Couloir Émile Allais

Access

Take the Saulire Téléphérique out of Courchevel 1850 to the summit at 2740m. It’s also possible to take the Saulire Express out of Meribel but this route will not give you the opportunity to scope the line so it’s not recommended. On arrival most folks will be turning left and heading down to the Panoramique Restaurant from where they can pick up other routes into Courchevel and Meribel but you’re going to turn right and step through the little gate that is signposted to the Tournier and Grand Couloirs.

The hardest part of accessing the Émile Allais couloir is undoubtedly the narrow ridge line that runs around 150m from the Saulire Téléphérique towards the Grand Couloir. Before setting off, locate the single wooden pole at the highest point at the end of the ridge, this is your target. Depending on the state of the ridge you may need a few sidesteps to reach it.

Once on the higher ground, ride the relatively short pitch that connects (skiers left) with the more obvious route taken by most riders heading for the Grand Couloir. Stop here to spot your entry point to the right. In the middle distance there is a wooden hut, a few metres before that is a grey Gasex canister. Your entry point (///arrives.parapet.midway) is the ridge in the foreground well before either of these features. Once on the ridge you can look into the couloir which drops away to your left. You'll know you're in the right place as you will see the Gasex pipe and a large rock feature directly ahead of you (see photo Émile Allais Drop-In). It is worth knowing that there is a route in, just before the Gasex canister but this cuts out the upper most section which is not to be missed.

Tech

Tech Summary: Whilst this couloir is adjacent to the avalanche mitigated Grand Couloir and used to be a marked itinerary back in the 90s (see photo - Courchevel Piste Map 1997), it should definitely be considered off-piste, so you’'ll want your full FreeRide set up – Transceiver, shovel, probe, helmet and goggles.

Stoke

This is a cracker, given the ease of access and the lack of traffic compared to its larger, longer and wider next door neighbour – you may well find you have the whole thing to yourself. There is a slight feeling of stepping off the beaten track, this combined with the narrower more enclosed feeling compared to the Grand Couloir, gives it an extra couple of notches of stoke. The steepest section of around 45 degrees, also can quicken the pulse.

Gnar

The line itself doesn’t feel that gnarly but you wouldn’t want to get the entry point wrong, for example attempting to drop-in past the hut means you’re taking on something very different.

Awe

As previously noted, this one’s a cracker, combine the views from the Téléphérique, the sometimes sketchy ridge traverse, taking the road less travelled and dropping into a 45 degree couloir named in honour of the French ski legend who invented the parallel ski technique is quite a lot before you even look into the couloir or down at the ‘ants’ on the Combe Saulire piste below. This might be the best return in terms of FreeRide thrills balanced with ease of access in the Courchevel domain - fans of the Curée may want to argue the toss but all of that can be sorted out over a cold one at the end of the day.