La Grave vs Serre Chevalier: which should you book?
Book Serre Chevalier if you want a big, varied, snow sure ski area with tree lined runs, real villages and terrain for the whole group. Book La Grave only if you are a confident off piste skier or rider who wants one of the most serious freeride mountains in the Alps. For almost everyone Serre Chevalier wins, and the good news is the two are close neighbours.
By the Ski Resorts for Kings editorial team · Last reviewed July 2026
The short answer
Serre Chevalier wins for almost everyone, with around 250 km of varied pistes and proper villages. La Grave wins only for expert freeriders. They sit just up the valley from each other.
These two Hautes Alpes neighbours sit barely twenty minutes apart but serve completely different skiers. Serre Chevalier is one of the largest ski areas in the southern French Alps, around 250 km of pistes spread across sunny tree lined slopes above a string of old Briancon valley villages. La Grave is a single cable car up the flank of La Meije, almost no marked pistes, no patrol on the classic lines, and a freeride reputation that draws experts from across the world.
If you want a normal ski holiday that works for a mixed group, with cruising groomers, forest runs in bad weather and lively villages, Serre Chevalier is the clear winner. La Grave is not a beginner mountain and not a family mountain, it is a guided freeride experience for strong skiers and riders. Many serious visitors actually base in Serre Chevalier and drive up to La Grave for a powder day, which is the smart way to get both.
The numbers side by side
| La Grave | Serre Chevalier | |
|---|---|---|
| Resort altitude | around 1,450 m | around 1,200 to 1,500 m across the villages |
| Top lift | around 3,200 m | around 2,800 m |
| Ski area | Almost no marked pistes, open freeride terrain | Around 250 km of groomed pistes |
| Terrain character | Steep, glaciated, expert off piste only | Varied groomers, lots of tree skiing |
| Village style | Old stone mountain village | Several real valley villages, one old town |
| Evening scene | Very quiet, a handful of mountain bars | Lively, good bars and restaurants |
| Day pass | Around $50 to $60 | Around $55 to $65 |
| Nearest airport | Grenoble roughly 1.5 hours, Lyon 2 to 2.5 hours | Grenoble roughly 2 hours, Turin 2 to 2.5 hours |
The skiing
Serre Chevalier offers around 250 km of varied pistes, with sunny open slopes up high and a rare amount of tree skiing lower down that saves the day when the weather closes in. It suits beginners, intermediates and experts, and has enough terrain to keep a group busy for a week. La Grave is the opposite, a vast unpisted face of glaciers and steep couloirs served by one cable car, no markers, no patrol on the famous lines. As a rider I rate La Grave among the best lift served freeride on the planet, but it needs a guide and real skill. Winner: Serre Chevalier for variety, La Grave for pure freeride.
The village
Serre Chevalier is really a chain of villages along the valley, from modern Chantemerle and Villeneuve to the old walled town of Briancon nearby, so you can pick your style. La Grave is a single old stone village clinging to the mountainside, full of quiet character and untouched by mass tourism. For atmosphere both have charm, but Serre Chevalier offers more choice and convenience. Winner: Serre Chevalier for variety, La Grave for raw character.
Cost
Both are good value by Alpine standards. A week in Serre Chevalier can sit comfortably in the under $2,000 to $4,000 per person range before flights, helped by plenty of apartment and hotel choice across the villages. La Grave is cheap to access but most visitors pay for a mountain guide, which is close to essential, so the true cost rises with how much guiding you book. Winner: Serre Chevalier for predictable value, with La Grave cheap on paper but guide dependent.
Families
This one is easy. Serre Chevalier is a solid family choice, with gentle nursery areas, ski schools, tree lined runs for poor weather and plenty of lodging. La Grave has no beginner network and dangerous terrain for the inexperienced, so it is not a family option at all. Any group with children or beginners should base in Serre Chevalier. Winner: Serre Chevalier, clearly.
Apres and evenings
Serre Chevalier has the livelier scene by far, with a good spread of bars and restaurants across the villages and a relaxed, unpretentious vibe after skiing. La Grave is very quiet, a couple of cozy mountain bars where conversation centres on the snowpack and the day's lines. For nightlife and dining choice Serre Chevalier wins easily. Winner: Serre Chevalier.
Access
Both sit in the Hautes Alpes and share a similar approach, roughly two hours from Grenoble, with Serre Chevalier also reachable from Turin in about two to two and a half hours over the Montgenevre pass. La Grave is a little closer to Grenoble but on quieter roads. They are close enough that many skiers do both in one trip. Winner: a tie, with Serre Chevalier slightly better connected to Italy.
The verdict
Book Serre Chevalier if you want a big, varied, snow sure ski area with tree runs, real villages and terrain for everyone, which is the right call for almost every group. Book La Grave only if you are an experienced off piste skier or rider chasing one of the most serious freeride mountains in the Alps, ideally with a guide. Because they are neighbours, the smartest plan is often to base in Serre Chevalier and head up to La Grave on the right powder day. Read our full reviews of La Grave and Serre Chevalier before you book.
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Common questions
Is La Grave or Serre Chevalier better for skiing?
For most skiers Serre Chevalier is better, with around 250 km of varied pistes for all abilities and good tree skiing. La Grave is better only for expert off piste skiers and riders, with steep glaciated freeride terrain and almost no marked pistes.
Can you ski both La Grave and Serre Chevalier on one trip?
Yes, easily. They sit barely twenty minutes apart in the same valley, so many visitors base in Serre Chevalier for the everyday skiing and drive up to La Grave for a powder day. It is the smart way to enjoy both.
Is La Grave suitable for beginners or families?
No. La Grave has no beginner piste network and its terrain is steep, glaciated and unpatrolled on the classic lines. Beginners and families should base in Serre Chevalier, which has nursery areas, ski schools and tree lined runs.
Which is better value, La Grave or Serre Chevalier?
Both are good value. A week in Serre Chevalier can sit in the under $2,000 to $4,000 per person range before flights. La Grave is cheap to access but most visitors pay for a mountain guide, so the real cost depends on guiding.
Which has better apres ski, La Grave or Serre Chevalier?
Serre Chevalier, by a wide margin. It has a good spread of bars and restaurants across its villages and a relaxed vibe after skiing. La Grave is very quiet, with just a couple of cozy mountain bars.
Do you need a guide at La Grave?
For almost everyone, yes. The classic La Grave terrain is off piste, glaciated and unpatrolled, with crevasse and avalanche risk, so a qualified mountain guide is strongly recommended unless you are highly experienced and know the mountain.