Six Skiers Die in Two Days from Avalanches in the French Alps

On Saturday, two separate avalanches occurred in the Savoie region, claiming the lives of three skiers. In Val-d’Isère, two men were buried under approximately 2.5 meters of snow after a slab detached in an uncontrolled area of the ski domain.

Despite the rapid intervention of rescue teams, both died at the scene, as they could not be resuscitated. A third skier died that same day in Arêches-Beaufort, also in Savoie, after being caught in an avalanche on an off-piste route. The person accompanying him was rescued alive and evacuated in serious condition to a hospital.

Adverse weather conditions persisted throughout Sunday, when new avalanches again affected the same Alpine massif, raising the total death toll to six in just 48 hours. In total, six avalanches were recorded at different points in the region. In La Plagne, a British skier in his 50s was found under 2.5 meters of snow in an off-piste area. Search teams took about an hour to find him, with the participation of numerous rescuers and specialized dogs, but it was not possible to save his life.

Another fatal avalanche occurred in Courchevel, where a person skiing outside secured areas also died. Additionally, local media have reported several injuries in sectors such as Tignes and Orelle, all related to avalanches on exposed terrain.

Météo-France had placed the avalanche risk at level 4 (high) throughout the weekend in vast areas of the Alps. This level implies that large avalanches are likely to occur naturally and can be easily triggered by the passage of a single person.

Recent heavy snowfall, combined with strong gusts of wind and the presence of unstable snow layers, has created extremely delicate conditions for off-piste skiing. Given this situation, French authorities and rescue services have reiterated their call for utmost caution, reminding that all accidents occurred on uncontrolled terrain.

Likewise, they have recommended avoiding off-piste, always consulting official avalanche bulletins, and postponing any activities in exposed areas while the high risk persists.