Les Grands Couloir - Brévent
Four well known couloirs all converge into the wide (avalanche prone) Brévent bowl. Three start from the Brévent lift and le couloir Bozon starting from Planpraz. The following descriptions are from left to right looking up at the mountain.
- Le couloir de l'Ensa is the most difficult of the couloirs with a steep, 42 degree, top section. The vertical drop is 1500m with 400m of that in the couloir itself. The skiing is technically difficult and there is a serious avalanche risk. The steep narrow sides of the couloir protect the snow from the wind and the sun in places so this gives frequent and excellent powder - but beware of the snow conditions being different to the rest of the Brévent area.
- Le couloir Bellin runs just under the cable car for 400m then, like l'ensa, it joins the Brevent bowl with a total descent of 1500m to the valley floor. It is steep with sections of 40 degrees and a twist in the middle which requires complex route finding. There is a high danger of avalanche. Windslab is frequent at the entry to the couloir.
- Le couloir Allais is slightly shorter, 300m before entering the Brévent bowl with slopes of 30 -35 degrees. Avalanche risk and wind slab can form higher up, but it gives fantastic skiing in spring conditions.
- Le couloir Bozon is the most logical way to descend from Planpraz to Chamonix. 1000m of descent via the Brévent bowl. Less extreme than the other routes but still requires a very high level of technical skill. There is avalanche danger especially on the upper slopes.
Watch Out - the new sport of Speed Riding is very popular at the Brévent - sometimes ski tracks will disappear over huge unskiable cliffs. Never follow just any old tracks - they could lead you into a trap!
