<
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/oct/07/large-french-alpine-ski-resort-to-close-in-face-of-shrinking-snow-season>
"A large French Alpine ski resort has announced it is to close, citing a lack
of funds to become a year-round destination, as low- and medium-altitude
mountain areas around Europe struggle with a truncated season due to global
heating and declining snowfalls.
Local councillors voted not to reopen Alpe du Grand Serre in the Isère this
winter, saying they could no longer pay for the mountain lifts or pay to
complete a programme to diversify as an all-year tourist destination.
The move will wipe out 200 jobs and hit businesses in the nearby village of La
Morte, whose economy and population of 150 people depend on winter sports.
A local sports shop owner, Lauranne Vincent, told
France 3 television: “We
are devastated and shocked. It’s a brutal decision coming two months before we
were due to open. We were hoping the opposite would happen. We said all lights
were green to go.”
Frédérique Laurence, the owner of a grocery shop in La Morte, added: “We’ve
been left completely in the lurch. We still have loans to pay as we’ve only
been here four years. Who will pay them? Our lives have been ruined. That’s
what is going to happen to us.”
A lack of snow in the past two years has meant slopes opening later and being
forced to close during the season, keeping skiers away. The loss-making Alpe du
Grand Serre has also suffered from ageing infrastructure and a lack of
investment over the past 40 years.
The local authority has spent nearly €3m since 2021 on a project that would
keep the resort open all year round, attracting visitors with hiking and bike
paths, but said it did not have the money to continue with it for the final two
years before completion."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
