Serre Chevalier snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Hautes-Alpes, France · 1,200m to 2,800m

Over the last 10 seasons Serre Chevalier, France has averaged 479cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 191cm, 8 powder days and 23 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 14 November to 30 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Serre Chevalier

479 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
191 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
8
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
23
Bluebird days
sun after snow
19
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
187
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Serre Chevalier, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan76 cm120 cm2mm6.7 h-2° / -10°1.33.80.4
Feb60 cm142 cm3mm7.7 h1° / -8°1.02.00.3
Mar74 cm154 cm3mm9.1 h2° / -7°1.14.30.6
Apr54 cm136 cm9mm10.5 h5° / -4°1.02.32.4
May38 cm90 cm53mm11.3 h9° / 0°0.22.111.5
Jun1 cm9 cm81mm13.3 h17° / 6°0.00.014.3
Jul0 cm0 cm58mm14.0 h20° / 8°0.00.010.0
Aug2 cm0 cm74mm12.3 h19° / 7°0.10.18.5
Sept3 cm0 cm69mm10.6 h15° / 4°0.00.09.2
Oct27 cm3 cm95mm8.1 h10° / 0°0.70.59.3
Nov86 cm35 cm17mm6.6 h2° / -5°1.94.23.1
Dec93 cm92 cm7mm6.1 h-1° / -8°1.53.80.9

Averages across the last 10 seasons. Powder, bluebird and rain columns are the average number of such days per month.

Season by season

SeasonSnowfallPeak depthPowder daysBluebird daysSkiable days
2025/26412 cm170 cm716107
2024/25459 cm165 cm719186
2023/24best700 cm246 cm1534212
2022/23399 cm154 cm721188
2021/22leanest322 cm134 cm616182
2020/21436 cm140 cm522174
2019/20539 cm253 cm823207
2018/19402 cm193 cm618212
2017/18674 cm261 cm1130195
2016/17450 cm190 cm826204
How these numbers are calculated
  • Powder day — at least 15cm of new snow in 24 hours.
  • Bluebird day — sunshine for at least 60% of daylight, following at least 10cm of snow over the previous 3 days.
  • Rain day — at least 1mm of rain (not snow) at this elevation.
  • Skiable day — at least 30cm of settled snow on the ground.
  • Snow depth is modelled from Open-Meteo / ERA5 reanalysis at 2000m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Serre Chevalier compares

Measured against 40 other resorts across 18 countries, each analysed exactly the same way. The line down the middle of each bar is the median.

Snowfall per season
well above average
479 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
191 cm
Ahead of 88% of resortsMedian 84 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
among the very best we track
8
Ahead of 90% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
23
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
19
Drier than 77% of resortsMedian 32

Days with 1mm or more of rain, not snow.

Skiable days
well above average
187
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Serre Chevalier

Typical stretch holding 30cm or more of settled snow, averaged over the record.

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
14 November
Season ends
30 May
Days of cover
199 days

When to go

These rarely land in the same month, so it is worth deciding which one matters most before you book.

Deepest base
March
154cm average depth
Most new snow
December
93cm and 1.5 powder days
Best bluebird odds
March
4.3 bluebird days, 9.1h sun a day
Wettest month
May
11.5 rain days

Is Serre Chevalier a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysvery little raina long season

On 10 years of record, Serre Chevalier stands out for heavy snowfall, a deep, reliable base, frequent powder days, plenty of bluebird days, very little rain and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 2000m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Serre Chevalier snow record in detail

How much snow does Serre Chevalier get?

Serre Chevalier averages 479cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is well above average: more snow than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 283cm.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2023/24 with 700cm, and the leanest was 2021/22 with 322cm — a difference of 378cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 412cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 93cm and 11 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Serre Chevalier?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Serre Chevalier the snowpack peaks at an average of 191cm each season. That is well above average, deeper than 88% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 154cm through the month and topping out around 177cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Serre Chevalier get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Serre Chevalier averages 8 powder days a season. That is among the very best we track, more powder days than 90% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 1.5 on average.

How often does Serre Chevalier get bluebird days?

Serre Chevalier averages 23 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is among the very best we track, more than 98% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

March is the best month for it, averaging 4.3 bluebird days and 9.1 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Serre Chevalier?

At mid-mountain Serre Chevalier sees an average of 19 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 23% of the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way see fewer wet days, against a median of 32.

May is the wettest month of the season, with 11.5 rain days and 53mm on average.

When is the best time to ski or board Serre Chevalier, and when does the season end?

Serre Chevalier typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 14 November through to 30 May, which works out at roughly 199 days of skiable cover in an average year. 187 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is well above average compared with the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

For the deepest base, go in March; for the most new snow, December; for fresh snow with sunshine, March.

Comparisons use 40 resorts across 18 countries, each measured over 5 recent seasons at mid-mountain height. Glaciated locations, where the model never melts the snow out, are excluded. Figures for Serre Chevalier are taken at 2000m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Serre Chevalier month by month

What to expect in each month of the season, from the same ten-year record. Figures are averages for mid-mountain; a good or poor winter can move them a long way.

Serre Chevalier in November

Base building

November is when the base starts to build, averaging 35cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 86cm of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 1.9 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -5°C, with 6.6 hours of sunshine a day and 4.2 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.1 on average at mid-mountain.

Serre Chevalier in December

Base building

Through December the base keeps building, to an average of 92cm. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 93cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 1.5 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -8°C, with 6.1 hours of sunshine a day and 3.8 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Serre Chevalier in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 120cm. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 76cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 1.3 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -10°C, with 6.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.8 bluebird days.

Serre Chevalier in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 142cm. It brings 60cm of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -8°C, with 7.7 hours of sunshine a day and 2 bluebird days.

Serre Chevalier in March

Best all round

March is when the base at Serre Chevalier is at its deepest, averaging 154cm through the month and peaking around 177cm in a typical year. It brings 74cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 1.1 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -7°C, with 9.1 hours of sunshine a day and 4.3 bluebird days, the most of any month. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Serre Chevalier.

Serre Chevalier in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 136cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 54cm of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are 5°C and lows -4°C, with 10.5 hours of sunshine a day and 2.3 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.4 on average at mid-mountain.

Serre Chevalier in May

Late season

In May the base averages 90cm, past its March peak of 154cm and thinning. It brings 38cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 9°C and lows 0°C, with 11.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2.1 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 11.5 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Serre Chevalier compares with nearby resorts

Of Serre Chevalier and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Serre Chevalier ranks first for snowfall, with 479cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets less.

Serre Chevalier has the most powder days of the group (8 a season); Serre Chevalier builds the deepest base (191cm at its peak); and Serre Chevalier also gets the most bluebird days.

Each resort is measured at its own mid-mountain height, so part of any difference is altitude: a resort modelled 500m higher will usually hold more snow. The table shows the height each figure comes from.

Ten-year snow averages for Serre Chevalier and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Serre Chevalier—2000m479cm191cm823
Claviere, Italy15 km2280m395cm156cm522
Bardonecchia, Italy18 km2031m465cm187cm723
Sauze d'Oulx, Italy23 km2167m393cm154cm521
Sestriere, Italy24 km2429m400cm151cm623

Distances are straight-line. Season averages, November to May, over the last ten winters.

More on Serre Chevalier

Ski resorts near Serre Chevalier

Distances are straight-line, not by road.