Avalanche control
Avalanches are a real risk in Tignes. In order to protect the ski area, a certain number of avalanches are triggered every winter season. We tell you more…
Preventivite triggering of avalanches
The skiable area is secured by ski patrollers in accordance with the Plan d’Intervention et de Déclenchement des Avalanches (PIDA). To implement its directives, they use the following means:
- Manually launched charges
- Helicopter
- Catex: once affixed to the cable with a clip, the charge of explosives is transported to the launcher
- Gazex: exploder tubes containing an oxygen-propane gas mixture; these enable an avalanche to be remotely triggered
- Avalancheur: compressed air canon that launches an explosive charge; it enables avalanches to be triggered in hard-to-reach areas
Only avalanches that threaten runs or roads are triggered preventively. These preventive avalanche control operations are usually carried out after snowfalls. Planned early in the morning to ensure the safety of the ski area, these operations can sometimes delay the opening of ski lifts in certain sectors.
Off-piste avalanche risk
Off-piste areas are not secured, marked or patrolled. Users ski off-piste at their own risk. It is essential to wear a avalanche transceiver.
At the bottom of the pistes and at the various rescue posts, a flag indicating the level of avalanche risk is displayed, together with an index.
Before going off-piste, check the Bulletin d’Estimation du Risque d’Avalanche (BERA, formerly BRA) and practise your avalanche rescue skills with the DVA + Shovel + Probe triptych.
View the latest BERA
