With an 85% gradient in its steepest section and nearly 2,300 feet of descent, the Grand Couloir at Les 3 Vallées is often considered one of the hardest ski runs in all of Europe. Located at Courchevel on Mount Solier, the Grand Couloir is accessible be cable cars from Méribel or Courchevel. European ski instructor Marius Quast provided a brief overview of this gnarly run.
There’s a lot to this steep run, but the most challenging part is likely the entry over a narrow ridge leading into a steep mogul field. This entry point is enough to separate the skilled skiers from others, making even skiers with great technique struggle.
After the entry point, the run includes deep moguls filled with rocks, requiring skiers to find the perfect line down. At the end of the challenging narrow section, the run opens into a wide area with the lower part of the Gand Couloir consisting of a norma mogul run.
