It is the end of an era for the inhabitants of the Gap basin. The small resort of Céüze, a family resort where three generations of Gapençais have learned to ski since it opened 85 years ago, has just announced its final closure. Lack of funds to invest in artificial snow, " Céüze 2000 " could not adapt to climate change.
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After two years of research, to no avail, the Buëch-Dévoluy community council, manager of the ski lifts, said it was " forced " to make this decision. Chance of the calendar, this announcement comes while the Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition Élisabeth Borne received this Thursday the actors of the ski resorts to raise the issue of global warming, following the controversy caused by the delivery of snow by helicopter in a Pyrenees resort.
Twenty or thirty years ago, mining was possible all year round without resorting to artificial snow.
Jean-Marie Bernard, president of the community of communes of Buëch-Dévoluy" We have been experiencing the fallout from climate change for several years ," explains Jean-Marie Bernard, president of the community council. Twenty or thirty years ago, mining was possible all year round without resorting to artificial snow, but today this is no longer the case . ” “ As it is, snow or not, the station has a deficit of 100,000 euros each year. It is too great a burden to bear for the community of communes, ”he continues. According to him, it would be necessary to invest almost a million and a half euros to ensure the viability of the site. "These investments should have been made twenty years ago, but political reality wanted otherwise," he regrets, pointing to the lack of interest in the agglomeration of Gap, yet provider of the majority of skiers, for maintaining activity.
The station will continue to exist ... otherwise
“Despite everything, we cannot draw a line under almost 100 years of history. The station will continue to exist without the ski lifts. It is a place where you can walk, a wonderful space to access nature, known to all the inhabitants of the basin. It's not all over, ”he hopes. A hope shared by the local population, who responded in this sense to a questionnaire on the future of the station, distributed to 871 people at the start of the year.
In low and mid-altitude ski resorts, indeed, the time is ripe for diversification and multi-activity. This change of mentality, Charles-Ange Ginésy, the president of the National Association of Mayors of Mountain Resorts (ANMSM), made it a program. Since 2014, he has been striving to "open your eyes to the reality of climate change and its implications " on snow activities. “ What we see on alpine glaciers is very disturbing and invites us to reflect. We saw this with the President's visit to the Mer de Glace a few days ago, but this is also the case on other glaciers, such as that of Péclet (above Val Thorens, editor's note). almost disappeared, or in Deux-Alpes, where summer skiing is clearly in danger, "he warns.
The stations are already making their ecological transition
Faced with the inevitable, a large majority of specialists, including Jean-Marie Bernard, must move from tourism based on the practice of winter sports to a "return to the mountains" and putting forward " proximity to nature, better living and better breathing ". And Charles-Ange Ginésy reminds us that bringing snow by helicopter is not a solution, on the contrary. " In terms of image, it's counterproductive, " he notes. “ For a long time, we [ski area operators] have been regarded as concrete mixers. On the contrary, we must enhance our environment, revegetate certain areas and become the protectors of our heritage ”.
In fact, most stations have already taken this economically promising turn. " The investments must serve winter and summer, " points out the president of the ANMSM. “ A water retention basin must be designed to function in this way. The snow plant can be used for ice diving during the winter, and then become a fishing lake in the summer, ”he suggests. In the same way, the projects of “ adventure park ” or of toboggan on rail multiply because they are usable over longer periods. This also requires a significant human investment, since pisteurs, snow groomer drivers and other ski teachers will have to be supported in other professions.
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An immense challenge, therefore, recognizes the one who is also president of the Alpes-Maritimes departmental council, " but I remain optimistic because the current awareness is also an unprecedented opportunity for our sector" . As proof, in 2014, only 10% of customers declared "accepting to come to the resort if there is no snow". 5 years later, this proportion has already reached 30%.
