The villages of Serre Chevalier Valley: what to see and do in each one, by locals from Briançon
From Chantemerle to Le Monêtier, each village has its own character, its own spots and its own scenery. From Pramorel, near Briançon, you can discover them all in a matter of minutes, without ever changing where you stay. Here's what not to miss in each, with our local tips.
Serre Chevalier Valley isn't a single village, it's a whole valley, a string of hamlets stretched over nearly 28 km, between Briançon and the Col du Lautaret. Chantemerle and its red cable car, sporty Villeneuve, Le Monêtier and its hot springs, Briançon and its fortified old town: each has its own personality, its own addresses, its own atmosphere.
We've been exploring these villages forever. Rather than telling you which one to pick to unpack your bags, we'd rather show you what makes each one special. With, in mind, a local's conviction: here, the real luxury isn't sleeping in a village, it's having a peaceful base from which the whole valley is within reach.
From Chalet Mont Milo, in Pramorel
5 min
Briançon
7 min
Chantemerle
12 min
Villeneuve
18 min
Le Monêtier
The whole valley within twenty minutes: all the comfort of a central base camp.
Chantemerle – great skiing, the Bike Park and the buzz
In Chantemerle, everything centres around the snow front and the Ratier cable car. This is where the famous Luc Alphand piste begins, where the ski schools are based, and where the terraces come alive as skiers come off the slopes. Right next door, the old village of Saint-Chaffrey, huddled around its bell tower, is a reminder that Chantemerle is more than just a resort.
In winter, it's one of the main gateways to skiing across the Serre Chevalier Valley domain. In summer, the lifts open onto the Bike Park and high-mountain activities, while the Parc des Colombiers and its natural bio-pool, an ecological swimming spot by the Guisane, offer a refreshing break after a hot day.
Our tip
Take the Ratier cable car at least once, even without skis. Its red cabins, running since 1941, are part of the valley's history, and the view over the peaks from the top is worth the trip on its own.
Chantemerle brings together the piste departures and the ski lessons, an almost daily stop during a ski holiday. From the chalet, our private shuttle drops you off each morning at the foot of the Luc Alphand and picks you up at the end of the day. You ski as if you were staying right there, without the car or the hunt for parking, and in the evening you come back to the quiet of the hamlet. And for those who prefer their own car, several free car parks are less than a hundred metres from the lifts. Great skiing and buzz in Chantemerle, the calm of Pramorel to recharge.
The smart choice
A chalet like ours in Chantemerle, right by the slopes, typically rents for between €4,500 and €5,000 a week in high season. For comparable features, Chalet Mont Milo is 25 to 30% cheaper.
With our private shuttle dropping you at the foot of the Luc Alphand, you enjoy the same access to the slopes, from the peaceful hamlet of Pramorel, without paying the price or putting up with the crowds.
Villeneuve – whitewater, Lake Pontillas and cross-country skiing
In Villeneuve, everything follows the course of the Guisane. In summer, Lake Pontillas is the starting point for water sports and whitewater activities. In winter, the Pontillas chairlift opens onto the Serre Chevalier Valley ski domain, while the valley offers here one of its main access points to cross-country skiing.
In summer, Lake Pontillas is an ideal stop for a family day out: swimming, canoeing, and the base of Rafting Expérience, whom we're glad to work with. Rafting, air-boat or hydrospeed, everyone picks their activity to suit their mood and level. In winter, Villeneuve also opens onto the nordic domain: its 44 km of cross-country and skating trails follow the Guisane and link the hamlets, from Chantemerle all the way to Le Casset, another way to discover the mountains, far from the bustle of the alpine slopes.
Our tip
For a whitewater descent, we send you to Rafting Expérience, at Lake Pontillas. It's a team of enthusiasts we know well, and our guests get 10% off their activities. Our favourite summer plan: a morning on the Guisane, then an afternoon swim at the lake.
From the chalet, Villeneuve is twelve minutes away. Close enough to reach Lake Pontillas for a whitewater activity, join the nordic domain in winter, or simply stroll along the Guisane, then return within minutes to the calm of Pramorel. An active day in Villeneuve, a quiet evening at the chalet.
Le Monêtier – hot springs, authenticity and high mountains
It's the highest village in the valley, at 1,500 m, and the most authentic. Le Monêtier has kept its soul as a mountain village, with its alpine hamlets, its chapels and its church, far from the bustle of the resorts. A true "mountaineering village", surrounded by the wild peaks of the Écrins National Park.
But Le Monêtier is above all about its waters. Les Grands Bains draw on a naturally hot spring, a legacy of a Roman spa-town past: the legionaries already bathed here. Today, this 4,500 m² thermal and leisure centre, with its indoor and outdoor pools, is one of the valley's great pleasures, in winter and summer alike, after a day of skiing or hiking. All around, the trails climb towards high-altitude lakes, the Grand Lac, the Lac de la Douche, for some of the finest hikes in the area.
Our tip
The perfect combo: Les Grands Bains around 6 pm in winter, as night falls and you slip into the warm open-air water, facing the peaks under the first stars. Then, right after, dinner at La Montagn'Art, behind the church: a good table in the old village, away from the crowds, just the way we like it.
From the chalet, Le Monêtier is eighteen minutes away, at the far end of the valley. The drive follows the Guisane and crosses the whole resort: it's a lovely escape, a chance to end the day with your shoulders relaxed in the hot water, before returning to the calm of Pramorel. Le Monêtier's hot springs to end the day, Pramorel to find peace again.
Briançon and Pramorel, your base camp
You've understood it by now: in Serre Chevalier Valley, it would be a shame to pick a single village when the whole valley is within driving distance. The real pleasure is discovering each of them during the day, then coming back in the evening to a quiet place to recharge and make the most of the mountains.
That's exactly what Pramorel offers, our hamlet set on the heights of Briançon, at the entrance to the valley. A small, authentic village, quiet, yet close enough to everything to roam easily across the Hautes-Alpes.
And just below lies Briançon: the highest town in Europe, its Vauban citadel listed by UNESCO, its shops, its restaurants, its market. Five minutes from the chalet, you can do your shopping, have dinner or simply wander the streets of the fortified old town. A place that stays alive long after the lifts have closed, when the resorts, meanwhile, empty out.
From Pramorel, your days can change scenery without changing base camp: Chantemerle for a day's skiing, Villeneuve for a whitewater descent, Le Monêtier for Les Grands Bains, Briançon for a market or a dinner, then back to the calm of Chalet Mont Milo. You're not choosing your village to stay in, you're choosing your starting point to explore the whole valley.
One address, the whole valley before you.
Guests say
"A beautiful place in a quiet spot of Briançon. Clean, warm, with plenty of attention to details and taste. It was our home base for a week of great hiking. My team and I will be back!"
Pierre · July 2026
Alpine art of living
