Ski lifts stopped in the French ski resort of Le Semnoz, near Annecy, due to a lack of snow, on December 27, 2022. (AFP / JEFF PACHOUD)
The mild weather accompanied by rain in recent days in the mountains has greatly disrupted the activity of alpine ski resorts, particularly in the low mountains, leading to the closure of half of the slopes in France.
“We are very disappointed! The ski lessons were canceled for my six-year-old son and my mother had come especially from Israel to ski”, regretted Tuesday Ayan Mazzega, a 38-year-old Israeli, dismayed by the greener slopes than pristine Semnoz (Haute-Savoie), which had to close its 18 alpine ski slopes for lack of white gold.
“We are enjoying the sun today, but it’s sad. We like the small resorts but they are all closed. So we leave the skis in the car and we go for a walk”, continues this resident of Geneva in the middle of a few clusters of idle tourists.
Ski slope of the French resort Le Semnoz, temporarily closed due to lack of snow, December 27, 2022. (AFP / JEFF PACHOUD)
France experienced a particularly mild Christmas this year, well above seasonal norms and the second warmest since the post-war period.
“We had started the holidays with a good situation following a wave of cold and snow, but from the end of last week, the mild weather and the rains led to the closure of half of the slopes”, notes Laurent. Reynaud, general delegate of Domaines skiables de France (DSF).
The Southern Alps, with three quarters of the slopes open, and the Northern Alps, in particular Savoie, are the least penalized, but in the other massifs such as the Pyrenees (a quarter of the slopes open), the Vosges or the Jura ( less than a quarter of the slopes open), the situation is more worrying.
Thus, many resorts such as La Pierre-Saint-Martin (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Saint-Pierre de Chartreuse/Le Planolet (Isère), Le Tanet (Vosges), Les Rousses (Jura) or Croix de Bauzon (Massif Central) have had to resolve to block their domains in recent days.
In the Pyrenees, around ten out of 30 resorts are closed, and in those that are open, the majority of the slopes are closed.
“Our start to the season is complicated, but we must not be pessimistic. We will know in February or March whether the season has been good or not,” said Gianni Ragona, director of three resorts in Haute-Garonne, Luchon-Superbagnères, Le Mourtis and Bourg d’Oueil.
– A tenacious thaw –
In the Vosges station of Schnepfenried, only one track is open out of 17 in addition to the “kindergarten”, explains to AFP Nicolas Buhl, manager of the station whose tracks range from 1,000 to 1,260 m above sea level. .
Hikers near ski lifts stopped due to lack of snow in the French ski resort Le Semnoz, near Annecy, on December 27, 2022. (AFP/JEFF PACHOUD)
In Les Rousses, in the Jura, no opening but it is not an exceptional situation for this mid-mountain resort, underlines Claire Devillers, communication manager.
“We are worried, the raw material is missing. There is anxiety about maintaining reservations, time will tell how much the situation will have an impact on them”, confides for his part Jean-Luc Boch, President of the National Association of Mountain Resort Mayors (ANMSM).
“The non-opening two years ago due to the Covid epidemic has already left its mark, even if last year the season was good. Conditions must become favorable again for the approximately 400,000 people who live mountain activity”, he urges.
“We are seeing more and more difficulties at the beginning of December, and the snow is falling more and more at altitude, on the slopes facing north. This climatic upheaval has led us to adapt, with artificial snow (artificial, editor’s note) but also by developing other activities”, continues the mayor of La Plagne Tarentaise, whose area, located higher up, is relatively spared by the lack of snow.
“The quality of a stay in the mountains for the end of year celebrations is a global experience”, abounds Mr. Reynaud, who crosses his fingers for the months to come.
A hiker on the ski slopes of the Alps resort, Le Semnoz, near Annecy, a resort which had to close temporarily due to lack of snow, on December 27, 2022. (AFP / JEFF PACHOUD)
“January-February-March, that represents around 80% of turnover. Do not worry before the hour”, underlines for his part Gianni Ragona in the Pyrenees.
But the short-term forecasts will not reassure mountain players: according to Météo-France, highs well above normal are still expected this weekend, both in the plains and at altitude.
ag-jeff-apz-dsa-ap/cco/dch
© 2022 AFP
Did you like this article ? Share it with your friends with the buttons below.
