Alarming footage has emerged of a car speeding illegally down a prepared ski slope in the French Alps, part of a reckless 'rodeo' or 'drifting' trend that authorities are scrambling to stop. The incident, which occurred in the Les Houches resort, has sparked outrage and a police investigation amid a deadly avalanche season across Europe.
A 'Chilling' and Reckless Stunt
The video, captured by a stunned skier at dusk last Sunday, shows the vehicle's headlights illuminating the piste as it drives up the slope before rushing back down. The entire dangerous manoeuvre took roughly one minute. Michel Cougier, the director of the Les Houches resort, said the sight "chilled his blood".
"At that speed on snow, I am not sure the driver could have avoided someone in his path," Cougier stated. "I don't think he could have stopped. It's totally irresponsible... I sincerely think this could have turned into a drama." With the slope open until 9pm, numerous skiers could have been in the driver's way.
Ghislaine Bossonney, the mayor of Les Houches, condemned the act as "disrespectful and irresponsible", adding that "we are noticing more and more uncivil behaviour". French media reports indicate the so-called 'drifting' practice has already caused damage to several pistes. In a separate incident in November, a group of cars wrecked slopes at the Le Markstein resort in the Vosges mountains.
Police Crackdown on Slope 'Rodeos'
This is not an isolated event. Police in Faucille, near the Swiss border, revealed they had arrested around 10 drivers for similar offences on the slopes in January alone. Following the Les Houches incident, police have opened an investigation and are attempting to identify and locate the driver, who is suspected of endangering lives.
The illegal trend poses a severe threat to skiers' safety and causes significant damage to the meticulously groomed pistes, which are vital for the winter sports industry. The combination of high-speed vehicles, unpredictable snow conditions, and potential pedestrian traffic creates a recipe for catastrophe.
Deadly Avalanche Season Compounds Alpine Dangers
This irresponsible behaviour comes during an exceptionally perilous period in the Alps and across Europe, marked by a spike in fatal avalanches. Regional authorities have issued 'extreme risk' warnings, and the past month has seen at least 17 avalanche-related deaths.
Tragically, eight people died in avalanches just this past weekend. The victims include:
- A British skier, believed to be in his 50s, who was killed off-piste at La Plagne and buried under eight feet of snow.
- A 32-year-old ski patroller in Vallorcine, Haute-Savoie.
- Two skiers buried under 2.5 metres of snow in Val-d'Isère.
- Another skier at the Arêches-Beaufort resort in Savoie.
Further fatalities were reported in Austria and Italy, highlighting the widespread danger. Dramatic footage from Mount Elbrus in southern Russia also showed a massive avalanche tearing down the mountainside, though no deaths were reported from that event.
The convergence of man-made recklessness on the slopes and heightened natural hazards has created a uniquely dangerous environment in Europe's premier ski destinations this winter, prompting urgent calls for vigilance and respect for mountain safety rules.
