Avalanche in French Alps Claims Lives of Two Britons and One French Skier

Two British men and one French national died in an avalanche on Friday, February 13, 2026, in the Val d’Isère ski resort in the French Alps. The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 AM local time (10:30 GMT) in the Manchet valley, near Val d’Isère, according to reports from the BBC and the Independent .

Details of the Avalanche

The British skiers were part of a group of five, accompanied by an instructor, who were skiing off-piste when the avalanche struck. A spokesperson for the Val d’Isère resort confirmed that the French victim was skiing alone at the time. One other British skier sustained minor injuries. The ski instructor was unharmed and tested negative for alcohol and drugs, according to Albertville prosecutor Benoit Bachelet .

Avalanche Risk and Warnings

France’s national weather service, Meteo-France, had issued a red alert for avalanche risk across the Savoie region on Thursday, February 12, 2026, which was subsequently lifted on Friday. Though, the avalanche risk remained high throughout the Alps due to “incredibly unstable snow cover” . The Val d’Isère ski resort’s website strongly discouraged off-piste skiing due to the “very high avalanche risk” . The avalanche occurred after a period of heavy snowfall, strong winds and rapid snow accumulation on weak layers, creating Level 4 (High) avalanche danger, just one day after some areas were under Level 5 (Very High) avalanche danger .

Investigation Launched

An investigation has been launched by the Albertville public prosecutor’s office, to be carried out by CRS Alpes mountain rescue police, to determine the cause of the avalanche .

Consular Assistance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed they are aware of the deaths of the two British men and are in contact with local authorities to provide consular assistance .

Recent Avalanche Activity

This incident follows a previous avalanche-related death in the nearby resort of Tignes last month . A separate avalanche in Gressoney-La-Trinité (Aosta Valley) resulted in a hiker rescue, highlighting continued instability across the western Alps .