Sometimes called “La Reine Meije” (the Queen) or “Sa Meijesté” (Her Majesty), the Meije holds a special place in the imagination of mountaineers… and I’m no exception.
Story of a day of off-piste skiing
The La Grave ski area links the village at 1,400 metres up to the Meije glacier at 3,560 metres, but it’s obviously no ordinary ski area… First, because of its altitude, but mostly because all the descent routes are off-piste and unsecured. It’s an experience all of its own, far from classic resorts and their pistes (groomed, marked and made safe every day by ski patrollers).
After several intense ski-touring seasons, I decided this year would be “the year of the La Grave descent”! I know many skiers go with a guide, because skiing La Grave freeride isn’t something you improvise: you need to be able to find your way and master the dangers inherent to off-piste skiing…
The day before the La Grave descent: getting ready
If you don’t have the experience needed to plan your descent, it’s better to go with a mountain guide. Preparation the day before is an essential part of off-piste skiing.
To prepare your descent, you need to:
Check the Avalanche Risk Estimate Bulletin (BERA) published daily by Météo-France, to make sure the avalanche risk isn’t too high;
Check the weather, because wind at altitude can drastically drop the temperature, and fog can be very dangerous in off-piste skiing (risk of getting lost or not seeing obstacles);
Have your avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, and know how to use them; no secret there: you have to train!
As for us, the forecast is ideal! A wide blue sky and mild temperatures for a January day. Snow cover is a bit below our expectations… Because of the previous weeks’ anticyclone, the last snowfalls are now a distant memory. So we won’t have metres of powder, except perhaps a little higher up, in the cold zones, lightly skied and sheltered from the wind. The only upside to this lack of fresh snow: the BERA is very reassuring and avalanches are unlikely. We gain in peace of mind what we lose in fun.
Which route to choose for skiing La Grave freeride?
There are many possible routes back to La Grave from the top of the cable car. The 2 classic routes are: the Chancel valley and the Meije valleys, but many variations are possible on these 2 routes. We plan the route the day before on the IGN maps of Géoportail to spot any difficulties (steeper sections, rock bands…).
Other more technical routes can require a rappel or call for ice axes and crampons. If you have solid freeride experience but little ski-mountaineering experience, then the guides’ office can guide you through this type of project.
Setting off from La Grave
At 9:30 am, we’re at the cable car base. We bought our passes straight from the Passe Montagne app to avoid wasting time at the ticket office.
Wondering how much the La Grave cable car costs? I’m a Passe Montagne Pro member, so I get a discount. To find out more, head over to our website.
For a quieter day, we chose to do this descent on a weekday. So we don’t wait long before stepping into the cable car. The “little” eggs of La Grave have bags of charm! With their 4 to 6 seats, we’re a far cry from the big cabins of the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix. The atmosphere is intimate and even a touch vintage.
To reach the very top of the La Grave area, we take both stages. On the way up, we gradually take in the 360° panorama that will be our backdrop during the descent. We also use the cable car ride to scout the descent route and check the snow cover.
The summit: 3,560 m altitude
Here we are at the summit and a beautiful day is shaping up: blue sky and not a cloud. These are the best conditions to take in the spectacular panorama in front of us: Mont Blanc, Aiguilles d’Arves, Belledonne massif… We soak up a bit of the high-mountain atmosphere from the terrace at altitude.
Skiing down the Meije valleys
Mineral atmosphere at altitude
Because of the patchy snow lower down and as my two riding partners are on snowboards, we prefer to descend via the Meije valleys rather than the Chancel valley, which ends on a flatter section through the forest.
On the upper section, at altitude, the mineral high-mountain atmosphere is in full swing. Throughout this first part, we have a front-row seat to take in the Meije and the Rateau. There’s plenty of room to ski, and I enjoy all the space I need to feel at ease. We’re alone most of the time.
On this route, the slope never exceeds 35°. It’s not extremely steep but it isn’t a blue run either. To compare with a resort experience, I’d say it feels like an ungroomed red run.
Intimate atmosphere in the forest
On the bottom third, we ski through the forest, which gives us a nice boardercross and calls for a bit of vigilance. The atmosphere is both more intimate and more technical because of the thinner snow. Towards the end of the descent, we come back to the clearings for a few final turns in proper snow. Then we reach the bridge that brings us back to the village of La Grave. Back to civilisation.
Takeaways from a day at La Grave
Even with little fresh snow, the Meije descent remains an extraordinary experience that lets you ski in a wild universe, in the heart of a splendid setting. Thanks to the La Grave cable car, you embark on a day quite unlike any other. As for me, I’ll come back to do this descent on a powder day, even if its charm isn’t limited to the quality of the snow.
As a bonus, the sheer number of routes available is in itself an invitation to come back…
