A skier was killed on Monday afternoon, 26 January, in an avalanche in the Tignes ski area, in the French Alps. The incident occurred in the well-known off-piste sector of Lavachet, on slopes accessible directly from the ski resort’s lift system.
The victim, part of a group of five Spanish skiers, accompanied by a high mountain guide, was descending under the Pointe de Lavachet (2,696 metres) when the group triggered a slab avalanche at 14h30. Only one skier was caught and buried by the slide. Ski patrollers who witnessed the avalanche intervened immediately and were quickly joined by rescue teams from the CRS Alpes, deployed by helicopter.
The man, who was equipped with standard off-piste safety gear including an avalanche transceiver (DVA), was located unconscious. Despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead. He was a Spanish holidaymaker in his fifties.
A local mountain guide described the Lavachet sector as “notoriously tricky,” noting that the avalanche occurred in a terrain feature known for its instability. The group was reportedly accompanied by a guide.
At the time of the accident, the regional avalanche bulletin rated the danger at Level 3 (Considerable) above 1,600 metres. Forecasters highlighted a typical persistent weak layer situation, with fresh snow and wind-drifted accumulations resting on poorly bonded, angular grains. Slopes facing north, east and west were identified as particularly hazardous, with avalanches of size 2 to 3 considered likely. The bulletin warned that a single skier could be enough to trigger a slide, especially following recent snowfall and wind loading.
Avalanche le Grand Clausis [Photo credit PHGM Jausiers]
Earlier the same day, a second avalanche accident occurred in the southern Alps. A 35-year-old skier was caught while skiing off-piste beneath the Cime de la Condamine (2,940 metres) in the commune of Puy-Saint-André. The avalanche struck shortly before 13h45.
Rescued by teams from the CRS of Briançon, assisted by a helicopter and emergency medical staff, the skier was initially transported to the Escartons hospital before being transferred to the CHU of Grenoble. His condition remains critical. The second skier in the group was uninjured but left in shock.
Avalanche conditions in this area were also rated 3 out of 5, with approximately 40 centimetres of fresh snow having fallen over the weekend. Forecasters warned of unstable snowpack conditions on all aspects, with easily triggered slabs in recent snow and the potential for deeper releases in high-altitude shaded slopes where persistent weak layers remain buried.
These incidents follow a series of avalanche rescues over the weekend in the Ubaye valley, where multiple skiers were buried but survived thanks to rapid companion rescue, including a pregnant woman and her companion ski touring on the Grand Clausis. Mountain rescue services once again urged caution, stressing the need to carefully assess snowpack stability after recent snowfall and to respect signage and safety recommendations.
Authorities remind winter sports enthusiasts that avalanche danger rated “considerable” does not mean safe conditions, particularly in off-piste terrain, even when access is easy from ski lifts and safety equipment is carried.