Attendance is expected to be high in French ski resorts, which since February 11 have been welcoming winter visitors from zone B (Aix-Marseille, etc.), after those from zone A. Despite inflation and rising prices packages, the resurgent competition from trips abroad or the mobilization against purchasing power, the mountains are confirming their appeal for their winter "high season" and for skiing, despite climate change and a tourism model to diversify.
The expected occupancy rate in resorts exceeded 70% at the end of January, according to data from the National Association of Mayors of Mountain Resorts (ANMSM).
It is certainly higher today, thanks to a sufficient cushion of snowflakes on all the massifs, or to the dynamism of the Southern Alps which benefit from
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For this week, holidaymakers will enjoy beautiful conditions.
“The snow cover remains correct in all the massifs
, summarizes Cyrille Duchesne, meteorologist at La Chaîne Météo (owned by the Figaro group).
Even if the last snowfalls are starting to date, the cold has made it possible to preserve this snowpack and produce artificial snow.
Today, the snow is quite hard but the absence of melting during the day avoids the dreaded patches of ice for skiers.
The specialist, however, does not predict short-term falls, at least not reliably.
From this weekend and beginning of the week, we are moving on the contrary “
towards a more spring-like weather which will cause melting at low altitude and on the southern slopes”
.
The consequences of the thaw will therefore arise at the end of next week, and visibility will be finer on the potential for snowfall and at what altitude.
Parisians, Montpellier residents or Toulouse residents in zone C must still wait to find out their conditions in resorts from February 18 or 25.
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The weather forecast for the week
Find Cyrille Duchesne's latest forecasts on the La Chaîne Météo website.
northern alps
Alpe d'Huez (Isère), here the Marmottes IIM webcam at 3060 m this Saturday morning.
Webcam Alpe d'Huez
The images of Courchevel and Méribel are looping in mondovision: the world ski championships which see Alexis Pinturault shine also broadcast the image of correct snow cover for the season in the Three Valleys, without however the little extra soul of the snow dusting the conifers.
But it won't be for this week.
Like the Savoy ski areas, the snowflake cushion remains solid in the northern Alps (almost 100% of areas and slopes open), if not incredibly thick (55 cm at 1450 m in Méribel; 76 cm at 1850 m in Courchevel for example), but the last falls generally date back nearly 3 weeks.
And little to no flakes are expected over the next few days.
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“The ski conditions are excellent
, assures Claude Schneider, snow expert in La Plagne.
The weather is nice but cold, the snowpack has not moved thanks to the negative temperatures at night and part of the day.
Even minus 12 degrees at 2000 m (80 cm of natural snow) this Friday, for example.
Before the thaw announced for the beginning of the week, we must therefore expect a little hard snow but not icy, since it does not melt during the day.
"
The conditions will remain ideal between 1800 and 2800 m"
, interprets the specialist.
To date, it is the artificial snow that guarantees the return to the resort at the low altitudes of the Paradiski area (1250 m), under a sun which should temporarily cloud over in the middle of the week.
In Isère, Fabrice Boutet, General Manager of Sata, which manages the Alpe d'Huez, Deux-Alpes and La Grave areas, ensures 100% opening (runs and lifts) thanks to a work of extent of the technical teams, the last snowfall dating from the beginning of January.
“All returns to stations are preserved.
he congratulates himself.
We lack natural snow but the cold saved us and we built up a nice under layer of artificial snow which preserves the season and will provide good skiing conditions.
»
Beautiful laces in perspective in Oisans therefore, where a thaw is also expected from Monday - Tuesday.
All the lifts will be running at full speed and without slowing down in the coming weeks, to respond to record attendance, an average increase of 20% to date in the three resorts.
Who however plan to close the lifts a week earlier this winter (April 16 for Alpe d'Huez and April 23 for Deux-Alpes) as part of energy saving commitments.
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Southern Alps
The resorts of the Southern Alps are experiencing a generally favorable situation: heavy snowfall in December and then January, and a less marked mild spell.
In the four resorts of Queyras (Hautes-Alpes), it has been a while since the skiing conditions have been so good.
“The last falls date from January 25 via a beautiful return from the east, and we recorded more than 1 m of fresh snow”
, indicates Nicolas Perretta, director of the Régie des stations de Moline Saint-Véran, Abriès, Arvieux and Ceillac.
Nearly one meter 20 of snow covers the bottom of the areas.
And the culture snow plan is finished.
“The season looks very successful”
, rejoices the manager, who is however expecting to improve the occupancy rate for the last week of the school holidays (February 25 - March 5).
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Further south, the director of the information office of the Tourist Office of Isola 2000 (Alpes-Maritimes), Virginie Tumorticchi, also has a smile: 1.40 m of snow at 2000 m, this has attracted winter visitors the whole month of January, and the holidays of the people of Nice are coming at the right time.
“A meter of snow fell last week with our return from the east, the conditions are optimal”.
The slight thaw from this Saturday (2 to 3 degrees during the day) should not upset the situation in the short term, while Isola announces an occupancy rate which is close to 100%.
Pyrenees
Screenshot of the Saint-Lary Haut Tourette (2400 m) webcam this Saturday morning.
Saint-Lary webcam
"The massif has benefited from good snowfall in recent weeks which, coupled with the cold, maintain a good snowpack, including at low altitude"
, summarizes Cyrille Duchesne (La Chaîne Météo).
The thaw should however be the most sensitive in the Pyrenees this week, predicts the meteorologist.
“We keep nearly 1 meter at the bottom of the slopes
,” says Akim Boufaid, director of the Saint-Lary site, in the Pyrénées-Orientales massif, which had suffered at the start of the season compared to the Hautes-Pyrénées.
“
I remain calm for the future, we will have good conditions which I describe as similar compared to last winter.
For the moment the snow is cold and well groomed, a little hard but we hope to avoid a lasting thaw for the quality of the ski.”
He also indicates that he has had plenty of winter visitors for the next few weeks.
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Vosges - Jura
Screenshot of the La Bresse-Hohneck snow front, this Saturday February 11 at 11 a.m.
Webcam La Bresse Hohneck
Lovers of La Bresse-Hohneck, Gérardmer, Lac Blanc or Ballon d'Alsace are entitled to more than 80% of the ski areas open for alpine and Nordic skiing.
"The snow cover of 20 to 40 cm at low altitude has held up well but for skiing, we will have to see how it evolves in the coming weeks"
, explains Cyrille Duchesne (La Chaîne Météo).
"We took advantage of beautiful natural snow with falls in mid-January, and low temperatures which allowed us to complete our snowmaking campaign with our thirty new generation snow guns that are more energy-efficient"
, summarizes Nicolas Claudel , director of the Labellemontagne site in La Bresse-Hohneck (Vosges).
To date, 35 cm whiten the snow front (910 m), 55 cm are announced at the top (1350 m) of the station which is also full.
And plans to close early on March 19 rather than March 25, in accordance with its energy saving plan.
