INTRODUCTION – ANALYSE

Mountain winter sports resorts did not wait for the health crisis to take charge of their future. Of course, an evolution is needed, both economically and ecologically, and for some it is more urgent and extensive than others. But each one must draft their own model. It is a daunting exercise, but one that fosters innovation.

The appearance of this virus helped spread a word or concept called Resilience. It is simultaneously intriguing and annoying. It has replaced Nietzsche’s expression “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger”. This semantic pandemic is undoubtedly explained by the note of optimism that it conveys: the ability to overcome an ordeal, to bounce back, to reinvent oneself. In fact, the ordeal is not new to the mountain environment, which bears the stigma of climate change more than anyone else. Winter sports resorts did not wait until 2020 to initiate the much needed ecological and economic transition. Simply, like any crisis, this one was a revelator, one embodied by the ski lift closures. “Skiing pays for skiing and much more,” so rightly explains the mayor of Le Grand-Bornand, André Perrillat-Amédé. There is no doubt about it, skiing remains the driving force in resorts. “And it cannot be substituted. No, summer will not replace winter,” says Patrick Arnaud, General Manager of Serre Chevalier Valley ski area. The Haute-Alpes resort is one of the first to have tackled summer diversification. “In five years, we have multiplied our summer turnover by four, but it only represents 3% of our annual turnover! During the 12-week summer, we generate sales equivalent to our smallest week in January. It is not profitable, but we put a lot of people to work and contribute to the attractiveness of the destination. We can only do this because winter is working well.” Summer activities are rarely profitable. “Alone, they aren’t enough to generate significant attractiveness. We have to have them, but we need to stop fantasizing about replacing skiing with other activities. There is no economic or touristic reality that justifies it,” says Laurent Reynaud, general delegate of Domaines skiables de France (DSF).

Wiping the slate clean is impossible and simply not desirable. In any case, clients are not ready to give up skiing: “All those who had practised other activities last winter, forced by the lift closures, have returned to downhill skiing,” notes Jean-Luc Boch, president of the National Association of Mountain Resort Mayors (ANMSM) and mayor of La Plagne. “Skiing and snowboarding are activities that require little effort compared to the sensations they provide, unlike cross-country skiing. Before, people used to ski for 8 hours a day, now it’s 3 to 4 hours, but every day. They may do other activities but these remain extra bonuses, not products for which they come to the resort,” notes Kaline Osaki, head of Cluster Montagne’s business development department. Patrick Grand’Eury, president of Cluster Montagne, pleads for balance: “We have to get out of the current dichotomy: Those who are promoting skiing at all costs against those

promoting a brutal revolution excluding skiing. It would be going down the wrong road to say that skiing is over and that we need to find some other activity. It is both wrong and too radical. There will still be snow in the next few years, although less at lower altitudes.”

Not all mountains are alike, not all are impacted in the same way by global warming. What we suspected is now scientifically confirmed. To build their future, resorts have taken advantage of a formidable prospective tool, Climsnow, created by a consortium between Météo France, Inrae, and Dianeige. “The future varies greatly from one resort to the next, which is why it is important to carry out these studies. It depends on the topography, equipment, and exposure. You can end up with two resorts that are geographically close but that show varying effects of climate change,” explains Carlo Carmagnola, a consultant for Dianeige and

snow physics researcher at Météo France’s snow study center Just breathe: “Skiing will continue for a long time. Development and diversification tools will help resorts survive. “But there are already low- and medium-altitude resorts that are difficult to operate due to the low level of snow all winter.

Choices have to be made. In 2020, one resort made headlines for its shift that some will consider radical and others courageous. Métabief. This small resort in the Jura, spreading out from 900 to 1430 meters in altitude, has anticipated the potential end of alpine skiing in its area by 2030-2035. “We have decided not to invest in artificial snow or in new ski lifts. We have opted only to maintain the lifts in operation,” says Olivier Erard, director of the Mont d’Or group. At the end of 2018, the resort decided to dedicate time and money in engineering to imagine their next model, all while maintaining ski operations as long as possible. Métabief has given itself 15 years to draft their future, which will involve decentralization. “In terms of the ski area, there is no substitute for skiing. We had to admit that the right scale was no longer the ski area but a broader area, a sense of territory.” For them, that territory is the Haut-Doubs. Olivier Erard relies on its people to engage the transformation. “Mountain professionals probably have solutions. Let’s not imagine infrastructures too quickly, let’s give ourselves time.” It is both frightening and energizing to imagine a model whose contours are unknown. “We think we’ll make it, but we aren’t sure. As the resort is still in operation, it does not encourage creativity.” Olivier Erard is aware that the resort is now under close scrutiny, with others almost lying in wait. “Of course, there is resistance and innovations are emerging.” But he is both reassured by “the method and means rolled out” and encouraged by the support of all levels of government.

“French resorts have developed a very mimetic model. Perhaps each territory should dare to build something different from its neighbor. We need to be bold. Those that embrace their difference, which inherently is courageous, will be those who survive. The field of possibilities is considerable,” says Patrick Grand’Eury.

The revival of Puigmal in the Pyrenees Mountains is tangible proof. In 2013, the resort was forced to close due to debts and a lack of snow, leaving the site abandoned. It reopened this winter thanks to a group of seven ski-enthusiast friends who invested their savings in this project, without any public subsidies. They designed the resort of their dreams; one that has more variety, is greener, and open year-round. The alpine ski offer is present but its operation has been rationalised: Snow-making and grooming are kept to a strict minimum and no more than 1,500 skiers are allowed on the slopes per day. The ski area includes a secure freeride zone, play area with a drag lift for beginners, and other areas for non-skiing activities—sledding, hiking, snowshoeing, dog sledding, trail running, Nordic walking, mountain biking, etc. Is this model sustainable? The future will tell.

“We need to build a more sustainable, creative, connected, and playful mountain,” says Patrick Grand’Eury. Orres Resort has definitely turned towards technology and digitalization in its operations as well as in its offer. Pierre Vollaire, hightech professional and mayor of the town understands this. The town is carrying out an experiential resort project (€12 million) to promote outdoor sports and win back young people and those who think mountain activities are inaccessible or unattractive. How is this possible? Their answer is through the creation of three clusters. The first is experiential and could be likened to an edutainment mountain theme park with simulators and augmented reality installations. The aim is to encourage the general public to safely experience the outdoor activities on offer in the resort and in the valley—skiing, cycling, rafting, kitesurfing, tobogganing, paragliding, wingsuit flying, and more—and then take them on a real-life experience. The second is the sports and innovation center which gives beginners the chance to learn new sports and others to improve their performance. The program includes dry slope skiing and cycling, lateral control skiing, connected home trainers, gym with connected physiological monitoring, cryotherapy cabin, massage table, hypoxia room, and performance analysis room. The third component makes the ski area itself an experiment. Ski and mountain bike tracks and training areas will be equipped with cameras, sensors, and stopwatches to measure performance in real time. A professional tool for top athletes and a fun tool for the general public.

PATRICK GRAND'EURY, CEO LUMIPLAN MONTAGNE ET PRÉSIDENT CLUSTER MONTAGNE

Is summer the future of resorts? “In winter, we are a mature market, unless a new snow sport emerges. The main source of change remains summer operations,” says Jean-Luc Boch. There is a lot of room for improvement and summer/winter turnover is disproportionate. They must be balanced. Val Thorens, an international high-altitude resort is fortunate to have a long winter season. “We are not threatened in the short term; skiing will still be here for another few decades. This; however, must not stop us from preparing for the future and understanding that our future growth will probably depend on summer operations. We have been

working on this for five years. We see genuine potential for progress this season and there are products to invent,” says Jérôme Grellet, general manager of Setam, the operator of Val Thorens. Here again, the ski area is thinking in terms of territory, with the expectation of a more mobile summer clientele.

Don’t put all your eggs in the same basket, as the saying goes. This is the characteristic of village resorts, which have preserved a heritage and activities beyond just skiing, giving them a certain charm that tourists in search of authenticity come to seek. Le Grand-Bornand is one of these happy few. This village counts 2,200 permanent inhabitants and 25,000 tourist beds. It is strongly influenced by agropastoralism and has 42 permanent farms employing 120 full-time equivalents—all focused on one product. Reblochon. In addition, 1500 jobs are linked to tourism. The town boasts a residual unemployment rate of 3% more than twice less than the rest of the country! The Alpine resort has kept its distinctive charm: 3% of the total area is urbanized, 27% of the area is classified as a sensitive natural zone, 40% as an agricultural zone, and there are more than 400 old chalets. “Le Grand-Bornand has taken care of its territory, developed it with respect for its resources, so as to make it an active area that creates jobs. We are constantly looking for a balance between protection and development,” analyses André Perrillat-Amédé. Of the one million annual overnight stays, 45% are in the summer season, but the driving force is still skiing. Last winter, Le Grand-Bornand had some of the highest occupancy rates—45% on average with peaks at 70%. Yet, the economy suffered. It showed us how much skiing is important for us; it is the pillar of our current financial model. In this context, the town is also thinking about its future and has developed a unique research project with the SavoieMont-Blanc University, a ‘Large Open-Air Lab’ to imagine the mountain of tomorrow, a model that can be used in the real world. This three-year program works with nine laboratories, 35 researchers, 400 students, and two sustainable development officers, and will involve the territory’s players and inhabitants in collectively defining Grand-Bornand’s strategic orientations. “The aim is to maintain an active population, to make the village a place where people should feel good, live well, and vacation well. Tourism is a means to an end, not an end in itself.” Through this major research project, the town intends to set and respect the quantified objectives for their economic development strategy, while controlling the load born by the territory. The study will focus on three key themes from a sustainable development perspective: Local life, agriculture and biodiversity, and tourism.

Not far from there, in Isère, Emmanuelle George—a researcher in mountain tourism development at Inrae (National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment)—is leading a similar approach initiated with Isère Attractivité, the Grenoble Region Urban Planning Agency (AURG), and the Labex ITTEM (Innovations and Territorial Transitions in Mountains). The project focuses on the transitions for mountain resorts and tourism territories. “We began by developing working arrangements that were co-built between research and engineering players and partnering pilot territories, Gresse-en-Vercors and the Grésivaudan town consortium,” says the researcher. The process begins with a phase designed to understand and share about how they see their territory and what challenges they see. It is supported by a participatory diagnosis involving inhabitants and economic and public players. Based on this preliminary process, the territory’s attractiveness and also vulnerabilities emerge and are “compared with what we know today about climate change and practices, for example.”

The next step is to develop scenarios that will lead to a choice before proposing an action plan. It’s a program that, like the transition, needs to be thought of in the long term. “Transition is not necessarily synonymous with the end of skiing; there are several paths,” insists the specialist.

The short-term objective is to implement these systems in the territories concerned. In the Vosges Mountains, questions are being asked. At the request of elected officials in the Vosges, Isabelle Blaise—project manager at Scet, a subsidiary of the Banque des territoires—has carried out a study on “the evolution of resorts in the Vosges in the face of climate change”. This shows the need to gradually initiate a transition where skiing no longer occupies such a central position. “In the short term, the objective is to move from a guarantee to ski to a guarantee to enjoy activities in the snow, and then to a guarantee year-round activities,” summarizes the study. The study also recommends developing specific features for each resort; features that must take on a territory-wide scale to offer complementary and mobile activities.

LAURENT REYNAUD, DÉLÉGUÉ GÉNÉRAL - DOMAINES SKIABLES DE FRANCE

Skiing higher and higher. To guarantee the presence of snow and produce less artificial snow, a trend is emerging: High-altitude slopes. The Hautes-Alpes department alone has three in the pipeline. In Dévoluy, a plateau at an altitude of 1850 m will be served by a future aerial ropeway and developed as a new tourist attraction and initiation area, usually confined to the bottom of the resort. In OrcièresMerlette, the Rocherousse plateau (2300 m), accessible by Telemix, already hosts many activities, but is going to be reorganized as a real high-altitude ski area, with an area for beginners. In Serre Chevalier, the future Pontillas ropeway will link Villeneuve to the Méa plateau, at 2255 m, converted into a beginners’ area. Serre Chevalier has chosen to adapt rather than fight. Skiing at the top of the ski area and returning to the resort by ropeway if there isn’t sufficient snow to cover the slopes down is one of the solutions considered. The ski area has created a website to both raise awareness and survey its customers on potential environmental improvements, such as limiting grooming, reducing lift speed, closing off certain areas to protect flora and fauna, and leaving some slopes fallow to allow nature to regenerate. Innovation also requires a change in behaviors and user acceptance without which change cannot be sustainable. Programming valley lifts to relieve congestion on the roads and in the resorts is commendable; however, vacationers must be convinced to leave their cars in the garage.

Since its creation in 1966, Avoriaz has always been a pedestrian resort. You can get around on foot, on skis, or in a carriage. “It’s really a way of life and vacationers come to Avoriaz for that, to be able to take a leisurely stroll with their children,” explains Sara Burdon, Morzine-Avoriaz communications manager. Cars are relegated to the parking garages at the entrances to the city in summer and winter, including for permanent residents. Vehicles can be driven in the off-season, making it easier for construction sites! Other initiatives are also emerging to limit car use in the resort. In 2019, true to its high-tech spirit, Val Thorens volunteered to test an autonomous 100% electric shuttle— built by Navya and operated by Bertolami—linking the bottom and top of the resort; a world first. The health crisis put a stop to this trial, which did not last very long, but long enough to note one pain point. “This rounded, cool-looking shuttle was a point of curiosity for vacationers who wanted to get a closer look, but because the shuttle’s safety devices were so sensitive, stops would be triggered too often. It made normal operation impossible,” explains Jérôme Grellet, general manager of Setam, the ski area operator.

Mountain Planet shows how the mountain ecosystem is teeming with innovations to anticipate the future and reduce its carbon footprint. Resorts are embracing this new normal. “I don’t know of any resort that does nothing about these issues. This health crisis will at least have had the merit of changing our way of thinking and accelerating the implementation of measures such as the Avenir Montagnes plan, says Pascale Boyer, Secretary General of the French National Association of Elected Officials in Mountainous Regions (ANEM). DSF promises to decarbonize French ski areas by 2037 and has made 16 eco-commitments. Obviously, these efforts should not only concern resorts, but should be shared by society as a whole. IPCC forecasts, innovation, business creativity, energy savings, and general progress make Laurent Reynaud confident: “Lines are moving fast to avoid disastrous scenarios.”

So what will the mountain of tomorrow look like? It will likely be a clever balance between economic zones and protected natural areas, with new forms of skiing, new sports offerings, digital technology for the experience, and customer service A mountain of possibilities. “We have so many trails to explore in cultural, industrial, natural, gastronomic, astronomical, spa, and lifestyle tourism,” suggests Pascale Boyer. “We have to build a future by not letting go of what has made our economy successful in the last 50 years, but we must reinvent ourselves in summer and winter. It will be easier to set up in territories that can capitalize on the benefits of skiing,” observes Patrick Grand Eury. Finding inspiration, by observing what is happening elsewhere and working on a strategy by involving the local population, associations, and economic forces in place. In short, tackle our future head on. “Some will take risks; they will be criticized and then they will be used as a model. Let’s give innovation the place it deserves by accepting failure and learning from it, so that we can move forward again,” urges Patrick Grand’Eury. The work is well underway.