On 21 March, 2,026 participants will set off from the summit of Chantemerle for the 7th edition of the Grand Prix of Serre Chevalier. Two courses, «Gentle» or «Crazy», crazy events, fancy dress and just one rule: ski without taking yourself too seriously.
À Serre Chevalier, The end of the season has its ritual. The overly serious lap times are put away, the unlikely costumes are brought out and the estate is transformed into an XXL playground. The Grand Prix is neither a classic race nor a simple festive gathering.
In just a few years, it has become the biggest gathering of amateur skiers in the world.
to each his own temperament
The start will be given on Saturday 21 March at 9am, at the top of the Chantemerle cable car. Skis, snowboard, telemark, everyone chooses their gear and above all their camp.
The «Doux» course stretches over 6.5 km and includes seven events accessible to riders aged 6 and over. Behind the amusing names («Lama Start», «La piste dansante», «Très Hot Wheels») lie a range of fun formats, including mass start revisited, disc golf on snow, tunnel passages, laser rifle shooting and spicy funny cross.
The idea is not to shatter a record, but to play with the rules, penalties and bonuses. Opposite them, the «Dingues» take it up a notch. Ten events, more physical, more technical, sometimes off-piste, like «BoardercrossFit» or «Strass tout droit», a «flash» format where you have to aim for the right speed rather than the fastest.
Some of the sequences, including «Operation Jackson» and «La dame des Neiges», take place in secure sectors with compulsory avalanche transceivers, supervised by valley guides.
A life-size game
The Grand Prix cultivates a unique mechanic: pure chrono on certain sections, average time on others, regularity challenges, surprise stages capable of reshuffling the cards at any moment. Even the joint finale, in the «interminable Fréjus tunnel», is a reminder that style counts as much as performance.
Around the courses, the atmosphere is overflowing. Gold and platinum tickets will be hidden around the resort, a mobile DJ on skis will be launching a giant 80s-style blind test, and the finish village at Pontillas will be hosting entertainment, a bungee ejector and prize-giving ceremony before a musical end to the afternoon at Off Piste.
The day before, on Friday 20 March, there will be a «recce» day to allow entrants to get their bearings at a preferential rate. The final routes will only be unveiled on the day, to keep the suspense alive.