Best Outdoor Activities in Serre Chevalier, France

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Picnic areas with planchas available at Croix de la Nore near Briançon and Grand Alpe above Chantemerle
Choose your base around which lift sector you'll ride most, as Serre Chevalier is strung along a long valley, making location important for daily bike transport
Beginners begin on gentler rafting sections near La Salle-les-Alpes, while more experienced paddlers tackle faster currents closer to Briançon; rafting suitable for families with children over seven
Via Ferrata Le Rocher Blanc accessible end of June/beginning of July to end of August with lift access (20 min approach with lifts, 4h without)
Summer season runs from late June through August with progressive opening of lift sectors across villages
Several hiking trails are marked; walking apps like Komoot provide many hiking trails in the Serre Chevalier area

Hiking

Overview: Trails perfect for all adventurers and nature lovers, with rhododendrons in bloom, larch forests, and pure mountain air. Waymarked trails and panoramic paths wind through larch forests, high-altitude alpine meadows and ridgelines offering spectacular views of the Écrins National Park.
Lift Access: Pass Piéton Tronçon 2 provides access to all open lifts to explore the most beautiful panoramas of the resort

Popular Trails

Le Sentier Des Lutins
Location
Chantemerle
Difficulty
Easy
Distance Km
1.8
Travel time
1.5 hours
Description
Family outing to discover mountain environment with instructional and fun panels
La Crête Des Lauzières
Location
Monêtier
Difficulty
Demanding
Distance Km
2.2
Travel time
1.5 hours
Description
Overlooks the village and entire valley with exceptional panoramic views of Écrins National Park iconic peaks and glaciers
From Chantemerle to Serre-Chevalier
Difficulty
Moderate to Hard
Distance Km
17.7
Elevation Gain M
1150
Description
Route joins the summit of Serre Chevalier at 2491 m with spectacular panorama of Alpine peaks

Climbing And Via Ferrata

Rock Climbing: Between the Écrins National Park and Guisane valley, climbers find ideal sites for rock climbing with all types of rock and equipped sites, major routes, and varied exposures and altitudes. Rocher du Bez and Pantalon are ideal for beginners, while Rocher Maubert and Massif des Cerces are ideal for advanced climbers.
Guided Climbing: Office of Guides and accompanists available for novice to expert climbers to discover the mountains in all seasons
Indoor Climbing: An 18m high climbing wall with 1,061m² of climbing surface and a large cover to protect against elements, with views of the UNESCO World Heritage Cité Vauban
Via Ferrata Routes: Various Via Ferrata sites—an itinerary built into a rock face equipped with cables and ladders—enable the discipline from age 6

Specific Routes

Via Ferrata Du Rocher Blanc
Season
From 15/06 to 30/08 daily
Location
Saint-Chaffrey
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate
Travel time
2 hours
Route Length M
350
Elevation Gain M
120
Description
Introductory, varied and easy route with fairly steep start and two route options
Via Ferrata Du Rocher Du Bez
Season
From 01/06 to 01/10: open every day
Location
La Salle-les-Alpes
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate
Description
First route is easy and varied with steep start but short route; second route is specially equipped for children aged 6 and over

Organized Events And Leagues

Grand Prix De Serre Chevalier
Date
20-22 March 2026
Access
Total accessibility: no minimum level required, no barriers to entry
Description
A not-to-be-missed event that celebrates sport, emotion and the spirit of conviviality in the heart of the Hautes-Alpes
Altitude Jazz Festival
Description
Offers three concerts in the ski area
Alps Epic
Date
June 2026
Description
Marathon mountain bike race included in UCI calendar, crossing Hautes-Alpes over five stages with two in the valley

Water Sports

Lakes: Casset Lake is ideal for family swim or lazy picnic with clear water beneath forested slopes
Rivers: The Guisane is the region's most famous river, originating at Col du Lautaret and particularly popular for trout fishing. The Durance, flowing through Briançon, is ideal for those seeking dynamic challenge, rich in trout and char for both fly fishing and traditional techniques.
Overview: Serre Chevalier Vallée Briançon is one of the whitewater spots in the Hautes-Alpes with rivers of natural flow and important density of courses.
Swimming: Organic baths or biobaths use plants and gravel instead of chemicals, with aquatic plants purifying water while providing habitat for insects and birds, resulting in crystal-clear water that feels softer on the skin

Activities

Fishing: You can fish in rivers and certain high-altitude lakes shown on the geofishing map with valid fishing permit for Hautes-Alpes department
Rafting: The Guisane River offers ideal environment for beginners and experienced rafters, with gentler profile unlike steep-sided gorges elsewhere
Canyoning: Summer activities combining climbing, jumping, sliding to follow the gorge
Hydrospeed: Swim in the river with hydrospeed using a float, fins, and reinforced wetsuit to brave the Guisane
Kayaking Canoeing: Stable and comfortable kayaks for hiking on lakes and discovering magnificent places

Winter Sports

Grand Prix Event: 20-22 March 2026, 7th edition of the Grand Prix, a unique event bringing together thousands of snow sports enthusiasts with 2,026 participants expected. The event borrows from derby, rallying, enduro, and orienteering with humor and unpredictability
Other Winter Activities: Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, and ice climbing available

Skiing

Overview: Serre Chevalier is the biggest ski area in the Southern French Alps and one the biggest in Europe, open daily from 5 December 2026 to 18 April 2027.
Sunshine: About 300 days of sunshine each year
Best Time: January, February, and March tend to be the best times, with January ideal for couples and groups, and February great for families with children in ski school
Snow Coverage: Vast artificial snow network covering a third of the ski area ensures optimum skiing conditions all season long

Terrain Stats

Number Of Slopes: 82
Ski Lifts: 59
Total Slope Km: 250
Slope Breakdown: 13 black, 28 red, 26 blue, 15 green slopes
Elevation Range M: 1200-2800

Mountain Biking

Overview: The Serre Chevalier valley is ideal for mountain biking with mountains, lakes, forests, and rivers.
Guided Tours: Guided rides along the valley floor, descents from legendary mountain passes, bike parks for all levels, led by state-certified instructors
Summer Passes: MTB Season Pass on special offer from May 18 to June 28, 2026 with -30% discount, offering unlimited access July 4 to August 30, 2026
Cycling Events: Tournée des Grands Cols (29 June–3 July), Haute Route sportive (24–25 August), and Alps Epic (9–11 September)

Bike Park

Status: Open from 03 July to 28 August
Trails: Compact marked park with 11 graded trails for 2026 (2 green, 6 blue, 2 red, 1 black), plus around 55 waymarked MTB itineraries across the wider valley and over 100km of enduro terrain
Skills Area: MTB skills area with wooden obstacles including seesaws and northshore features

Parks And Nature

Wildlife: Emblematic wildlife of the Écrins includes marmots, roe deer and birds of prey that often accompany outings
Ecrins National Park: Exceptional panoramic views of Écrins National Park's iconic peaks and majestic glaciers accessible from trails

Family Activities

New Toboggans Trail from Grand Alpe to Ratier with 80-metre suspended walkway, playful modules and interactive scenography to discover local wildlife, opening planned from mid-August 2026

Summer Lift Access

Lifts open across all sectors from June 20, 2026 (Briançon, Chantemerle, Villeneuve–La Salle and Le Monêtier-les-Bains), reaching summits in minutes to explore mountain playground

AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026

Sources cited for this category

These are the sources cited in this nature, parks & outdoor activities research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.

More About Serre Chevalier

Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.

Nature, Parks & Outdoor Activities in Serre Chevalier

Good to know

Good to Know

Hiking

Popular Trails

Le Sentier Des Lutins

La Crête Des Lauzières

From Chantemerle to Serre-Chevalier