La face de Bellevarde
| La face de Bellevarde | |
|---|---|
| Place: | Val-d'Isère, France |
| Mountain: | Rocher de Bellevarde |
| Architect: | Bernhard Russi (SUI) |
| Opened: | 1992 |
| Level: | Expert |
| Competition: | Critérium of the First Snow |
| Downhill | |
| Start: | 2,807 m (9,209 ft) (AA) |
| Finish: | 1,848 m (6,063 ft) |
| Vertical drop: | 959 m (3,146 ft) |
| Length: | 2.998 km (1.863 mi) |
| Max. incline: | 35.4° degrees (71%) |
| Avr. incline: | 17.8° degrees (32.1%) |
| Avr. incline: | 2.8° degrees (5%) |
| Giant slalom | |
| Start: | 2,300 m (7,546 ft) (AA) |
| Finish: | 1,850 m (6,070 ft) |
| Vertical drop: | 450 m (1,476 ft) |
| Max. incline: | 32.6° degrees (64%) |
| Avr. incline: | 24.7° degrees (46%) |
| Avr. incline: | 13.5° degrees (24%) |
La face de Bellevarde is a World Cup downhill ski course in France, on Rocher de Bellevarde mountain in Val-d'Isère, Savoie; it debuted at the 1992 Winter Olympics with the men's downhill.
It is only about two kilometres (1.2 mi) kilometres up the road from "Piste Oreiller-Killy" in La Daille, another legendary course with a lengthier World Cup tradition.
With 24.7 degrees (46%) incline, not counting the full dowhnill course, it is by far the world's steepest giant slalom and course in general in average gradient, with no flat sections, only steepness the whole time.
This competition is known as the Critérium of the First Snow (Critérium de la première neige).