There have been a number of serious avalanches across the French Alps today, Friday 26 December, causing multiple injuries and fatalities. These incidents took place in different regions and happened in a context of unstable snow conditions, according to official avalanche bulletins.
Stability test in the Haute-Maurienne on the 23rd December 2025
Fatal Avalanche in La Plagne
Shortly before midday, an avalanche caught a group of six off piste skiers on the north face of Bellecôte in La Plagne, in the Rodzins couloir. The alert was raised just before midday.
A first small slab was triggered, followed by a much larger slab approximately 200 metres wide. The avalanche was on a north sector slope at 2,500 meters altitude. Three people were buried, including a professional high mountain guide supervising the group. Rescue teams from La Plagne ski patrol and the Savoie high mountain gendarmerie were quickly deployed, with two helicopters, medical staff, and a search dog.
(c)Service des Pistes Bonneval
Two skiers were located at 12:10 pm using avalanche transceivers after approximately 25 minutes under the snow. The guide, aged 60 was found in a state of cardiac arrest and resuscitated after fifteen minutes of CPR. A woman aged 50 suffered multiple injuries. Both were airlifted to Grenoble University Hospital. Despite efforts by medical teams, the mountain guide later died from cardiac arrest.
A third skier was taken 100 meters downslope. He managed to free himself and was evacuated to Bourg Saint Maurice in a state of shock with minor injuries. The fourth person remained on the surface and was uninjured.
The avalanche risk level that day was rated 2 out of 5 in La Plagne. An investigation has been opened to determine the exact causes of the accident.
Avalanche at Val d Isère Fornet Sector
Earlier that morning at about 11:15 am, a female skier in her thirties was buried by an avalanche in the Fornet area of Val d Isère, above the Pont Saint Charles. She was skiing off piste with a group of four, accompanied by a professional.
The skier was carried nearly 800 metres downhill with a vertical drop of 550 metres. According to initial information, another group of skiers higher up the slope may have triggered the avalanche.
(c)Service des Pistes Bonneval
She was located within five minutes by her companions using an avalanche transceiver and was conscious when rescued, although suffering from oxygen deprivation and a back injury. She was evacuated by helicopter to Bourg Saint Maurice hospital.
The avalanche risk in Val d Isère was rated 3 out of 5, with recent snowfall and strong foehn winds creating highly sensitive wind slabs with persistent weak layers in the snowpack.
Ski Tourers Caught in Valloire
At around 4:00 pm, an avalanche occurred in the Aiguille Noire area beneath Mont Jovet at an altitude of 2300 metres in Valloire. Four ski tourers were caught.
One person was found in a state of cardiac arrest and could not be revived despite the intervention of mountain gendarmes, a medical team, and a search dog unit transported by helicopter. The prefecture of Savoie confirmed the fatality.
The avalanche bulletin for the Haute Maurienne sector indicated a high risk above 2100 metres, with a very unstable snowpack and numerous highly reactive slabs, particularly near the border ridgeline resting on persistent weak layers.
Serious Incident in Montgenèvre
Another avalanche occurred at 11:00 am in Montgenèvre, in the Doire bowl while descending from Rocher de l Aigle, a well known ski touring route. Three skiers were involved.
Two managed to escape on their own, while the third was buried for several minutes. The victim, a 40 year old Italian skier from Milan, was found in a state of cardiac arrest and airlifted by the Briançon gendarmerie helicopter to hospital. His condition was described as critical.
The avalanche risk in this sector was rated as Considerable above 2200 metres, with wind affected fresh snow resting on persistent weak layers which we reported earlier in the season on PisteHors.com
Young Skier Buried in Molines en Queyras
At 12:30 pm in Molines en Queyras, an 18 year old man was buried by an avalanche near the Italian border. He was rescued and transported to Briançon hospital. His life was not in danger.
This incident occurred shortly after the Montgenèvre avalanche and further highlighted the dangerous conditions in the Queyras massif, where the avalanche risk was rated 4 out of 5.
Yesterday PisteHors.com relayed a special avalanche warning for the Hautes-Alpes department.
Authorities Urge Extreme Caution
Avalanche bulletins across the affected regions consistently warned of unstable snowpacks, fresh wind driven snow, and persistent weak layers. Signs such as cracks, collapses, and recent slab releases have been widely observed by the piste services.
Mountain rescue services and gendarmerie units are calling for extreme caution and strongly advising against off piste and ski touring activities under current conditions.