France 3 is reporting 2 different avalanches today - http://alpes.france3.fr/info/haute-savoie--2-avalanches-72351440.html
Rough translation “A dutch skier has died in an avalanche in Thollon-les Memises, 54 years old he was off piste with 3 other people and was taken by a slide on Saturday 4 February. The rescuers found him partially buried in cardiac arrest, and he could not be resuscitated.
A separate slide at Sommand near Mieussy happened when a group of skiers led by an ESF instructor were off piste in lift-accessed terrain. The instructor was caught in the slide and she is hospitalised in Annecy in grave condition.
Professionals explain that we have very unique snow conditions with a large quantity of snow that has fallen over ground that was not yet frozen. The underlayer is therefore not stable but contains a huge snow pack on top of it, which is homogenous and only slightly transformed. It is therefore necessary to redouble your prudence in the mountains on the snow to avoid dramas such as this Saturday.”