/Méribel). While the entire trip was memorable, the absolute highlight was a day of ski touring with guide Nicolas Pellerin, a calm and experienced leader who emphasizes equivalence and transparency in his guiding approach.

Group of ski tourers climbing up the mountain Our group lined up during the ascent

Our backcountry skiing adventure began in Courchevel, where we utilized three lifts to gain initial altitude before retreating “behind the corner” or “over the ridge” to find pristine, undisturbed terrain (apart from a few tracks left by other skiers). The day wasn’t without its challenges - the cold weather and wind caused issues with my backcountry skins coming loose. Fortunately, Nicolas came prepared with a special adhesive, though accessing it required some improvisation with my Swiss Army knife to open the frozen spray can. This minor mishap left some “battle scars” of glue on my jacket, now a cherished reminder of this memorable day.

The tour took us past a mountain refuge (Refuge des lacs Merlet) and a traditional summer cheese-making facility (nearby Refuge de Grand Plan). While our total ascent of 350 meters was modest compared to my usual 1000-meter climbs, starting from the lift-accessed terrain allowed us to maximize our descent through beautiful, desolate valleys.

GPX track visualised Our route visualised on Gaia GPS. For those interested in the exact route details, you can download the GPX track here.

This tour perfectly exemplified why I love backcountry ski touring- the combination of physical challenge, pristine nature, and the reward of untouched powder descents. Having an experienced guide like Nicolas made the experience even more special, allowing us to safely access terrain we might not have found on our own. And the best part? I got to ski with my friends!

Here are three unedited videos that capture the authentic experience of our tour. I captued them with my Ray Ban Wayfarer glasses.

Video: First descent of the day, including a small tumble that adds to the adventure! Video: Beautiful descent with stunning views over the valley. Video: A longer, gentle descent through untouched powder snow.
#personal #skiing #adventure #winter

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