Southern Alps: winter diary | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourism

Major sporting events

From December onwards, the Southern Alps is the stage for a plethora of events and competitions bringing together sportsmen with a taste for testing their limits.

The fun begins with the Open de Snow Volley snow volleyball tournament in Superdévoluy, a discipline set to become part of the Winter Olympics line-up. The action takes place on the last 3 days of the year and features various activities and festivities, plus a big party on New Year’s Eve!

Scheduled in early January, the Trail Étoilé d’Orcières brings intrepid runners together for a race on snow at nightfall. The challenge kicks off as the sun goes down, allowing the runners to appreciate the first kilometres in a twilight atmosphere amid the stunning scenery of Écrins National Park. But they only have a headlamp to guide them to the finish line!

Two other palpitating events will be lighting up the Southern Alps a bit later on, generally in mid-January. The Ice Climbing Écrins challenge in l’Argentière-la-Bessée is a must-do meeting for ice climbing fans and includes a heat of the European Cup. On the menu: workshops for novices and seasoned climbers, a professional fair featuring equipment testing, film screenings, concerts, debates and mountain safety classes.

At the same time, the Outdoormix Winter Festival will be in full swing in Vars, with a programme combining sport and festivities: a daytime offering with competitions, introductions and a vast array of winter sports demonstrations including jumplining, snow kayaking, snow mountain biking, ski touring, fat biking, ice pétanque and snow volleyball, plus concerts and a dancefloor every evening!

If you enjoy a thrilling show, Pra Loup promises to deliver with Sky Mountain Fly – a breathtaking freefall parachuting display which involves jumping from a plane then landing on the snow front on a target the size of a €2 coin! Unique in Europe, this spectacular precision landing competition also features a giant slalom race.

In late January, head to Serre-Chevalier for the must-see Mondial du Monoski world monoski championship. On the programme: introductions, free trials, competitions, freeride sessions, evening events and, especially, a giant tartiflette!

In March, it’s the turn of the Speed Masters, or speed world ski championships, taking place on the world’s fastest slope, the Chabrières slope in Vars. You’ll find the planet’s top speed skiers battling it out here, launching off on a dizzy 98% incline and reaching speeds that would make a Ferrari blush. The current record? 255.50 km/h. We hope their gloves are pulled on tight! A beginner’s area is also open at the bottom of the slopes for curiosity seekers, speed ski fans and young skiers alike.

Music in the mountains

Winter visitors to the Southern Alps enjoy more than just a palpitating snow sports line-up: you’ll find three major music events here too. The first, Vars en Scène, invites a renowned artist to open the season in style with lucky audiences dancing the night away to the sounds of Texas, Jain and Bigflo & Oli in recent years. Get ready for more surprises to come!

The Altitude Jazz Festival takes place towards the end of January around Briançon and Serre-Chevalier and travels to around twenty venues in the area, from Vallée de la Clarée to Villard Saint-Pancrace, bringing jazz and improvisation to the local concert halls, bars, historic sites and even the snowy slopes. The line-up headlines international artists and emerging French talents alike, for the greatest pleasure of music buffs.

Vars is in the headlines again in April with the Gliss Mix Festival, a festive charity event organised by the association Espoir au Sommet, magicking the snow front into a throbbing dancefloor to mark the end of the season, with renowned DJs such as Étienne de Crécy lighting up the night for the last skiers. You’ll find a host of other entertainment on offer at the resort too, to wind up your winter in style!

100% kid-friendly events

The Southern Alps is, of course, a sporting paradise par excellence, but it’s also a fabulous discovery playground for children. From December to late March, the ski resort of Pelvoux-Vallouise welcomes families to the Igloo Pelvoo village: a delightful space dedicated to fun, artistic and educational activities, featuring adventure chalets, teepees, wigwams and an eco-aware igloo built without the use of ice or snow.

Taking place in Montgenèvre in early April, the Course de la Mille Pattes race brings together 1,000 children aged 5 to 10 years, making it France’s largest meeting for young skiers. The Saturday is dedicated to activities and includes a freestyle area, film screening and even an early-evening party where kids can enjoy practising their dance moves! The Sunday is dedicated to sporting events, with a blend of fun and timed skiing competitions.

Around the same time, on April 9th, the singer Aldebert will be inviting youngsters to a concert in Orcières Merlette dedicated to his brand new album “Helldebert Enfantillages 666”. Inspired by the world of heavy metal, Aldebert slips into the skin of his evil twin Helldebert to unveil a devilishly entertaining intergenerational music line-up. Let’s rock! By the way, the resort of Orcières Merlette will be offering free ski passes to children under 10s to mark the end of the season and arrival of spring.

Off-piste: a new angle on the mountains

There are so many different ways to enjoy the mountains! The proof of the pudding? The myriad of major events on offer in the Southern Alps this winter. From December 1st to early January, the little medieval village of Lucéram invites visitors on a crib scene tour featuring an impressive 450 scenes spread around the village’s historic venues, promising a delightful foray into the miniature world of santon figurines.

On December 24th, Queyras is hosting a never-before-seen Christmas Eve experience: a night out at an altitude of 2,500 metres at the La Blanche refuge! The adventure departs from Saint-Véran, in the company of a mountain guide.

In January, the town of Auron is welcoming Chefs au Sommet – the place to be for foodies! Hosted by the crème de la crème of Riviera chefs and pastry chefs, this gastro-panoramic event invites food buffs to savour gastronomic menus at local restaurants, while enjoying a series of talks and cooking classes for all ages. Don’t miss the giant barbecue on the slopes!

At the end of the season, in early April, the resort of Les Orres will be welcoming the Pure Flow festival, an event entirely dedicated to wellbeing with a variety of delightful indoor and outdoor activities designed to promote relaxation, wellness and vitality. On the programme: yoga, Pilates, meditation, relaxation, fitness and specialist-interest hikes on themes such as olfaction and self-hypnosis, together with essential oil workshops. In addition to the activities on offer, the festival is also a great opportunity to stock up on local soaps, oils, herbal teas and cosmetics, for the promise of a stress-free spring!