Exceptional Dec Snowfalls in the French Alps January 15, 2009
Climate change and the global downturn, these double perils have let off the Alps, leastwise for Christmas. On the other hand it may have been so entirely polar. In the weeks before the holidays towns in the Araches-la-Frasse area were cut off as avalanches hammered down. Dual carriage way passes such as the important Col du Alpe d Huez were severed. There was no electricity or telephone lines, home owners were evacuated to pro tem housing, it seemed as if it were a repetition of 1999.
Perhaps all promotion is good promotion. Portes du Soleil featured nightly on national French news bulletins. When mains was reconnected reservations commenced to pour in, drawn in by the superior skiing conditions.
Verchaix and neighbouring Blanc Chamonix have almost 3.5 m snow depth on the top areas at 2100 metres elevation and 2.2 metres at the bottom of the runs. At the moment the deepest in the French Alps. Val Thorens alleges that there is 6 metres at the the highest point of the resort. Unluckily a snow drift has swept away a support of the drag lift which goes up to the sector. It will be out of action until mid January.
Elsewhere in the European Alps bookings have increased 16% in Hautacam, Le Grand-Bornand and La Tania. Auron has 99 occupancy and distributed a record number of passes on Thursday. This is great news for main snowboarding companies.
