It’s here “magic” Tomorrowland. For a week, from Saturday March 16 to Saturday March 23, the resort of Alpe-d’Huez, in Isère, perched at an altitude of more than 1,800 meters, welcomes thousands of visitors from all over the world to attend the winter version of the electronic music festival born in Belgium. “ We are sold out », rejoices Debby Wilmsen, spokesperson for the Tomorrowland group. Around 22,000 festival-goers are expected. The price of the entry ticket for a week, which includes a ski pass, starts at 675 euros. With accommodation, the bill rises to a minimum of 950 euros, depending on the options, to the great benefit of the local economy.
Less of the environment, underline some residents, worried to see this crowd disembark less than 500 meters from the particularly fragile Ecrins National Park. Environmental protection associations and a residents’ collective, Stop Tomorrowland, asked the prefect for a study on noise pollution and carried out several actions. “The municipality anchors its dependence on an event responsible, in itself, for several thousand tonnes of CO equivalent2for only plane flights associated with the festival »wrote the collective a few days ago.
But that’s not all. Because the commune of Huez spares no effort to build loyalty for Tomorrowland, as shown by the new contract, concluded for seven editions with the Belgian company (TL Winter), which The world was able to consult. To be able to welcome festival-goers, the municipality has undertaken significant work which is an integral part of this agreement concluded in November 2023 between the Belgian company, the municipality of Huez, the Tourist Development Company of Alpe d’Huez ( SATA, a joint company managing the ski area, of which the municipality is the majority shareholder) and the Huez tourist office, for the next seven editions.
“ We are transforming the station into Tomorrowland format with public money, and for a private operator with deep pockets », denounces Gabriel Chamouton, elected opposition member of the Huez municipal council. Between 2021 and 2022, the town has expanded its sports center. A new event hall of more than 1,000 square meters with a capacity of approximately 2,000 people has been added for Tomorrowland Winter and other events throughout the year (International Comedy Film Festival, BD Festival, etc.) . Amount of work: 5.5 million euros, including 500,000 euros in subsidies.
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