Serre Chevalier Vallée

Four villages strung out over 13 km between Briançon and Le Monêtier-les-Bains, forming the largest ski area in the Southern Alps. Serre Chevalier plays a rare card: the dry, sunny climate of the South combined with serious altitude — 2,830m at the Pic de l'Yret — and runs broadly cut through larch forest, which saves days of poor visibility. Briançon, France's highest town, with its Vauban fortifications listed by UNESCO, adds a rare heritage dimension for a resort. Le Monêtier, at the other end, has its natural hot-spring baths to finish the day.