Six skiers died in avalanches across the French Alps over the weekend of January 11, 2026, despite high avalanche risk warnings from authorities. All victims were skiing off-piste when the deadly slides occurred.
Three deaths occurred on Saturday, followed by three more fatalities on Sunday in separate incidents across the Savoie region and neighboring areas. The weekend’s tragedies unfolded as Météo-France warned of avalanche danger and authorities urged extreme caution for anyone venturing beyond marked ski runs.
A British man aged about 50 was among those killed when an avalanche struck at La Plagne on Sunday. The skier was buried under 2.5 meters of snow while skiing off-piste. Fifty-two rescuers were deployed to search for him, and he was found after 50 minutes, but he could not be resuscitated. The man had no avalanche transceiver, a device that allows rescuers to quickly locate people buried in snow.
Jean-Luc Boch, mayor of La Plagne, addressed the incident and broader safety concerns. “We have really had very beautiful weather today and that is what is behind these dramas,” Boch said. “People do not realise when they see these immaculate mountains and this magnificent snow covering that it can be dangerous.”
Another victim died Sunday at Courchevel, one of the largest and most popular resorts in the French Alps. A third fatality occurred in Vallorcine in the Haute-Savoie region, where a 32-year-old victim was thrown against a tree by the force of the avalanche. The Vallorcine victim was a ski patroller from Chamonix and father of two.
Saturday’s avalanches claimed three lives in Val d’Isère and Arêches-Beaufort. Two French skiers died at Val d’Isère after being buried under 2.5 meters of snow. The Val d’Isère victims had no transceivers, and rescuers located them via their mobile phones. One death occurred at Arêches-Beaufort on Saturday, where one person also sustained serious injuries in the same incident.
The avalanche danger was rated at Level 4 on the European Avalanche Danger Scale, which indicates high risk. At this level, snow instability is widespread, and avalanches can be triggered easily. Weather services warned that a single skier could trigger large avalanches in the current conditions. The recent snowfall had created layers within the snowpack that were not bonding properly with older snow beneath, creating a fragile structure prone to collapse.
Officials in the Savoie region reported at least six avalanches Sunday morning across the department’s ski areas. By the end of Sunday, 13 avalanches had been reported in Savoie alone. The wave of incidents stretched rescue resources thin across multiple mountain ranges, including the Vanoise, Haute-Maurienne and Mont-Blanc massifs.
Marie Wencker, Savoie prefecture chief of staff, criticized skiers for risking lives and endangering rescuers. Officials expressed frustration at skiers ignoring warnings despite clear advisories against off-piste skiing during the high-risk period.
Beyond the fatalities, several other incidents resulted in injuries and close calls. A snowboarder was injured in a Tignes avalanche. Two brothers were caught in an avalanche in Orelle, with one brother hospitalized with serious injuries.
The dangerous conditions also disrupted travel and stranded hundreds of people across the region. Eight hundred people were stranded overnight in Moûtiers, a key transportation hub for accessing Savoie ski resorts. Those unable to reach their destinations sheltered in emergency centers and gymnasiums. Twenty-nine people were accommodated in Val Thorens, while 40 people were stranded on a bus to Arc 2000.
Off-piste skiing, also known as backcountry skiing, involves venturing beyond the marked and maintained runs at ski resorts. While it offers the appeal of fresh powder and untouched terrain, it carries significantly higher risks than skiing on groomed trails. Ski resorts conduct avalanche control work on their marked runs, using explosives and other techniques to trigger avalanches in a controlled manner before the runs open to the public. Off-piste areas receive no such treatment, leaving natural snow conditions that can be highly unstable.
Avalanche transceivers are essential safety equipment for anyone skiing off-piste. These devices emit a signal that allows rescuers to pinpoint the location of buried victims quickly. Without transceivers, search operations rely on visual clues, probe lines or trained avalanche dogs, all of which take considerably longer. In avalanche burials, survival time is critical. Statistics show that victims have approximately a 90% chance of survival if rescued within 15 minutes, but this drops dramatically as time passes. After 35 minutes, the survival rate falls to about 30%.
The weekend’s tragedies occurred despite clear and sunny weather in many areas, conditions that can be deceptive. Beautiful weather often draws more skiers outdoors and can create a false sense of security. However, clear skies and sunshine do not indicate safe snow conditions. In fact, warm temperatures and sun exposure can further destabilize snowpack by creating melt-freeze cycles that weaken bonds between snow layers.
The French Alps attract millions of visitors each winter, with skiing and snowboarding forming the backbone of the region’s economy. The area includes world-renowned resorts such as Courchevel, Val d’Isère and La Plagne, which collectively offer thousands of kilometers of ski runs. The appeal of the Alps lies not only in their extensive groomed terrain but also in the vast backcountry opportunities they provide for experienced skiers seeking adventure beyond resort boundaries.
Avalanche forecasting in France is managed by Météo-France, which issues daily bulletins rating avalanche danger on a five-level scale. These forecasts take into account recent snowfall, wind patterns, temperature changes and the structure of the existing snowpack. The forecasts also provide specific guidance about which elevations and slope aspects are most dangerous. Skiers planning off-piste excursions are expected to consult these forecasts and adjust their plans accordingly.
Professional mountain guides and ski instructors undergo extensive training in avalanche safety, terrain assessment and rescue techniques. Many off-piste skiers hire guides not only for their knowledge of the terrain but for their ability to read snow conditions and make real-time decisions about safe route choices. Guides carry professional rescue equipment and maintain communication with resort authorities about changing conditions.
The concentration of fatal avalanches over a single weekend highlights the particular danger posed by the current snow conditions. When multiple independent incidents occur in a short timeframe across different locations, it typically indicates a widespread instability problem rather than isolated high-risk areas. This pattern reinforces the importance of heeding regional avalanche warnings that apply to broad geographic areas.
As the investigation into the weekend’s incidents continues, authorities continue to monitor snow conditions across the Alps. Avalanche danger ratings remain elevated in many areas, with officials urging anyone considering off-piste activities to exercise extreme caution, carry proper safety equipment and consider hiring professional guides.
Sources:
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2026/01/12/french-alps-avalanches-kill-at-least-6-skiers_6749309_114.html
https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/avalanche-deaths-france-val-disere-lg5twlw7m?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqczlkpPKtv2kT7c6-gY6yjaMSUopluqyDqMGd6fGgEsZkjZCX54yiY0&gaa_ts=6967e2ca&gaa_sig=gpTwX3tWslk9Zni73xFkuuB_MIwCeTpi5ASpUgqET_SSaOwYU3cYDJgsWwZ2EZid2bDtdOMbLPa27KHPcdrd5Q%3D%3D
https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/six-skiers-including-a-briton-die-in-french-alps-after-weekend-avalanches/763534
https://snowbrains.com/deadly-weekend-in-france-as-6-skiers-die-in-numerous-separate-avalanche-incidents/
https://watchers.news/2026/01/13/deadly-avalanches-strike-the-french-alps-leaving-six-dead-in-savoie-resorts/
https://planetski.eu/2026/01/11/british-skier-is-one-of-six-to-die-in-avalanches-in-french-alps-this-weekend/
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/french-alps-avalanche-weekend-kills-six-including-british-skier-who-had-no-transceiver-or-guide/ar-AA1U2lso
