Your day trips across the Tarentaise, always to the best snow of the day

In brief

Your day

an off-piste day trip in the Tarentaise, leaving from Val d'Isère, in whichever sector holds the best snow that day

Sectors

Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, La Rosière / La Thuile, Bonneval-sur-Arc, Les Arcs / Villaroger, La Plagne, Courchevel, Versant du Soleil, plus the Tarentaise Tour

Your level

strong skier, comfortable in all snow off the pistes; some lines for advanced and expert skiers only

Duration

a full day, morning briefing, back late afternoon (typical day below)

Group

private, 1 to 6 people: one group, your pace

Safety kit provided

avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe, checked before every departure

Who leads the day

a qualified ski instructor specialising in off-piste; for the occasional route that calls for one, a mountain guide can be brought in on request

Price

from €600/day (1 to 4 people) · transfers extra depending on the destination, set out in the quote

Leave Val d'Isère for a day, and follow the snow with us

Val d'Isère and the Espace Killy are enough to fill a whole winter of off-piste skiing. Some mornings, though, the wind has scoured the ski area all night, the sun has already caught the south faces, and yesterday's good snow has moved on. On those mornings we follow the snow, and take you with us. We read the avalanche bulletin, we look at the wind map and at what we saw on the ground the day before, and the answer is often half an hour down the road. Sainte-Foy sheltered from the wind, still skiing when everything else has shut; La Rosière dropping over into the Italian sun; Bonneval at the head of its stony high valley.

That's where an off-piste day trip in the Tarentaise earns its keep. You have at your side a professional who has skied these valleys for over twenty years, picking the right aspect, at the right hour, for you. We have been taking guests out this way since 2001, and no two days have been alike.

Meet the team · See our prices

From the 8am briefing to the 5pm return, a day at your pace

We meet in the morning at about 8am in Val d'Isère, by the tourist office, with the person who will lead your day: an off-piste ski instructor or mountain guide. First, before we even load the car: the briefing. We explain where we're going and why, we look together at the day's avalanche bulletin and the forecast, and we pitch the level of commitment to the group. Then the kit check: each of you is handed an avalanche airbag pack, a transceiver, a shovel and a probe, and we check that every transceiver sends and receives. It takes two minutes, every morning. Our avalanche safety page shows how we read that bulletin with you.

Then we drive to the chosen sector. We ski through the morning, choosing slopes by snow and aspect. At midday we stop for lunch: a long Italian lunch at La Thuile, the stone houses of a high hamlet at Bonneval, or simply a sunny spot with a view. In the afternoon we move to another aspect, the one that came good at just the right time. We're back in Val d'Isère late afternoon, around 5pm.

The plan follows the snow from start to finish. A day can be cut short, moved or re-routed to suit the conditions: that's the job.

Choose your day out: the sectors, one by one

Each sector below has its own character, its own hour and its own level. Open the one that speaks to you. Each is a mountain line on unpatrolled terrain, skied with a professional and at the right moment. The day itself is decided together in the morning, based on the snow, the weather and your group.

Prices for your day, by group size

• 1 to 4 people · €600/day · €650/day in school holidays
• 5 to 6 people · €700/day · €750/day in school holidays

Included · guiding by a qualified ski instructor specialising in off-piste, and all the safety kit: avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe.

Extras · lift passes, ski equipment, meals, insurance and transfers. Transfers vary with the destination, from the half-hour drive to Sainte-Foy to the valley loop for Bonneval, or a helicopter transfer home: they're set out in the quote, case by case.

See the full price list and formats

Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise — powder that stays untouched for days

Around thirty minutes from Val d'Isère, Sainte-Foy is a small, unassuming resort that hides some of the finest off-piste terrain in the Tarentaise. Few lifts, plenty of wild slopes, and that stubborn reputation among people in the trade: here the powder stays untouched for days, sheltered by the trees and away from the crowds. This is off-piste skiing at Sainte-Foy at its best.

The north face of Foglietta, the big line. The summit of Foglietta tops out at 2,930m. From the top of the Aiguille chair, a ridge and around thirty minutes' bootpacking lead to a steep north face — 40° at the start, due north, so it often holds cold powder. It drops roughly 1,500m of vertical to the Mercuel valley and the hamlets below. This is the resort's wild classic, for strong off-piste skiers only, and on the right day: cornices possible, real isolation.

Le Monal and l'Échaillon, the sunny side. The other face of Foglietta, gentler. From the same Aiguille chair, you drop onto the south side towards the Clou valley, through soft bowls and wooded sections, to come out at the listed hamlet of Le Monal, a descent of about 1,250m, the first big crossover to ski at Sainte-Foy. Alongside it, the Échaillon couloir offers a quieter line (around 1,100m) for very strong skiers. Allow for a short walk out at the Échaillon.

Tree skiing on storm days. This is where Sainte-Foy comes into its own. The resort sits relatively sheltered from the wind, and its northwest-facing lines in the trees stay skiable when the big neighbouring areas shut. The trees cut the wind and give you definition in flat light; the avalanche risk and the hidden hazards stay with you, though: tree wells, gullies, couloirs cutting through the wood. We go in guided, and we find untracked powder there long after the open slopes have been tracked out.

Safety: these routes run on unpatrolled terrain. Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided, Météo-France bulletin read every morning, and the good sense to turn back.

La Rosière / La Thuile — your morning off-piste, then lunch in Italy

Around forty minutes from Val d'Isère, La Rosière looks straight at the border: its ski area links to La Thuile, in Italy, over the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass. That's the whole charm of the sector: you ski the morning on the French side, on the north faces, then drop over the ridge to lunch on the other side, in the Aosta Valley. Midday means pasta and an espresso in Italy.

Mont Valaisan, the freeride side. Above La Rosière, the Mont Valaisan sector (2,891m) has opened up close to 50 hectares of ungroomed freeride slopes, served at 2,800m by two chairlifts. The beauty of the place is in its aspects: a clean, steep north face in the morning (a sustained first wall, for advanced skiers only), and south-facing bowls that come back into the sun in the afternoon. A face for every moment of the day, between France and Italy, with Mont Blanc on the skyline. Unpatrolled terrain: the day's Savoie avalanche bulletin is non-negotiable.

A first taste of skins facing Mont Blanc. On the La Thuile side, gentle, spectacular ski touring routes give you a first feel for skinning up in high-mountain surroundings, with the Mont Blanc massif in front of you. An easy way in for a group curious about touring, on a cross-border day. To learn the basics first, see our ski touring courses in Val d'Isère.

Fancy pushing further, with a heli drop on the Italian side? See our page on heliski at La Thuile.

Safety: unpatrolled terrain despite the easy access. Plan the return to the lifts (Italian-side lift times). Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided.

Bonneval-sur-Arc — a wild day out in the Haute-Maurienne

Bonneval lies beyond the Tarentaise, in the Haute-Maurienne, over the Col de l'Iseran; the pass closes in winter, so the road takes a long loop down the valley. It's a longer drive, and worth every minute: this is one of the finest days out we know. Bonneval-sur-Arc is one of the most beautiful villages in France, a stone hamlet set at 1,800m at the head of a bare high valley, gateway to the Cirque des Évettes and the glaciers of the Graian Alps. The skiing is wild here, far from the lifts, with an end-of-the-world feel.

The Col des Arses, the classic. A pass at 3,074m, above Bonneval. The climb crosses the easy-going Ouille Noire glacier on steady 30 to 35° slopes, before a northwest final section, around 1,266m of vertical. A fine, easy-grade ski tour, with the option of pushing on to the Pointe des Arses for those wanting more commitment.

The couloirs for advanced skiers. For seasoned groups, Bonneval offers steeper lines: the ruisseau des Fonds couloir below the Pointe de la Met (3,041m), which follows a summer torrent bed before the final ridge (around 950m of climbing, pitches at 40°); or the southeast couloirs of the Ouille des Trétêtes (2,948m), a committing classic to keep for spring snow, since the face catches the sun very early in the morning. Timing makes the whole day here.

Lunch on the stones of l'Écot. At midday we reach l'Écot, a listed high hamlet above Bonneval: a few stone houses and a chapel, facing the glaciers. Lunch here is long and quiet, before the afternoon descent.

The finishing flourish of this day out: getting back to Val d'Isère by air rather than by road. The heli can collect you at the foot of the descent and fly you home, on the reverse heliski principle that French law allows, see our page on heliski and transfers at Val d'Isère.

Safety: several routes lie within the Vanoise National Park (specific rules apply). Access and logistics confirmed in the quote, subject to conditions. Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided.

Les Arcs / Villaroger — ski the big verticals

Above Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the Les Arcs area holds some of the most storied off-piste in the Northern Alps. The S Couloir off the Aiguille Rouge (3,227m) drops in an "S" from the Varet glacier down to the village of Le Planay, over 1,800m of vertical, a couloir at 45° for the first few metres, for expert skiers only. The Grand Col, on the Villaroger side, gives a long, wild descent that's a shade less extreme (around 1,735m), to be read carefully before you commit. Two lines for those in the know, only ever skied with a professional, fully equipped, and when conditions allow.

Safety: unpatrolled high-mountain terrain, variable snow over 1,700 to 1,800m of vertical, a regulated nature reserve. Experts only. Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided.

La Plagne — ski the north face of Bellecôte and the Cul du Nant

The north face of Bellecôte (3,417m) is one of the great legends of Alpine off-piste: an amphitheatre several kilometres wide of couloirs and cold slopes above the Peisey-Nancroix valley, the big expert terrain of Paradiski. It's a glaciated sector with a heavy avalanche history: we ski it at the right moment, after a careful read of the snowpack. Experts only, guiding strongly advised.

More approachable, the Cul du Nant links Bellecôte to Champagny-en-Vanoise by a long, wild south-facing descent (around 1,940m), after a short climb from the Glacier chair: a handsome traverse, a world away from ordinary resort skiing, for advanced to expert skiers depending on the snow.

Safety: expert glaciated terrain, documented avalanche history on Bellecôte, no escape route on several lines. Glacier kit depending on the route. Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided.

Courchevel & Versant du Soleil — for your quieter days

Two quieter sectors, worth their weight in gold when the avalanche danger steers us away from the big faces.

Courchevel, the Brèche de la Portetta. Behind its luxury image, Courchevel hides genuine high-mountain terrain. The Brèche de la Portetta (2,651m) is one of the most striking outings in our whole book: a notch between limestone pillars with a Dolomites look, around 900m of climbing, west-facing, in condition from January to April. Helmet and crampons useful on hard snow. A spectacular setting for an advanced ski tour.

Versant du Soleil, the Dôme de Vaugelaz. Above Aime, in the Beaufortain, the Dôme de Vaugelaz (2,225m) is the smart summit for days when the avalanche danger is high: around 830m of climbing, technically easy and unexposed throughout, with a viewpoint over the Tarentaise and the Beaufortain. Just right for a good day's skiing at a gentle level of commitment. Higher and longer, the Pointe de Combe Bénite (2,575m) is a sunny spring classic.

Safety: touring routes on unpatrolled terrain. Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided, Météo-France bulletin read every morning.

The Tarentaise Tour — cross the whole Tarentaise in a day

This is our most ambitious day out: crossing the Tarentaise in one clean line, in a single day. The thread runs like this: start at Tignes in the morning, cross to Champagny-en-Vanoise, then La Plagne, the Vanoise Express to Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs, and finally the long descent to Villaroger off the Aiguille Rouge. Five resorts crossed, two big ski areas, one day.

The trick is that these two areas, the Espace Killy on one side and Paradiski on the other, each run their own lifts. The move from Tignes to Champagny is done by road; the rest strings together on skis and by the Vanoise Express, that shuttle cable car crossing the valley in four minutes. It takes two lift passes, an eye on the timetables, and a car waiting in the right place at the end. Clockwork logistics, which a professional handles for you.

We fine-tune the timing outing after outing, and on the day the link-up plays out to the conditions, the lift openings and the clock. The idea itself is simple: the whole Tarentaise, end to end, between breakfast and dusk.

Safety: a made-to-measure day, always subject to conditions and lift openings on the day. Transfers and return logistics set out in the quote. Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided.

A week across the resorts — the Tarentaise Safari

For anyone with more than a day, we build a flexible week of off-piste, guided by conditions rather than by a fixed programme. Based at Val d'Isère or on a short itinerary, each morning we choose the sector skiing best: Sainte-Foy, La Rosière, Les Arcs, La Plagne, Courchevel, the Beaufortain. A week spent seeking out, day after day, the best aspect and the best snow going.

Give us your dates and level, and we'll sketch out the week.

Safety, every morning. Off-piste skiing and ski touring take place on unmarked, unpatrolled terrain. Conditions change fast: wind, fresh snow, wind slab, thaw, poor visibility, refreeze and fatigue can turn an accessible outing into a committing one. We provide and check the safety kit before every departure (avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe). We follow the Météo-France avalanche bulletin and the state of the snowpack daily, and we adapt, or cancel, every outing to suit the conditions. Several routes cross protected areas (the Vanoise National Park, nature reserves, sensitive wildlife zones): we respect the zoning and the quiet periods. Equipment is the first layer of safety; the rest is preparation, reading the terrain, and the decision to turn back when the day calls for it.

FAQ

Where do the day trips leave from?

All our outings leave from Val d'Isère, where we meet in the morning at about 8am, by the tourist office on Avenue Olympique. After the briefing and the kit check, we drive to the sector chosen for the day: from half an hour for Sainte-Foy or La Rosière to a longer drive for Bonneval-sur-Arc.

How is the day's sector chosen?

We decide it together in the morning, based on the snow, the aspect, the avalanche bulletin and your level. That's the whole point of going out with a professional who has known these valleys since 2001: he knows where the good snow will be today, which may be a long way from yesterday's.

Do you need to be a strong skier for these outings?

You need to be comfortable in all snow off the pistes and able to link your turns down a red run. Some sectors, like Le Monal at Sainte-Foy or La Rosière, suit strong off-piste skiers; others, like the S Couloir at Les Arcs or the north face of Bellecôte, are for experts only. We always pitch the outing to the group's real level.

Is lunch included?

No, meals aren't included. But lunch is part of the pleasure of the day: an Italian lunch when you drop over to La Thuile from La Rosière, the stone houses of the hamlet of l'Écot at Bonneval, or simply a sunny spot with a view. We'll advise you by sector.

Can you really cross the Tarentaise in a single day?

Yes. That's our Tarentaise Tour: Tignes, Champagny, La Plagne, Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs, Villaroger, in a day. One resort links to the next on skis and by the Vanoise Express, with a single road move between the two areas. It takes clockwork timing and two lift passes, and we fit it to the conditions and the lift openings on the day, which always have the final say.

Are transfers included in the price?

No, transfers are extra and vary with the destination: a short drive to Sainte-Foy or La Rosière, a valley loop for Bonneval, or a helicopter transfer home to round off a day in the Haute-Maurienne. We set them out in the quote, case by case.

What happens if the weather's bad?

Bad weather changes the plan, and the pleasure stays. Depending on the conditions, we choose a more sheltered sector (Sainte-Foy and its tree lines often stay skiable when the big areas shut), we re-route the day, or we postpone it. The decision to turn back is part of the job.

Is the safety kit provided?

Yes, entirely. Each person is given an avalanche airbag pack, a transceiver, a shovel and a probe, checked before every departure. It's included in the price. You bring only your skis (hire available locally) and your clothing.

Where are we heading tomorrow?

We ski whichever corner of the Tarentaise has the best snow that day, so send us your dates and how you ski, and you'll hear back within 24 hours.