Four new avalanche beacon training areas (arva parcs in French) will open for the coming winter bringing the French total to 13 areas. Not that many when you consider that there are around 275 French ski resorts listed in our database but it does extend coverage to the Southern Alpes and Pyrenees. In the Hautes-Alpes the ski resorts of Serre Chevalier and Pelvoux complement la Grave’s area. Both have installed 5 beacon Ortovox systems. Serre Chevalier has a piste patroller on hand to offer training.
Les Arcs has installed a permanent avalanche beacon with organized training on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the top of the Transarc lift at 14h30. The Domaine du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees has located its basin at the Pain du Sucre drag lift with exercises are supervised by a member of the piste patrol.
Regular training is also organized at le Collet d’Allevard, la Grave on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at Courchevel 1850 and Méribel (variable times, check with piste patrol) and every day at Tignes between 9h and 16h. La Plagne organizes training using their mobile system, check at the tourist office or with the piste patrol for details.
Val d’Allos is running its Winter Respect programme and in Les Deux Alpes the FreeRespect event is now in its 8th year. Henry Schniewind also organizes avalanche beeper training in Val d’Isère as part of his avalanche awareness talks
The beacon basin at les Grands Montets is open to the public from this winter. You need to be a group of at least three people in order to benefit from a free training session run by the piste patrol. There are also beacon basins at Chamrousse in the Isere and at Valfréjus in the Maurienne.
Full list of French Beacon Basins
Beacon Basins - a race against time
Searching for Avalanche Victims