At altitude the reflection of the sun on the snow and the ice is extremely strong. Sunglasses are indispensable and sun-cream is strongly recommended.
RESCUE
The law on mountain rescue n°2002-276 from February 27th, 2002 specifies that the rescues off-piste or on-piste on a safe and marked ski area will be charge to the client
Contribution to the rescue costs consecutive to any sporting activity and leisure
Mountain rescue: How much does it cost? The rates are calculated by each ski resorts, according to the distance to the rescue zone, ambulance costs will be eventually added. These costs won’t be charge to the clients who subscribed an insurance: daily, weekly, season and annual. It is highly recommended to subscribe an insurance throughout the term of your skiing trip.
Rates of rescue
Rescue Insurance
WARNING ! The practice of off-piste requires a perfect knowledge of the mountain and its dangers, in particular on a largely glacial area: never ski alone outside the marked out tracks, and book a professionel (guide, instructor, ...) to take you. Take into account weather forecasts! Equip yourself with an avalanche transceiver. When touring, advise somebody of your route and the expected hour of your return.
| Snow Quality | Définition |
|---|---|
| Soft | |
| Hard | |
| Low Snowfall | Carefull ! Bad conditions : rocks possible |
| Crusted | Hard to ski on |
| Wind Blown | Snow blown by the wind |
| Spring Snow | Hard in the morning through to heavy in the afternoon |
| Wet | Heavy snow hard to ski on |
| Degraded | Bad conditions |
| Bumpy | |
| Powder |
• Respect for others :
the users of pistes have to behave in a way that they do not put others in danger or harm them, either by their behaviour, or with their equipment.
• Control of speed and behaviour :
Every user of the pistes has to adapt their speed and their behaviour to their personal abilities as well as to the general conditions of the terrain and the weather, the state of the snow, and to the density of the traffic
• Choice of the direction by the one who is uphill :
The uphill person has a position which allows them to choose a trajectory: therefore they have to choose so as to protect the safety of every person who is downhill.
• Overtaking :
Overtaking can be carried out by the uphill or downhill person, to the right or to the left; but overtaking must always take place with plenty of room to accommodate the person being passed.
• At the crossing of pistes or starting off
After a stop or at a piste crossing, every user has to, by considering what is happening up- and downhill, make sure that they can go without endangering others or themselves
• Stopping :
Every user has to avoid stopping in narrow places or those without visibility; in case of fall, they should move off the piste as fast as possible.
• Ascent and descent on foot
Someone who has to go back up or go down a piste on foot has to use the edge of the piste being careful that neither they nor their equipment are a danger for others..
• Respect for information, signals and markings :
Users must take into account information on the weather conditions, on the state of the pistes and of the snow. They must respect the signals and signs
• Assistance :
Every person witnessing or involved in an accident must lend assistance, notably by giving the alert. If necessary, and at the request of the first-aid workers, they must make themselves available to help.
• Identification :
Every person witnessing or involved in an accident, is obliged to make his identity known to the piste security and/or third-parties
- High Mountain Office
- Track rescue : +33 (0)4 50 54 04 73
- Rescue : 112
- Weather report : +33 (0)8 99 71 02 74 - +33 (0) 8 92 68 10 20
