The world’s largest ski resort network, Les 3 Vallées, is grappling with the sheer force of Mother Nature this week. In the early hours of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, a massive avalanche—triggered during routine mitigation work (PIDA)—overwhelmed the Châtelet chairlift in the Méribel-Mottaret sector, adjacent to La Tania.
The debris from the slide didn’t just bury the slopes; it slammed into the base terminal and the first lift tower with enough force to cause structural failure. It’s confirmed that the high-speed six-pack chairlift will remain closed for the rest of the 2025-26 season. While the Plattières gondola remains as an alternative, the loss of this key artery is a blow to the intermediate terrain and terrain parks in the heart of the valley.
Storm Nils: 175cm in Five Days
The destruction of the Châtelet lift is a direct result of a weather cycle that locals are calling “exceptional.” Over a span of just five days, the Tarentaise Valley was hammered by 175 centimeters (69 inches) of fresh snow. In Courchevel and La Tania, base depths at 2,700m have surpassed the 260cm (102-inch) mark.
This accumulation was brought on by Storm Nils, forcing Météo-France to issue a Red Alert (Level 5/5) for avalanche risk—a warning level seen twice in the last 25 years. The snow fell on a “persistent weak layer” from January, creating a reactive snowpack , “size 4” avalanches across the region.
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While the lift damage at La Tania was limited to infrastructure, the human cost across the Alps has been staggering. Since early February, over 25 avalanche fatalities have been recorded in France alone.
Val d’Isère: Three skiers, including two British, were killed on February 13 when a slide swept them into a stream.Tignes: Authorities issued “stay indoors” orders earlier this week as the avalanche risk reached its maximum rating.Courmayeur, Italy: Just across the border, three freeriders were lost on February 15 in the Canale del Ves.Conditions for the Week Ahead
As of February 18, the avalanche risk across Les 3 Vallées remains at a High Level 4/5. Météo-France warns that while the storm has peaked, strong winds continue to create “highly reactive” wind slabs.
Skiers in La Tania, Courchevel, and Méribel are being urged to stay strictly on groomed, open runs. Several sectors, including Mont Vallon and the 3 Valleys links, face closures as patrollers triggers smaller slides to stabilize the snowfall.
Marlee KnightContent & Event Coordinator
Marlee Knight is a Content & Event Coordinator at Teton Gravity Research, helping support film premieres, events, and the stories that bring the action sports community together. When she’s not working, she’s usually outside — snowboarding, backpacking, or out with a camera.