The avalanche occurred in the middle of the day on Sunday on the Armancette glacier, which is near the village and ski resort of Les Contamines-Montjoie.

The rescue team ended their search because they know of no other missing persons, said Emmanuel Coquand, spokesperson for the authorities in the Haute-Savoie region.

Coquand declined to comment on the identity of the six people killed. Local media said two of them were mountain guides and the other four were their clients, all French, including a young woman and man in their 20s and a couple in their 40s.

Prosecutors in Bonneville who are investigating the incident did not immediately respond to questions regarding the identity of the dead people.

Coquand said the six had been skiing off-piste, or out of area, when the avalanche struck.

The avalanche covered a wide area of one km by 500m at an altitude of 3,500m, he said, adding that its causes were being investigated. There was no weather warning before the avalanche.