LOCAL INFORMATION

Serre Chevalier

This part of the site allows you to learn something about the resort itself and the facilities available to the personnel participating in Exercise Spartan Hike.

The pages contained within this section cover areas of knowledge such as the ESF, the snow conditions, the route down to Serre Chevalier and the facilities contained within the resort itself.  Recommendations will be given as to good places to eat, socialise and get your laundry done, as well as the good ski shops to visit. 

General Information

The Ski Championships will take place at Villeneuve and Le Monetier les Bains

The villages are 2 of the 13 villages in the Grande Vallee known collectively as Serre Chevalier.  The Valley is 18km long served by 9 gondolas, 53 chair lifts, 18 drag lifts and with 47 km of Nordic piste.  It is as picturesque as it is varied and steeped in history.  Roman Legionnaires once came for treatment from the spa waters, and now skiers are able to breathe the rich clean mountain air of the Ecrins National Park.
The Valley of Serre Chevalier stretches from just below the Col du Lautaret to Briancon.  The journey from Calais takes 10-12 hours and is motorway (Peage) as far as Grenoble.  The road from Grenoble is signposted Briancon (RN 91) and climbs steadily to the Col du Lautaret, which is 1900m high and may well require snow chains.  This part of the French Alps gets a lot of snow and weather conditions can change very suddenly.  Once over the pass you drop down into the Serre Chevalier Valley and the first village of note you drive through is Monetier.  There are several chair lifts and the Yret Chair rises to just below the Pic De L'Yret at 2830m.  The Nordic races are held in the Monetier area.

A further 6km down the Valley the centre of administration for the area is at Villeneuve, which has both ancient and modern architecture.  Here the Alpine Championships take place and most of the competitors' accommodation is situated.  The Alpine races usually take place below and to the left of the middle station known as the "Frejus".  However, the downhill race is above Frejus on the Clot Gauther drag lift which takes you to the summit of the same name at 2589m.